Zuma: What army deployment to Western Cape and Gauteng?

If police minister Fikile Mbalula wants the army deployed to Cape Town and Johannesburg‚ the only man who can authorise it doesn’t know about it.

On Tuesday‚ spokesperson for the presidency Bongani Ngqulunga told TimesLIVE that the president's office had not received any request to move the army into crime-ridden areas of the country’s two largest cities.

This despite Mbalula previously stating that he wanted the deployment signed off as early as last week‚ and for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to support the police in combating crime in Gauteng and Western Cape.

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“The presidency has not received a request for the deployment of the SANDF‚” Ngqulunga told TimesLIVE when asked about the reasons for the delay in a decision.

Mbalula’s spokesperson‚ Vuyo Mhaga‚ said that the minister had asked defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula's office to approach the president‚ who is the only person who may deploy SANDF troops.

Both Gauteng and Western Cape have been hit hard by organised crime and gang violence in recent months‚ which has resulted in numerous murders‚ as well as violent attacks in public areas – including national key points.

Police crime stats released on Tuesday showed a national increase in murder and aggravated robbery.