Expect to get killed if you point a gun at a soldier in Cape Town or Gauteng

South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Bantu Holomisa, warned that people should not point a gun at soldiers.

His warning followed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address to a Joint Sitting of the two Houses of Parliament on Thursday, 12 February 2026.

During his address, Ramaphosa announced numerous interventions to combat crime and gang violence.

One of the interventions is deploying the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to support the police, as the state did with great effect in tackling illegal mining.

“I have directed the Minister of Police and the SANDF to develop a tactical plan on where our security forces should be deployed,” he said.

The focus will be on the Western Cape and Gauteng to deal with gang violence and illegal mining.

“I will inform the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces regarding the timing and place of deployment of our soldiers and what it will cost,” he said.

Ramaphosa added that the government, the South African police, and the military have to act to rid our country of gang violence.

“At the same time, we are implementing an integrated strategy to address the root causes of crime,” he said.

This will be done through coordinated interventions across society, from street lighting to access to social services.

Commenting on the deployment of the military to civilian areas, Holomisa thanks the government of national unity (GNU) for prioritizing security.

He said the President’s plan was thoroughly discussed in late 2025 and early 2026 and that the Department of Defence is currently planning the rollout of soldiers.

“The responsibility is now on the ministries of the different departments to sit down and start implementing that plan,” he said.

He added that the Department of Defence is already planning the deployment of soldiers to carry out their work as instructed by the President.

“We are waiting for Parliament to give the instruction to move in. Within two weeks, we will be deploying troops working with the police,” he said.

He told the people of South Africa that the National Defence Force would require their cooperation, adding a stern warning.

“Nobody should point a gun at a soldier, because we will be there doing a job. If you shoot at a soldier, you will put us in trouble,” he said.

This followed a previous warning from the Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans against pointing a gun at a soldier.

“We won’t play. Never point a firearm at soldiers. We’re not the police,” Holomisa said in a previous interview.