Hundreds of South African soldiers were deployed on Thursday to crime-ridden suburbs of Cape Town to counter a surge of shootings, gang violence and murders.

According to the Western Cape Government, bloodshed has claimed more than 2,000 victims in predominantly black and mixed-race areas over the past seven months.

The South African National Defence Force are to be on the streets for at least three months to boost the city’s struggling police force.

Famous for its amazing tourist attractions, including Robben Island and Table Mountain, Cape Town is one of the deadliest cities in South Africa with 3,674 murders recorded in Western Cape last year, according to official police statistics.

There is a strong gang culture among thousands of young people who belong to street gangs such as “Hard Living” and “Young Americans”.