CAPE TOWN, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday the decision to deploy the army to help tackle organized crime, describing it as the most immediate threat faced by the country.
He made the announcement when delivering the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday evening before a joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament at Cape Town City Hall.
"Organized crime is now the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development," said Ramaphosa, stressing that the government's primary focus this year would be stepping up the fight against organized crime and criminal syndicates through technology, intelligence and integrated law enforcement.
As the cost of crime "is measured in lives lost and futures cut short," which "must and will change," the president said he's deploying the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) to support the police.
"I have directed the Minister of Police and the SANDF to develop a tactical plan on where our security forces should be deployed within the next few days in the Western Cape and Gauteng to deal with gang violence and illegal mining," Ramaphosa said.
He added that an additional 5,500 police officers would be recruited this year and gun laws tightened, while intelligence and multidisciplinary teams would target criminal syndicates nationwide.
Beyond crime, Ramaphosa turned to the worsening water crisis, saying, "Water is now the single most important issue for many people in South Africa," from large cities to smaller towns and rural areas.
He acknowledged that poor planning and inadequate maintenance by municipalities were largely to blame for persistent shortages, noting that there was no "silver bullet" to resolve the crisis while pledging long-term investment and reforms.
The government would elevate its response by establishing a National Water Crisis Committee, which he would chair, he said, adding that the body would coordinate national efforts and ensure swift intervention where needed.
In the annual SONA, the president also set out other key policy objectives and deliverables for the year ahead, including accelerating economic growth and investment, advancing energy and infrastructure reforms, expanding job creation programs, strengthening logistics and industrial capacity, and pushing ahead with structural reforms to boost investor confidence. ■