SAPS falling short’: Soldiers union slams frequent SANDF deployments for policing duties

“I’ve extended the deployment of 1,100 SANDF members to support SAPS in maintaining law and order under Operation Prosper,” Ramaphosa informed the National Assembly.

Ramaphosa announced that 1,100 SANDF members will join forces with SAPS under Operation Prosper to tackle illegal mining across Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Free State, and Northern Cape from December 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

SANDU’s Pikkie Greef warns against making military deployments on the streets a routine practice, calling it a risky trend. While our members benefit financially from these deployments, the constitutional implications are troubling,” said SANDU’s Pikkie Greef. “Relying on the military for civilian issues risks normalizing a practice that should be managed by the police.

“The military is being used in roles it was never meant for, and normalizing such deployments in civilian affairs poses a serious risk to our constitutional democracy,” warned Greef.

Greef argued that the reliance on military support, like in Stilfontein, highlights SAPS’s inability to handle the situation effectively.

The reality is that SAPS is falling short, which is why soldiers are stepping in to fill the gap,” said Greef. “It’s a damning reflection on the police force, especially considering they have four times the manpower, a significantly larger budget, and all the resources needed to address these issues.