Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the deployment of more than 500 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The SANDF members will be on standby to support the police for any eventuality that may occur.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has informed the Speaker of the National Assembly, Honourable Thoko Didiza, and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Honourable Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane of his decision to deploy 510 members of the SANDF in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), for the service of cooperation with the South African Police Service (SAPS) in support of Operation Prosper,” Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President, said on Tuesday, 27 October 2026.
The move comes days after a foreign national was beaten to death by a crowd of about 50 people in Durban.
Police said the attack happened on Thursday, October 22, 2026, in the city’s central business district, on the sidelines of a protest march that descended into violence.
The deployment of the soldiers comes days before the Local Government Elections on 4 November 2026.
“The members of the SANDF will assist the SAPS in maintaining law and order in KZN, especially in light of recent violent actions arising from a campaign of misinformation about the Constitutional Court judgment on the Refugee Act,” Magwenya said.
He said that the deployment authorised in accordance with section 201(2)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996, was from 9 October 2026 to 30 November 2026.
“The expected expenditure to be incurred amounts to R34 082 720,” Magwenya said.
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