Troop involvement costs government R95m

President Cyril Ramaphosa has told parliament that the deployment of about 2 000 troops to help police enforce adjusted Level 3 lockdown regulations is set to cost R95 million.

In a letter, Ramaphosa informed National Council of Provinces chair Amos Masondo of the deployment of 2 122 members of the South African National Defence Force.

“I have authorised the employment of 2 122 members for service in order to preserve life, health or property in emergency or humanitarian relief operations in support of other government departments and in cooperation with the South African Police Service in the prevention of crime and maintenance of law and order in the Republic of SA under adjusted Level 3 regulations,” he said.

The deployment started on 29 December and it is expected to run until 31 January.

Police Minister Bheki Cele confirmed soldiers had been roped in to assist the police in keeping bathers away from Garden Route beaches.

Cyril Xaba, co-chair of parliament’s joint standing committee on defence, said: “These deployments have contributed greatly to the fight against Covid-19 and the preservation of life.”

He said the forces joined those who had already been deployed on such missions as the maritime patrol mission in the Mozambique channel, peacekeeping efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – which is part of the United Nations’ Stabilising Mission – and 15 companies safeguarding the country’s border amid the closure of 20 land ports.

Last month, after SA breached the one million mark of confirmed positive Covid-19 cases, Ramaphosa announced the country would move to adjusted Level 3 lockdown.

Several existing regulations were tightened. All indoor and outdoor gatherings were prohibited, except for funerals and other limited exceptions.

In April last year, Ramaphosa authorised the deployment of 73 180 soldiers to help police enforce lockdown regulations at a cost of nearly R5 billion.