SANDF Deployment Plan in WC Still Unclear

Statement by Lisa Schickerling MP – DA Spokesperson on Police:

In a second briefing in Parliament, this time by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), it is quite clear that there is a lack of coordination and planning between SANDF and the South African Police Service (SAPS) on the upcoming deployment to gang-ridden areas.

During the meeting, it became evident that there is a concerning disconnect between the SANDF’s submission and the information previously provided to the Portfolio Committee on Police earlier this week.

While the SANDF indicated that Phase One of the operation has commenced – focusing on training, planning, logistics and shaping the operational environment, there appears to be no clearly articulated joint operational plan detailing how SAPS and the SANDF will work together on the ground.

The operation, which is currently in Phase One, started on 1 March 2026 and is expected to run to 31 March 2027, and will target illegal mining and gangsterism in Gauteng, North West, Free State, Western Cape and the Eastern Cape. However, Members of Parliament raised several operational concerns during the briefing.

Among the issues highlighted were the apparent lack of integrated planning between SAPS and the SANDF, the absence of a shared operational doctrine for joint deployments, and serious concerns about communications, as the two institutions reportedly do not use compatible radio systems.

Questions were also raised about the intelligence capabilities that are meant to guide these so-called intelligence-driven operations, as well as the overall mission readiness of the SANDF for this type of domestic deployment.

While the DA supports decisive action against organised crime networks and violent gangsterism, such operations must be properly coordinated, intelligence-led and supported by clear command structures.

The DA will continue to exercise robust oversight to ensure that this deployment is not reduced to a symbolic intervention, but instead delivers measurable results in restoring safety and the rule of law.

At the next joint sitting between the Police and Defence, we call on SAPS and SANDF to come prepared with a plan, and not another explanation of a plan to come.