Residents of Gauteng and the Western and Eastern Cape will start seeing the army in their communities this week after the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that soldiers will be deployed to assist the police in fighting crime.
This comes after Ramaphosa received an operational plan with details of the deployment, including the number of soldiers, where they will be deployed and how much it will all cost.
The president announced in his state of the nation address that he would deploy the army to assist the police in fighting illegal mining, gangsterism and construction mafias.
But he had to wait for a detailed plan from security cluster heads before informing parliament, in writing, about the details of the deployment. Informing parliament is a constitutional requirement.
During the Sona speech, Ramaphosa gave the commanders of the State Security Agency (SSA), South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) 10 working days to submit the operational plan as he wanted boots on the ground with immediate effect.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who also serves as political head of the SSA, confirmed that the army’s deployment was now in motion.
“They’ve started to roll in terms of the deployment, the soldiers have started to roll,” she said.
Briefing reporters after this week’s cabinet meeting, Ntshavheni confirmed on Wednesday that the commanders had submitted the plan to the president within the 10-day deadline.
She said the operational plan was considered by the National Security Council and it included a strategy to combat organised crime.
The plan includes additional high-risk crimes that the joint army and police operations will have to tackle.
This is in line with what deputy defence minister Bantu Holomisa told the Sunday Times about the terms of reference of the deployment — that they were likely to be extended beyond illegal mining and gangsterism.
The addition of the Eastern Cape to the list came after Ramaphosa’s speech as calls were made to have the army in that province as it struggles with construction mafia.
No more nonsense will be allowed. No more chance takers. This is an opportunity for the president to crack down on lawlessness. I see it as a first phase in confronting criminals.
— Deputy defence minister Bantu Holomisa
Holomisa, at the time, said the deployment of the army was a crucial step in crime-fighting.
“We are restoring law and order. And it’s clear that this operation will ... end up getting involved in other crucial areas,” he said.
“No more nonsense will be allowed. No more chance takers. This is an opportunity for the president to crack down on lawlessness. I see it as a first phase in confronting criminals”.
Ntshavheni said the army has already started moving into some areas though Ramaphosa is yet to officially inform parliament of the details of the deployment.
She confirmed that the law does not prohibit the president from deploying soldiers and informing parliament later.
Ntshavheni would not reveal the number of soldiers being deployed as this would “expose our strengths and weaknesses”.
“What’s important is that the soldiers will be deployed in line with the operational plan that has been submitted, which the president will then [use to] finalise his submission to parliament,” she said.
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