South Africa: Cape Town Murder Stats - Has the Army Made a Difference?

There are seven murders a day on the Cape Flats In April 2026, about 200 soldiers were deployed to the Cape Flats as part of Operation Prosper, which is expected to last until 31 March 2027. 646 people were murdered on the Cape Flats between April and June this year -- 95 fewer than the same period last year. That amounts to an average of seven people a day, down from eight last year. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn It is hard to know at this point whether the army has contributed to this small decline. It is so small that it may merely be a random fluctuation. Murders in the quarter preceding the army's arrival (Jan-March 2026) were already lower than the same period in 2024/25. So if we are in the midst of a sustained decline, it may have started before the army