Ramaphosa Deploys SANDF to Combat Illegal Mining and Gang Violence

JOHANNESBURG – President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the deployment of 2,200 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to support police operations targeting illegal mining and gang-related crime across several provinces.

The decision, announced by the Presidency of South Africa, forms part of an expanded security intervention under Operation Prosper, a joint initiative between the SANDF and the South African Police Service (SAPS) aimed at stabilising crime hotspots and disrupting organised criminal networks.

According to the Presidency, the deployment will run from 1 March 2026 until 31 March 2027, with soldiers assisting police in operations in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, North West and Western Cape.

Constitutional authority for deployment

The decision to deploy the military in support of domestic law enforcement is grounded in provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.

Section 201(2)(a) of the Constitution provides that only the President, acting as head of the national executive, may authorise the employment of the defence force in cooperation with the police service. The Presidency confirmed that Ramaphosa formally informed both the National Assembly of South Africa and the National Council of Provinces in accordance with constitutional requirements.

The President invoked Section 201(3)(a)–(d) of the Constitution, which governs the circumstances under which the defence force may be deployed domestically, including supporting the police in maintaining law and order.

The government estimates that the cost of the deployment will amount to approximately R823 million.

Focus on illegal mining and organised crime

Officials say the military support will focus primarily on addressing illegal mining operations, commonly known as zama zama activities, as well as gang-related crime that has intensified in several urban and mining regions.

Illegal mining has become a major security and economic concern in South Africa. According to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (South Africa), illegal mining costs the country billions of rand annually through lost revenue, damage to infrastructure, and violence linked to criminal syndicates.

Investigations by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have previously estimated that illegal mining activities in South Africa may result in economic losses exceeding R20 billion per year, while also contributing to environmental damage and violent conflict between rival groups operating in abandoned mines.

In provinces such as Gauteng and North West, illegal mining networks have increasingly been linked to organised crime, weapons trafficking, and cross-border criminal syndicates.

Escalating violence linked to illegal mining

The problem gained national attention in recent years following several violent incidents linked to illegal mining networks.

One of the most widely reported cases occurred in 2022 in the town of Krugersdorp in Gauteng, where alleged illegal miners were implicated in a high-profile attack that shocked the country and prompted renewed calls for stronger law enforcement action.

Law enforcement agencies have also raised concerns about the militarisation of illegal mining groups, many of which are reportedly armed and operate in organised structures.

Security analysts say this has made policing the phenomenon increasingly difficult without additional support from specialised units or the military.

Gang violence remains a major concern

Alongside illegal mining, the SANDF deployment will also target gang activity, particularly in areas of Cape Town and surrounding communities in the Western Cape.

The region has long struggled with entrenched gang networks involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and violent turf wars. Data released by the South African Police Service has consistently shown that several Western Cape precincts rank among the country’s highest for murder and violent crime.

Previous joint deployments of the SANDF in the Western Cape have been used to support police patrols, roadblocks, and stabilisation operations in gang-affected neighbourhoods.

Operation Prosper

The latest deployment falls under Operation Prosper, a national security initiative designed to coordinate multi-agency responses to organised crime and high-risk policing environments.

Military personnel deployed under such operations typically assist with patrols, perimeter security, logistical support, and intelligence coordination, while primary law enforcement authority remains with the police.

According to the Presidency, the deployment aims to “prevent and combat crime, and support and preserve law and order” in areas most affected by illegal mining and gang activity.

Commitment announced during State of the Nation Address

Ramaphosa had previously signalled the government’s intention to deploy the military in crime-affected areas during the State of the Nation Address 2026.

In that address, the President highlighted illegal mining as a growing national threat that required stronger coordination between law enforcement agencies and other state institutions.

Illegal mining has also been linked to broader governance challenges within the mining sector, including abandoned shafts, weak enforcement, and cross-border criminal networks that exploit regulatory gaps.

Community cooperation encouraged

The Presidency has called on communities to cooperate with both the police and military personnel deployed in their areas.

Officials say community intelligence and public cooperation remain critical in identifying criminal networks and disrupting illegal mining operations.

“Communities are encouraged to work closely with the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force to identify and isolate criminal elements,” the Presidency said in a statement.

Military support in domestic policing

The use of the military to assist police in combating crime is not unprecedented in South Africa.

The SANDF has previously been deployed domestically in response to major security challenges, including during the Covid‑19 pandemic lockdown in 2020 and the 2021 South African unrest, when widespread violence and looting erupted in parts of KwaZulu‑Natal and Gauteng.