President Cyril Ramaphosa says the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is intended to strengthen efforts by the South African Police Service (SAPS) to combat crime and illegal mining.
The first group of soldiers was deployed on Wednesday in Sophiatown and other areas west of Johannesburg.
Ramaphosa said the deployment forms part of government’s strategy to reinforce police operations against organised criminal networks operating in affected communities.
“The SANDF deployment is necessary to complement the efforts of SAPS in tackling these crimes and bringing stability to communities,” the president said.
He stressed that the military will operate under the command of the police and within clearly defined operational limits.
“The SANDF will be deployed in support of the SAPS, operating under police command, with clear rules of engagement and for specific time-limited objectives,” Ramaphosa explained.
According to the president, soldiers may assist police during high-risk operations and cordon-and-search missions targeting heavily armed criminals.
“The SANDF may, for example, be called on by the police to provide protection in high-risk operations, or to support cordon-and-search operations against armed criminals,” he said.
The deployment forms part of a broader government strategy aimed at tackling organised crime, including strengthened anti-gang units and specialised task teams focused on combating illegal mining networks.