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Ramaphosa Deploys 510 SANDF Soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal Until 30 November

Durban city centre, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa — Durban city centre, KwaZulu-Natal (file photo, 2014). Credit: Khethukuthula Happyson Mbonambi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the employment of 510 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in KwaZulu-Natal to support the police after weeks of anti-immigration unrest in Durban. The deployment runs until 30 November 2026, falls under Operation Prosper and is expected to cost about R34 million, according to the president’s notice to Parliament.

What the president told Parliament

The Constitution requires the president to inform Parliament when the defence force is employed internally, and Ramaphosa did so in a written notice dated 21 October 2026, which was reported on 26 October. According to Eyewitness News, which reported the notice, the key points are:

Size: 510 SANDF members.
Place and role: KwaZulu-Natal, in co-operation with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to maintain law and order.
Duration: until 30 November 2026.
Cost: an estimated R34 million.
Framework: Operation Prosper, the standing joint operation under which soldiers support police in several provinces.

Ramaphosa said in the notice that misinformation about a court judgment had led to violence during the protests, and that the soldiers would be “on standby for any eventualities”, EWN reported. The notice does not describe the troops’ units, equipment or rules of engagement, and none of those details have been made public.

Why soldiers are in Durban

The protests began in early October over undocumented immigration. They were fuelled by false claims about a Constitutional Court ruling on asylum applications. Government officials have said the ruling restored access to the asylum determination process for some applicants, but did not grant undocumented migrants automatic refugee status, permanent residence or an amnesty.

Local media have reported vehicles torched, foreign-owned shops looted, and houses and a motorbike set alight in Umbilo. At least one person has been killed. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli said on 9 October that he had formally asked for the army to be deployed because the situation in the city had become unmanageable.

Soldiers were on Durban’s streets before the notice to Parliament. SANDF spokesperson Brigadier General Selinah Rawlins was quoted at the time as saying troops had been on the ground since 9 October, with that first phase set to run until 31 October. The president’s notice now gives a formal figure and extends the period to the end of November.

What Operation Prosper is

Operation Prosper is the SANDF’s internal deployment in support of SAPS. Under it, soldiers have been sent to provinces including the Western Cape and Gauteng to help police deal with gang violence, illegal mining and unrest. Soldiers deployed this way support the police; arrests and investigations remain police work. The army’s role is mainly visible presence, cordons, patrols and protection of key sites.

The deployment adds to pressure on a defence budget that is already stretched. Defence Mena reported last week on the money moved in the Medium-Term Budget to cover SANDF shortfalls. Internal tasks like this one compete for the same people and vehicles as external commitments. The SANDF’s combat record against M23 in the eastern DRC is covered in our analysis of what SAMIDRC showed about South African equipment.

What is still unclear

Which units make up the 510-strong force, and whether they are additional to soldiers already in Durban since 9 October.
Whether the deployment could be extended beyond 30 November if the unrest continues.
One outlet has reported that the deployment may also be meant to prepare for possible unrest linked to former president Jacob Zuma’s health. The SANDF has not confirmed this, and the president’s notice links the deployment only to the immigration protests.

Sources

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