How the SANDF plans to tackle gang violence and illegal mining with R800 million
Members of Parliament heard on Friday that the deployment of soldiers to Gauteng, Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape was not funded yet because the announcement was made after the budget process was finalised.
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The Department of Defence has requested over R800 million to deploy the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in response to escalating gang violence and illegal mining in multiple provinces.
Acting Secretary of Defence Thobekile Gamede made the announcement on Friday, highlighting the urgent need for military assistance to help police tackle the country's rising threats.
“It is almost above R800 million. It is in the employment papers that have already been submitted to the minister, and I have learnt that the employment papers are now with the president,” Gamede said.
“As soon as the president signs the employment papers, those will be sent to the National Treasury,” she said, adding that Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant-General Siphiwe Sangweni has submitted a budget of R823m.
Gamede was briefing the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on the preparedness of the SANDF following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the State of the Nation Address.
Ramaphosa stated that deployment would be in Gauteng and the Western Cape, and the Eastern Cape was added the following day.
The Free State and North West were included during the briefing on Friday.
Gamede told the MPs that the deployment was not funded yet because the announcement was made after the budget process was finalised.
Gamede added that the National Treasury was expected to allocate additional funds in the Adjustment Budget later in the year.
However, the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) allows the Finance Minister to provide emergency funding purposes in the public interest.
She stated that she would not disclose the number of troops to be deployed.
“I won’t divulge the strength of the boots on the ground. I don’t think we should divulge that. Members will receive notification from the president, which will outline everything,” Gamede said.
As part of preparedness, Sangweni told the MPs that soldiers have rules of engagement when deployed with the SAPS.
“With this deployment, Operation Prosper and others in the past three years or four years, you will always find these rules of engagement,” he said.
Sangweni also said the soldiers will ensure they adhere daily to their code of conduct when deployed.
He said the deployment arose from security issues in mining and gangsterism, which have resulted in a surge in criminal activity in Gauteng, North West, Free State, Western Cape, and the Eastern Cape.
Sangweni said that, a day after Ramaphosa announced the deployments in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, the SANDF had been tasked with preparing to deploy soldiers to combat illegal mining in those provinces devastated by it.
“We are at an advanced stage of deploying and dealing with the administrative part of deployment.”
Sangweni also said that joint planning between the SAPS and SANDF had been conducted and was now finalised.
“The deliberate planning was to address some fears and misgivings from members of the pubic if the deployment of SANDF and SAPS will be done successfully and will have no trouble.”
He revealed that they have decided that police deployed to the areas will be part of the deployment from beginning to end, unlike members in the stations who work in shifts.
Sangweni said they would conduct a robust, intelligence-driven operation with SAPS and include other departments that are role players.
“It does not mean that we won’t deploy when there is no intelligence. When you dominate the area, criminals lie low.”