South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa has approved the deployment of 3,300 army personnel to aid in fighting illegal mining activities, according to a report by the presidency’s office on Thursday, November 9.
The deployment of the South African National Defence Force, SANDF is expected to cost about 492 million rand (apprx. $26 million), and is intended to maintain law and order under the tag: “Operation Prosper”, Vincent Magwenya, a spokesperson for Ramaphosa had said in the statement.
The SANDF had been previously deployed in 2019, to the Western Cape province to fight gang crimes under the same operation.
The presidency had said:
“Members of the SANDF will, in partnership with the South African Police Service, conduct an increased anti-criminality operation against unlawful mining across all provinces, as from 28 October 2023 until 28 April 2024.”
Mining industry body: The Minerals Council South Africa has said that illicit mining usually occurred at both disused and active mines and has weakened South Africa’s attractiveness as an investment destination.
The Council had also revealed that it cost operating mines as much as 7 billion rand yearly and the economy tens of billions of rand more in missing export earnings, taxes and royalties.
