By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the deployment of 800 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members to assist the SAPS and Eskom in dealing with criminal elements.
The SANDF would cooperate with the South African Police Service for “the prevention and combating of crime and maintenance and preservation of law and order in SA under Operation Prosper”, the Presidency said in a statement on Saturday.
“Members of the SANDF employed will assist the South African Police Service (SAPS) in protecting Eskom power stations around the country where sabotage, theft and other crimes may threaten the functioning of power stations and the supply of electricity.”
The deployment is from 17 April 2023 to 17 October 2023.
Previously, 2 700 members of the SANDF were employed to assist the SAPS in protecting Eskom power stations under Operation Prosper from 17 March 2023 to 17 April 2023.
“The current employment is authorised in accordance with the provisions of Section 201(2) (a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996,” the Presidency said.
The Presidency says the expenditure expected to be incurred for this employment is R 146 718 427.
Eskom is under siege by criminals, from low-level opportunistic and petty thieves to complex and highly organised syndicates. The list of criminal activities it has had to suffer is storied and long, with coal theft, diesel theft, contract exploitation, high-level corruption and even threats of violence adding to the stresses.
As criminals continue their siege, South Africa has been thrust into the worst-ever levels of load shedding as the 15-year power crisis deepens.
Load shedding has been implemented on a near-permanent basis since September 2022, and has hit the country at high stages every day in 2023 so far.