Defence on deployment in cooperation with SAPS to combat gang violence and illegal mining

As announced during the 2026 State of the Nation Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has commenced a coordinated deployment in cooperation with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to combat escalating violent crime, gangsterism and illicit mining activities in several provinces across the Republic.

This deployment forms part of a coordinated Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster intervention aimed at stabilising affected communities and disrupting criminal syndicates operating in key hotspot areas.

The legal basis for this deployment is derived from Section 201(2)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which authorises the President to employ the South African National Defence Force in cooperation with the South African Police Service to prevent and combat crime in order to maintain law and order within the Republic. This constitutional provision recognises that threats to internal stability may require the coordinated deployment of national security capabilities to safeguard the safety and security of citizens.

The operational framework for this deployment is further detailed in Section 19(3)(c)(ii) of the Defence Act (Act 42 of 2002), which regulates the employment of the South African National Defence Force for internal operations and clarifies the principles governing command and control arrangements between the SANDF and the SAPS while operating in a coordinated and integrated manner under the direction of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS).

The SANDF will be deployed in the following provinces to address specific criminal threats:

• Western Cape: Focus on gangsterism and violent crime.
• Eastern Cape: Focus on gang violence.
• Gauteng: Focus on illicit mining activities.
• North West: Focus on illegal mining operations.
• Free State: Focus on illicit mining activities.

The current intervention builds on previous deployments, including Operation PROSPER (2019) in the Western Cape, where the SANDF worked alongside SAPS to stabilise gang-affected communities in the Cape Flats.

Enquiries:
General Officer Commanding Joint Operational Headquarters
Major General Godfrey Thulare
Cell: 066 305 7872

Acting Senior Staff Officer Operational Communication Joint Operations Division
Lieutenant Colonel Mpho Mathebula
Cell: 081 480 2017

#GovZAUpdates