South Africa is preparing to deploy soldiers to several crime-affected provinces for a year-long mission aimed at supporting police efforts against organised crime and illegal mining.
The deployment plan was presented to parliamentary policing committees on Wednesday and outlines a military operation scheduled to run until 31 March 2027.
President Cyril Ramaphosa first announced the initiative last month, describing organised crime as one of the most serious threats facing the country’s democratic institutions and economic stability.
Military support for police operations
According to the operational plan, troops from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) are expected to move into affected provinces later this month.
The mission will cover five of South Africa’s nine provinces, including the Western Cape, where areas surrounding Cape Town have long struggled with gang violence.
However, officials said the deployment has not yet begun. Preparations including mission-readiness training and the creation of a joint command structure between the military and police are still underway.
Major General Mark Hankel said such operations require careful planning before troops can be deployed.
“It does take time. It is not something that happens immediately or overnight,” he said.
Debate over role of the military
The plan has already sparked debate among political parties and security experts. Critics argue that soldiers are not trained for day-to-day policing duties and warn that relying on the military could be costly.
Some analysts also suggest the deployment highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement in controlling violent crime.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia defended the decision, telling lawmakers that the military intervention should be viewed as a supporting measure rather than a permanent solution.
“The deployment of the South African National Defence Force is not being presented as a panacea or a magic bullet,” Cachalia said.
He added that the move could create the space needed to implement a broader strategy against organised crime.
“One way to think about this is that this country is in its FBI moment. We need a new paradigm,” he said.
South Africa continues to face high levels of violent crime. Excluding countries experiencing armed conflict, the country records one of the highest homicide rates globally, with an average of about 65 murders reported each day.
Illegal mining is also a major contributor to violence in several regions. Thousands of miners search abandoned shafts for leftover gold ore, often under the control of organised gangs competing for access to the sites.
The government has previously relied on military deployments during national crises. Soldiers were deployed during strict COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and again in 2021 when unrest erupted following the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma.
In 2023, the military was also sent to assist police after a wave of truck burnings raised fears of broader instability.
A similar operation took place in 2019 when around 1,300 soldiers were deployed to support police in gang-affected communities in the Cape Flats near Cape Town.
Officials say the new mission will focus on supporting law enforcement while longer-term strategies to combat organised crime are developed.
