That's not what the army is for - John Maytham on SANDF beach deployment

Afternoon Drive host John Maytham says the South African army shouldn't be patrolling beaches.

This comes after Police Minister Bheki Cele announced that soldiers would be deployed to the Garden Route on Wednesday afternoon to help the police enforce compliance with the beach closures under the new lockdown Level 3.

Minister Cele told 702's The Midday Report host Mandy Wiener earlier that SAPS officers needed the backup.

Cele is currently at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay and says that SAPS officials made a request for assistance from the army due to a shortage in police officers infected by Covid-19.

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But CapeTalk host John Maytham feels the SANDF deployment is not right.

He says soldiers would be more useful patrolling gang-ridden communities like Ocean View instead of beaches along the Garden Route.

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It just seems to me that the army shouldn't be patrolling beaches.

John Maytham, veteran CapeTalk presenter

That's not what the army is for.

John Maytham, veteran CapeTalk presenter

Can't we just - for 14 days - stick to the rules, stick to the regulations and do what is asked of us... to try and bring down these awful levels of Covid-19.

John Maytham, veteran CapeTalk presenter

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The army is surely more useful in a situation like [Ocean View] than patrolling a beach at the Wildnerness.

John Maytham, veteran CapeTalk presenter

I wish people would police themselves better. That would solve all the problems if people were less selfish.

John Maytham, veteran CapeTalk presenter

Listen to John Maytham's full comment below:

Listen to Minister Bheki Cele on The Midday Report with Mandy Wiener:

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