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South African Govt Deploys Army to Tackle Rising Crime

South Africa's army has officially been deployed to several parts of the country to help overwhelmed police clamp down on violent crimes, including illicit mining and gangs. President Cyril Ramaphosa had earlier this year announced the deployment of 2,200 soldiers to five of the country's nine provinces hardest hit by criminal activities. 

The deployment, scheduled for one year, is intended to restore order to crime-ridden areas, but critics say the military is rarely effective in civilian policing. The illegal mining industry and gang violence are major concerns in South Africa, where the murder rate is among the highest in the world.

Under South African law, soldiers can only arrest civilians under rare circumstances and must then hand the suspect over to the police as soon as possible.

Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp

Children interact with SANDF soldiers.

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