By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the employment of 3 300 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) for service in cooperation with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to prevent and combat crime under Operation Prosper.
Ramaphosa wrote to National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and chair of the National Council of Provinces Amos Masondo on Friday informing them about the deployment.
“This serves to inform the National Assembly [NCOP in a separate letter] that I have authorised the employment of 3,300 members of the SANDF for service in co-operation with the police to prevent and combat crime and maintain and preserve law and order in the Republic of South Africa under Operation Prosper,” said Ramaphosa.
“Members of the SANDF employed will, in co-operation with the South African Police Service, be conducting a high intensified anti-criminality operation against illegal mining across all provinces from period October 28 2023 until April 28 2024.”
A few months ago Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi urged Ramaphosa to fight illegal miners.
Recently, the police were forced to intervene in Riverlea, south of Johannesburg, where illegal miners engaged in a gunfight in the streets that left six members of rival gangs dead.
This was not the first time illegal miners have been involved in violence and gun battles in Gauteng.
The construction Mafia has also been accused of stalling projects across the country.
The president said the expenditure expected to be incurred for this deployment amounts to just more than R492m.
The deployment is authorised in accordance with the provisions of the constitution read with a section the Defence Act.
The section provides for the president or defence minister to authorise the deployment of the defence force for service inside the Republic or in international waters to support any department of state, including support for purposes of socioeconomic upliftment.
Darren Olivier, Director of African Defence Review, said using soldiers to combat crime is “still a terrible idea, one which harms both the SANDF and the SAPS and which will have long term negative consequences for civil military relations in the country.