No army for Cape Town

President Jacob Zuma will not deploy soldiers to areas affected by gang violence in the Western Cape, the presidency said on Wednesday.

"The president... has opted for more intensive action by the police and long-term interventions by social and economic clusters of government," his spokesperson Mac Maharaj said.

(As per usual the President is too busy and can't speak for himself. Unfortunately this mean this blog now carries words spoken by South Africa's number one sycophant. For this I do apologise)

In July, Western Cape Premier Helen Zille asked Zuma to send troops to curtail gang violence. At the time, at least 23 people had been killed in the Western Cape in six weeks.

Seventeen of them were killed in Cape Town's Lavender Hill and Hanover Park areas. 

Maharaj said the ministers of police and defence had briefed Zuma on the situation. A team comprising staff from both departments went to the two suburbs to make an assessment.

The briefing from the two ministers indicated that a long term and multi-disciplinary approach was needed. (which essentially means that nothing will ever happen. This is government speak for entropy.)

"The SA Police Service has the necessary capacity to deal with the situation in these areas. The situation does not require the deployment of members of the SA National Defence Force," Maharaj said.

He said there were socio-economic conditions that needed to be addressed.  

(Mr Maharaj acting like he doesn't live in the country. Has the man looked around the country recently? The entire place is a socio-economic disaster and here is the President's spokesperson sycophant/troll telling us that Hanover Park and Lavender Hill have "socio-economic conditions" which needed to be addressed. Socio economic conditions? You don't say.. I thought Lavender Hill was like Constantia and Hanover Park like Bishopscourt. Always looks like it when I drive through there.)

Police would improve their intelligence-gathering and visibility in the areas, and form partnerships with government departments and non-government bodies.

Maharaj said the government's response would extend to Mannenberg, Elsies River and Nyanga.

"President Zuma has directed ministers in the social and economic sectors to study the situation and look for long-term solutions that promote sustainable development and stable communities." (from News24)

Ultimately this is good news, however to have Mac Maharaj fob off the problem to be solved by now starting to look for solutions is rather disheartening. Helen Zille will have to find another way to get the police to answer to her.