SANDF's strategic plan to combat gangs and illegal mining
The Acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, emphasised that the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is not a quick fix for the nation’s crime challenges.
Image: Phando Jikelo / Independent Newspapers
The Acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, has stated that the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will not be a magic bullet for the country’s crime issues.
Cachalia highlighted that extensive training is currently underway, which, once complete, will lead to a strategic rollout set to last until 31 March 2027.
Cachalia, alongside the National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, addressed a joint meeting between the Portfolio Committee on Police and the Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources, on the deployment of the SANDF in support of SAPS operations.
The committees heard that the deployment of the SANDF is authorised under Section 201(2)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, and Section 19(3)(c)(ii) of the Defence Act, Act 42 of 2002.
Masemola said that the SANDF will not be deployed across the whole country, but to certain hotspots. The hotspots have been identified as Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, North West, and Free State.
The hotspots where the SANDF is expected to be deployed
Image: Screenshot
The committee heard that each entity shall retain its distinct command authority throughout the operation, and that Operational coordination shall take place through Joint Operational and Intelligence Structures (JOINTS) at national, provincial, and local levels.
The operation shall be coordinated with both designated SAPS and SANDF commanders to ensure unity of effort. Based on joint command training for alignment, coordination and synergised operations.
Monitoring and evaluation will occur and be reported through Project Management processes under the auspices of the overarching National Organised Crime Combatting Operation (“Ukubuza”).
Masemola explained that deployment will commence on 1 March 2026 and conclude on 31 March 2027, but he said that while training is underway, the rollout of the SANDF will only be determined once they have completed training and have been deemed ready for deployment.
He indicated that they will likely go full speed from April onwards.
While Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana had explained that the current cost of the SANDF deployment is unknown, he deduced that they would be funded through Section 16 of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), which governs the use of funds in emergency situations.
Masemola gave more insight, explaining that while they will still have to brief the committee on how funding will work, the current funds being used by SAPS will come out of the R1 billion assigned to combat organised crime. He said the SANDF has their own budget that will support the deployments.
“The deployment of the SANDF is there to stabilise the areas, while the rest of the (SAPS) teams will be dealing with the organised crime, with a view to dismantling those organised crime syndicates,” Masemola said.
When asked about who would be in control on the ground, the committee heard that SAPS will be the authority on the scene, and SANDF is there to support and stabilise SAPS’ efforts.
Cachalia said: “The deployment of the SANDF is not being presented as a panacea, (or) as a magic bullet”.
Cachalia also added that they have taken previous SANDF-SAPS deployment experiences into account to learn from them and mitigate any risks that could arise.
The committees heard that the deployment of the SANDF is authorised under Section 201(2)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, and Section 19(3)(c)(ii) of the Defence Act, Act 42 of 2002.
Image: Screenshot
Cachalia, alongside the National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, addressed a joint meeting between the Portfolio Committee on Police and the Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources, on the deployment of the SANDF in support of SAPS operations.
Image: Screenshot