Expect to See Soldiers on the Streets in April, Says Police Minister

• The police and the army say they are ready to deploy soldiers to combat illegal mining and gangsterism in several communities across the country.
• Earlier in March, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of about 2,200 members of the South African National Defence Force to serve alongside the South African Police Service.
• The deployment is expected to last until 31 March 2027.
• MPs raised several concerns regarding the deployment, including whether proper plans were in place.

Soldiers are expected to be in the streets of several communities with high crime rates from 1 April, according to officials briefing the Joint Standing Committee on Defence and the Portfolio Committee on Police on Friday.

Earlier this month, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of about 2,200 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to serve alongside the South African Police Service (SAPS).

“The deployed members of the SANDF will assist the SAPS to prevent and combat illegal mining and gangsterism in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, North West and Western Cape,” he said in a statement.

The deployment is expected to last until 31 March 2027. Ramaphosa said expenditure for this employment is estimated at R823-million.

GroundUp reported how residents in Johannesburg cheered when a convoy of soldiers and police drove through communities in Westbury and Riverlea.

However, there has been no clear communication on how the command structure will work and how the success of the operation will be measured.

SANDF Brigadier General Martin Gopane told MPs that soldiers will respect the rights to life and dignity.

According to his presentation, arrests will be made strictly in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Act. If the arrest is by a SANDF member, the suspect arrested “must be handed over to the South African Police without delay”.

Gopane said there would be strict guidelines and a code of conduct implemented to manage compliance.

He said the deployment comes at a time when South Africa is facing complex organised crime threats. “We’re looking for the kingpins so that we can go identify him, know where he is and pounce on him,” he said.

Christian Hattingh (DA) criticised the presentation for merely repeating what was shared earlier this month. “We asked for evidence. This is not what we asked for.”

Jane Mananiso (ANC) said quarterly updates about the deployment were vital.

David Skosana (MK) asked if there was a proper exit plan to end the deployment. “I’m still waiting for the exit plan when they [left] affected areas of Cape Town [in 2019],” he said.

Police committee chairperson Ian Cameron (DA) asked how the success of the operations would be measured. “We boast of arrests, but we don’t see the convictions. They are on record lows,” he said. “If this is a visibility exercise, it’s a massive waste of money.”

In response to questions, Minister of Defence Angie Motshekga told MPs that their plan is to “neutralise, not to eradicate”.

“Performance indicators will move from area to area depending on what the problems are,” she said.

Firoz Cachalia, acting police minister, defended the police’s readiness for the operations. “These are highly experienced and competent people who have developed an operational strategy and set up the structures.”

“The police and the army are going to do an important job. We are using the deployment of the army for stabilisation,” he said.

He said, “These are deep structural systemic problems that are ultimately socio-economic”, and children as young as 12 were being recruited by gangs who operate across borders.

Speaking to the media, Cachalia clarified that the deployment would start from 1 April.

“It has taken more time than we anticipated to prepare, train, and ensure the two organisations had the time to plan.”

He did not specify which communities the troops would be deployed to in the different provinces.

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