President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the deployment of 3 300 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to work in conjunction with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to prevent and combat crime and maintain and preserve law and order under Operation Prosper.
The operation, which began last month, was announced today by the Presidency.
“Members of the SANDF will, in cooperation with the South African Police Service, conduct an intensified anti-criminality operation against illegal mining across all provinces, from 28 October 2023 until 28 April 2024,” said Presidency spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya.
According to the Presidency, the expenditure expected to be incurred for this deployment amounts to R 492 143 296.
The President set out the employment in a letter to the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces.
Meanwhile, during a recent questions and answer session at the National Council of Provinces, Minister Thandi Modise said SANDF members are ready to be deployed, when requested.
“We are on standby for whenever we’re called. But you would have seen that the police have been matching them bullet for bullet and hit for hit. But if the president says it is time for us to come in, yes.
“Do we have a plan, yes, we do. Do we think that if that plan is called up will work, yes, we do. Do we see a role for the defence in dealing with the zama zamas, yes, we do,” said Modise.
She however acknowledged that defence members have not been trained to deal with cash-in-transit crimes.
“But if you go to the military exercises, you would realise that whatever it is that we train our people for hostage and hostage breakages, evacuations, can be applied there,” explained Modise.
“She highlighted that if required to go underground into the mines, the members will know what to do, “because some of the weapons the illegal miners carry, can be matched by the defence.”
The minister said the defence members will also bring special skills, like engineers that will come very handy in those operations. The members will undergo training before their deployment.
