President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved the deployment of 510 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to KwaZulu-Natal until 30 November 2026, at a cost of R34 million, to support police during anti-immigration protests.
Ramaphosa informed Parliament in writing, as the Constitution requires; the notice is dated 21 October. He said misinformation about a court judgment led to violence during the protests, and that soldiers will be "on standby for any eventualities".
The deployment
The 510 soldiers are deployed in KwaZulu-Natal until 30 November 2026, at a reported cost of R34 million. The deployment forms part of Operation Prosper, an ongoing joint security operation across several provinces. SANDF members are reportedly already present in parts of Durban.
Why soldiers are being deployed
About a week before the deployment was reported, one person was killed during protests in Durban. On 10 October, police said 30 people had been arrested in KwaZulu-Natal (25) and Gauteng (5) since the previous Thursday, on allegations including public violence, illegal gathering, obstruction and resisting arrest.
Acting National Police Commissioner Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane said police "will not allow threats, intimidation or unlawful conduct to undermine public safety". She added that the Constitution protects the right to assemble and demonstrate peacefully, but that this does not extend to intimidation, looting or public violence. Those arrested are presumed innocent.
