South African National Defence Force troops began moving through gang‑ridden areas of Cape Town, joining South African Police Service efforts in Mitchells Plain and other Cape Flats hotspots, Eye Witness reported on April 1. This is part of the year‑long "Operation Prosper" deployment aimed at tackling rampant gang violence, extortion, illegal firearms and drugs under a broader national crime crackdown announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In late March, the military deployed troops to Johannesburg, while a planned deployment to gang‑affected areas of Cape Town, particularly the Cape Flats, was delayed. The troops were expected to deploy on March 1, but coordination issues between the military and the police, including disagreements over command structures and pending joint training, slowed the deployment.