SANDF: Target of 10k troops to KZN remains in place
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) says it is on track to deploy more troops to KwaZulu-Natal to assist with relief efforts in the flood ravaged province.
Earlier this month, the SANDF said it planned to have some 10 000 boots on the ground but so far only around 600 troops have been deployed.
SANDF spokesperson Andries Mokoena Mahapa says soldiers are being sent out on an assessment basis and the 10 000 target remains in place.
“Every morning we have joint operation meetings where we do assessments, and the requirement keeps on mounting then we will send the troops on an incremental basis based on priority. Based on the budget we have agreed on 10 000 to be enough to support the operation relief.”
Mahapa has also pleaded with communities in need of water to be patient, as the defence force does not have enough water tankers to cover the province.
“Currently we have only eight water tankers on the ground because water is a serious challenge in KZN due to the floods and we are also assisting municipalities to provide water to residents.”
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