The deployment of SANDF, in cooperation with SAPS, will be to continue to prevent and combat illegal mining activities within Gauteng.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has informed Parliament of his decision to extend the deployment of the SANDF to provide support to SAPS to prevent and combat illegal mining activities under Operation Prosper.
The extension of the deployment of the more than 1000 troops will come at a cost of more than R140 million to taxpayers.
This emerged in a letter Ramaphosa wrote to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza on November 8.
“This serves to inform the National Assembly that I have extended the employment of 1100 members of the SANDF for service in cooperation with the SAPS for the prevention and combating and maintain and preserve of law in the Republic under Operation Prosper,” he wrote.
Ramaphosa also said the deployment of SANDF, in cooperation with SAPS, will be to continue to prevent and combat illegal mining activities within Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Free State and Northern Cape under Operation Prosper over the period of 1 December 2024 until 31 March 2025.
He said the deployment was authorized in terms of the constitution and the Defence Act.
Ramaphosa revealed that R140 451 853 will be incurred on the deployment of the soldiers.
Earlier this year, Ramaphosa had the deployment of 2300 soldiers extended to deal with illegal mining activities under Operation Prosper between 29 April 2024 until 31 October 2024 to the tune of R349 907 616.
The SANDF was first deployed to support SAPS and Eskom to secure critical infrastructure in December 2022 due to an increase in acts of theft and vandalism which contributed to energy shortages.
Cape Times
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