A Cape Town woman is calling for action against a soldier who allegedly assaulted her during an Operation Prosper deployment in Mitchells Plain on Friday.
Bonita Smith claims she was assaulted after confronting soldiers to ask why her son had been apprehended while he was out withdrawing money.
Smith says the incident has left her questioning who residents can turn to for protection in communities already affected by gang violence.
“We are already afraid of gangsters. We are living in fear. If the army and the police can’t protect us, where must we go?” she said.
While Smith supports the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to the Cape Flats, she says alleged misconduct and abuse by members of the security forces should not be tolerated.
She claims her son was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of an unlicensed firearm. However, he was released on Monday without appearing in court.
The Military Ombud has confirmed that it has received 24 complaints against the army since its deployment across the country.
No disciplinary action has been taken in connection with the complaints so far.
The SANDF says it is investigating the allegations surrounding the incident.