Soldiers from the South African National Defence Force are being deployed across five provinces as part of a coordinated operation with the South African Police Service aimed at stabilising communities affected by gangsterism and illegal mining.
Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will be deployed to five provinces to assist police in tackling gangsterism, violent crime and illegal mining.
The SANDF confirmed that troops will operate in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, North West and Free State as part of a coordinated intervention with the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The deployment follows the 2026 State of the Nation Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa and forms part of a broader Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster intervention.
“This deployment forms part of a coordinated Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster intervention aimed at stabilising affected communities and disrupting criminal syndicates operating in key hotspot areas,” the SANDF said in a statement.
The defence force said the legal basis for the deployment is derived from Section 201(2)(a) of the Constitution of South Africa, which authorises the president to employ the SANDF in cooperation with SAPS to prevent and combat crime in order to maintain law and order.
“This constitutional provision recognises that threats to internal stability may require the coordinated deployment of national security capabilities to safeguard the safety and security of citizens,” the SANDF said.
The operational framework is also outlined in Section 19(3)(c)(ii) of the Defence Act (Act 42 of 2002), which regulates the use of the SANDF for internal operations and defines the command and control arrangements between the SANDF and SAPS.
Operations will be coordinated through the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS).
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has begun deploying troops to five provinces to assist police in tackling gangsterism, violent crime and illegal mining in identified crime hotspots.
Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
The SANDF said the deployment will focus on specific criminal threats in each province.
- Western Cape – gangsterism and violent crime
- Eastern Cape – gang violence
- Gauteng – illegal mining activities
- North West – illegal mining operations
- Free State – illicit mining activities
The intervention builds on previous operations, including Operation Prosper in 2019, when SANDF troops were deployed to the Western Cape to help stabilise gang-affected communities in the Cape Flats.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa said the government will not permanently deploy the army to fight crime because of the high costs involved.
However, he said the current limited deployment is already helping stabilise affected communities.
Speaking in the National Assembly at the Nieuwmeester Dome on Thursday, Ramaphosa said the SANDF is acting as a “force multiplier” to support SAPS in addressing crime challenges, including gangsterism in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Gauteng, as well as illegal mining in Gauteng and North West.
“The SANDF deployment is necessary to complement the efforts of the SAPS in tackling these crimes and bringing stability to our communities,” Ramaphosa told MPs.
He said soldiers are operating under police command with clear rules of engagement and defined, time-limited objectives.
“The army may be called on by the police to provide protection in high-risk areas or operations, or to support cordon-and-search operations and roadblocks against armed criminals,” he said.
Soldiers may also be tasked with securing critical infrastructure, allowing police officers to focus on investigations.
Ramaphosa rejected suggestions that the deployment reflects a failure by the police.
“That is not the case. We are getting the police and the army to work together to handle the challenges our people are facing,” he said.
The deployment will also run alongside other initiatives, including strengthening anti-gang units and illegal mining task teams.
Police will work with the National Prosecuting Authority ( NPA) in multidisciplinary operations targeting organised crime networks, including their leadership, finances and weapons supply chains.
“Through this support, we aim to achieve a significant reduction in serious and violent crime in targeted areas, with the neutralisation of gang violence and illicit mining,” Ramaphosa said.
The deployment is being implemented gradually as the defence force moves into identified areas.
The South African National Defence Force has begun deploying troops to five provinces to support the South African Police Service in tackling escalating gang violence and illegal mining.
Image: FILE
Ramaphosa said communities have already welcomed the presence of soldiers.
“Where they become present, there is stability. We want to instil that stability and rid areas of criminality on a permanent basis,” he said.
He added that the deployment is for a specific timeframe and may be extended if necessary.
Ramaphosa also said public perceptions of the military have evolved.
“In the past, whenever soldiers were deployed it created fear because they were seen as trained only to shoot and kill. Now our defence force has developed capabilities to serve communities, build bridges, rescue people in danger and support the police,” he said.
He also highlighted the military’s role during the 2021 unrest, when troops helped stabilise affected areas.
Earlier this week, soldiers working with SAPS officers conducted raids in Eldorado Park, Riverlea, Westbury and Sophiatown, searching for contraband, illegal weapons and other criminal activity.
A total of 550 SANDF members began their deployment in Gauteng on Wednesday as part of Operation Prosper, a joint operation with SAPS aimed at combating illegal mining and organised criminal networks.
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