South African soldiers raided several suspected illegal mining sites in Gauteng on Wednesday, as President Cyril Ramaphosa said the deployment differs from previous ones and that the SANDF is already doing a fantastic job. The deployment forms part of a broader effort to combat gangsterism and illegal mining in multiple provinces.
On Thursday, 12 March, President Cyril Ramaphosa told MPs during a question-and-answer session in Parliament that the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to fight gangsterism and illegal mining in multiple provinces differs from past deployments. He described the SANDF as a “force multiplier” that would support high-risk search operations, cordon off roadblocks, and patrol critical infrastructure, freeing up police for investigations.
“Our people are happy,” said Ramaphosa. He added that the SANDF now builds bridges, saves people in danger, and helps police, unlike previous deployments that instilled fear because soldiers are trained to shoot and kill. “This time around, we have developed our defence force capabilities so well... they’re already doing a fantastic job.”
The SANDF will work with structures such as the National Prosecuting Authority and Crime Intelligence to dismantle gangs, including their financial networks. Soldiers are already on the ground in Gauteng and will also be deployed in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape to fight gangsterism, and in the Free State and North West to combat illegal mining.
On Wednesday, soldiers patrolled multiple communities in Johannesburg. On Thursday, the SANDF and SAPS raided two abandoned mine dumps outside Randfontein as part of Operation Prosper, the Gauteng leg of the deployment, involving 550 soldiers until 30 April 2027 at a cost of R80-million. At the first site, suspected illegal miners fled on foot; forces searched deep holes and set fire to piles of suspected gold-bearing materials. At the second, they confiscated about eight large generators, other machinery, and ropes, with signs of prolonged occupation including scattered clothing, shoes, and food items.
Mametlwe Sebei, president of the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (Giwusa), said residents near mining communities like Randfontein are exposed to “catastrophic levels of violence and criminality”. He acknowledged that many residents would welcome the SANDF as relief but argued the state is cracking down on artisanal miners rather than organised syndicates. “The military is not trained for civilian policing... Deploying the SANDF into the complex social fabric of our townships is a recipe for confrontation, not safety. It criminalises an entire community rather than isolating the actual criminals.”
The SANDF has been deployed on multiple occasions in the past to fight both gangsterism and illegal mining, with critics saying there was little to show for it. During the siege on illegal miners in Stilfontein in 2024, more than 90 miners died in a joint SAPS and SANDF operation.
