Ramaphosa deploys 510 soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal

President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised 510 soldiers to support police in KwaZulu-Natal under Operation Prosper, the Presidency said on 27 October.

The Presidency statement puts the KwaZulu-Natal deployment’s expected cost at R34,082,720. Its authorised period runs from 9 October to 30 November 2026.

Why troops are supporting police

The Presidency links the move to recent violence arising from misinformation about a Constitutional Court judgment on refugee law.

In its 27 October report, eNCA described growing concerns for the safety of refugees and foreign nationals after protests and violent incidents in the province. It reported that anti-immigration protests had brought parts of Durban to a standstill earlier in the month.

KwaZulu-Natal deployment: police support and oversight

The Presidency says the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members will be on standby to back up the South African Police Service (SAPS).

The constitutional rules reserve to the President the authority to deploy the defence force in co-operation with the police. Section 201 also requires the President to notify Parliament promptly, giving the reasons, locations, troop numbers and expected duration.

Section 199 requires multiparty parliamentary committees to oversee the security services. The deployment therefore sits within a framework of civilian oversight; publishing its size and duration gives the public specific details to scrutinise.

Dates and unanswered questions

The brief announcement does not specify suburbs, operational positions or a further deployment period after 30 November. Its release date should not be confused with the authorised start date shown above.

For background, see CrispNG’s February coverage of the earlier SANDF announcement for Gauteng and the Western Cape. That report concerned gang violence and illegal mining.

Information checked: 29 October 2026. The deployment announcement was issued on 27 October.