President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved to fast-track the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in Gauteng, delivering on a commitment made during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) to strengthen the fight against crime and illegal mining.
A total of 550 SANDF members began their deployment in Gauteng on Wednesday as part of Operation Prosper, a joint operation with the South African Police Service (SAPS) aimed at combating illegal mining and organised criminal networks.
The operation forms part of government’s broader efforts to address escalating illegal mining activities, often linked to violent crime and organised syndicates.
The deployment follows the President’s commitment in this year’s SONA to use additional security resources, including the military, to support law-enforcement agencies in crime-affected provinces.
Parliament formally notified of deployment
Questions had been raised in some quarters about whether Parliament had been informed about the deployment.
However, President Ramaphosa has formally notified Parliament through a letter dated 5 March 2026, which was addressed to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza.
The letter was subsequently tabled in Parliament’s Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports (ATC) on 9 March 2026.
In the correspondence, President Ramaphosa confirmed that the deployment had been authorised in terms of Section 201(2)(a) of the Constitution, which allows the Defence Force to be employed in cooperation with the SAPS to maintain law and order.
“This serves to inform the Speaker of the National Assembly that I have employed 550 members of the South African National Defence Force for service, in cooperation with the South African Police Service to prevent and combat crime, and maintain and preserve law and order within Gauteng province under Operation Prosper,” the President wrote.
The President also notified the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces to ensure both Houses of Parliament were formally informed.
Operation targets illegal mining syndicates
The SANDF members will assist police in preventing and combating illegal mining activities in Gauteng, particularly in areas around Johannesburg’s West Rand and East Rand, where abandoned mine shafts have become hotspots for criminal operations.
Illegal mining, commonly associated with so-called “zama zama” groups, has been linked to violence, environmental damage and loss of life in affected communities.
Law-enforcement authorities have previously indicated that the police service alone lacks sufficient capacity to effectively tackle heavily armed criminal syndicates operating in illegal mining networks.
The military deployment is expected to strengthen operational capacity by providing additional manpower to secure mining areas, support police operations and disrupt organised crime networks.
The operation in Gauteng is expected to cost approximately R80.7 million.
The deployment forms part of a broader government strategy to support policing efforts following the President’s announcement earlier this year that the SANDF would assist law enforcement in tackling crime in several provinces, including Gauteng, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape.
As the operation progresses, Parliament and civil society organisations are expected to monitor its implementation and effectiveness, particularly with regard to compliance with constitutional safeguards governing the use of the military in civilian contexts. – SAnews.gov.za
