Soldiers were deployed on the streets of Johannesburg on Wednesday as part of a
Thenew security operation aimed at combating gang violence and illegal mining.
troops were seen patrolling the suburb of Riverlea, marking the first major deployment since Cyril Ramaphosa announced plans last month to use the military to assist police in fighting organised crime.
In his annual address to the nation, Ramaphosa described organised crime as the greatest threat to the democracy and economic development of South Africa.
Authorities have not yet released full operational details. Neither the South African Police Service nor the South African Department of Defence immediately commented on the specifics of the deployment.
In a formal notice to the Speaker of Parliament, Ramaphosa said an initial group of 550 soldiers would be deployed in Gauteng, including Johannesburg, to help police combat crime and maintain public order. The first phase of the mission is scheduled to run until the end of April.
The government is also planning a broader security operation across five of South Africa’s nine provinces. According to information submitted by police to Parliament, the deployment will target illegal mining in Gauteng, North West and Free State, while focusing on gang violence in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape.
Police officials said some parts of the national operation could remain in place for more than a year.
South Africa continues to face high levels of violent crime. Police recorded 6,351 homicides between October and December 2025 an average of nearly 70 killings per day in a country of around 62 million people.
