Gauteng premier David Makhura wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently deploy soldiers in the province to fight the scourge of violent crime.

This after a spate of killings of innocent people in the province and around the country seemed to be getting out of hand. It has been reported that criminals, armed with among others, assault rifles often open fire on unarmed patrons in taverns.

“We see violence as community members are being attacked weekend after weekend,” Makhura said.

Makhura together with his community safety MEC Faith Mazibuko, visited several scenes of crime where people were brutally murdered.

“When we visited the crime scenes, it was heart-breaking to find three, four people were killed there with assault rifles.”

He said that the country has a huge integrated security capacity that could solve the problem of violent crime.

“We can’t plead with criminals. I will go to President Cyril Ramaphosa and ask him to bring soldiers to Gauteng because people die at the hands of criminals in the province,” he said.

“This is necessary because government and its citizens have a country and families to protect.”

He claimed these criminals also stole cables and raped girls and women.

“We can’t allow criminals armed to the teeth to destroy infrastructure such as stealing cables and in some instances rape girls and women.”

The provincial government has not yet established the reason of the killings.

“We do not know the reason behind the shootings because they take nothing from community members after killing them.”

He said the government would definitely deal with criminals day and night in Mamelodi and all other townships in the province.

“We do not want to know the nationality of the criminals [is]… we will be dealing with all criminals.”

He said they would start with those who are in possession of unlicensed firearms.

“These guys are testing us in our country. Any country that faces a threat of people committing violent crimes, having armed criminals who shoot and steal infrastructure has to act accordingly.”

He said they wanted the police and all other law enforcement agencies to be on the ground.

The Tshwane metro MMC for Social Development and Community Services, Peggy de Bruin thanked the premier for promising change.

“We cannot continue living in fear as women,” she said.

“We [women] should be able to dress and express ourselves the way we want and without fear of being subjected to any form of abuse.”