South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday approved the deployment of 2,200 members of the National Defense Force to help combat crime.
Ramaphosa said the purpose of the deployment is to help prevent and combat crime while supporting and maintaining law and order, with a focus on illegal mining and gang-related activity.
The troops will assist the South African Police Service in five provinces: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, North West Province and Western Cape.
Government officials estimate the deployment will cost approximately 823 million rand, or about $49 million. This operation is scheduled to run from March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.