South Africans can expect more troop visibility soon, says SANDU

Troops from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have been deployed to assist the police to quell violence and looting in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

The army will work with the police, metro police and private security companies.

SANDU’s Pikkie Greeff says the 25 000 soldiers which government intends on deploying were all the available troops.

“What people need to understand is that the number of 25 000 is a number of deployable troops. In other words, that is what has been placed at the president’s disposal at this stage. In terms of his security advisors, they may then employ some of those 25 000 as and where it is needed, or the security assessments indicate it is necessary.

“If a hotspot is Durban or so then rather the resources be deployed there, but I think what makes this new deployed significant is that it will involve air force helicopters, not only to transport soldiers but police as well. It will also involve military with the police clearing roads and providing escort to transport companies.”

Greef says there are some technicalities that need to be ironed out before the boots will be able to hit the streets.

“What the public need to understands is that one cannot expect 25 000 soldiers to be on the streets within a couple of hours, it just doesn’t work like that logistically. There are several methods that need to be considered, plans etcetera. We should see more feet on the ground in the next 24-36 hours and then we will see some significant troop present.”

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