The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) has mobilised 90 armoured and non-armoured personnel carriers to 21 SA Infantry Battalion in Lenasia, Johannesburg, from where they will be deployed to secure strategic national key points.
According to the order issued by the army, qualified Samil 50 vehicle drivers as well as for Casspir and Mamba armoured vehicles were to report this week to the Combat Training Centre at Lohatlha in the Northern Cape. All the military’s main battle equipment and vehicles are stored at the centre.
From there the drivers started moving the vehicles to Johannesburg as part of the post-election safety precautions for potential violence. A number of the vehicles and soldiers have been earmarked for deployment in KwaZulu-Natal.
This step is in line with the police’s deployment of 300 additional public order police members to KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday. The 300 are additional to about 700 deployed to KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape before the elections.
According to the police the deployments are part of the NATJOINTS’ safety and security plan before, during and after the elections. The security cluster’s joint national operational centre has been coordinating all safety and security of the elections thus far and will continue to monitor the third phase since the elections.
The army’s order further states that the deployment of vehicles and personnel is for an indefinite period and will stand down on a date to be determined. A reaction force will accompany the convoy as it moves from Lohatlha to Johannesburg.
Additional forces of an unspecified number will be mobilised to deploy with the vehicles. The police on Tuesday said KwaZulu-Natal has been “relatively stable thus far”.
During the third phase, law enforcement agencies monitor activities related to the outcome of the elections results. This means deployments remain in place at various places of interest and law enforcement agencies are ready for any emerging incidents, the police said .
On Tuesday, the defence force generals had a further meeting to refine its own operations expected to include the period up to and including the inauguration of the president, when it happens.
The SANDF’s deployment is in line with what defence minister Thandi Modise stated on Saturday during a briefing by the security cluster ministers.
“We will be ready when and where we are needed. We have stated that we will not tolerate anyone interfering with the rights of our citizens or the integrity of our country.”
He was referring to threats by former President Jacob Zuma from the MK party stating that the IEC’s declaration of the elections as free and fair would be tantamount to provoking the MK Party, which, along with several other political parties, had lodged objections with the IEC.
Modise appealed for calm but stated the safety and security apparatus will not tolerate people who tarnished the good order and name of SA in any way.
“When speeches reach the point when it endangers our people’s safety it becomes our business. We hope we will not go there,” she stated.
The further mobilisation of soldiers will however add to the strain on the Defence Force to provide resources for all its operations within South Africa, in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
As it is President Cyril Ramaphosa has committed forces to conclude the Southern African regional force in Mozambique dubbed Samim by the end of 2024. The SANDF currently has about 300 soldiers in Mozambique. With the Islamic State insurgency gathering intense momentum since the withdrawal of most of Samim forces, the possibility of SA enhancing its force levels in Cabo Delgado again is not out of the question, defence analysts told Business Day.
At the same time Ramaphosa committed 2,900 soldiers to the Southern African regional intervention force in Democratic Republic of Congo (Samidrc). The main force for that deployment has recently started moving to the main battle theatre in Goma and Sake in North Kivu province. More military hardware is also still being airlifted between Upington and Goma to strengthen the force further against the M23 rebels backed by Rwanda.
According to military sources, the 3,300 troops involved in operations to curb illegal mining in SA have been earmarked to assist in any possible post-election violence.
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