During the annual State of the Nation Address on Thursday, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of military troops to support police efforts against illegal mining and gang violence in the provinces of Gauteng and Western Cape.

In his speech, President Ramaphosa stated that organized crime is a major threat to South Africa’s economic growth and security, justifying the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist police in combating gang violence and illegal mining in the Western Cape and Gauteng, two provinces that have experienced mass shootings and violence linked to illegal mining. The Deputy Defense Minister indicated that preparations were underway to finalize the troops deployment plan in priority areas within the next few days, pending parliamentary approval.

The South African President also announced that his country will implement a whole strategy focused on the use of technology, intelligence, and integrated law enforcement to address organized criminal activity and its root causes. The new measures include streamlining regulations on firearm possession and trade, increasing police officer recruitment, and eradicating corruption within government institutions, including police departments. The aim of these measures is not only to tackle organized crime but also to fight corruption and illicit firearms trading, which are fueling ongoing gang wars and illegal mining activities.

South Africa has been struggling with gang violence and illegal mining for years, which have been impeding the country’s stability and economic growth, resulting in deaths and endangering civilians’ lives. In response, the government has intensified efforts to combat the surge in violence by implementing targeted strategies and measures, such as creating specialized police units and increasing law enforcement.

On the other hand, illegal mining continued to escalate in abandoned mines, causing environmental degradation and significant economic losses. While some individuals engage in illegal mining due to unemployment, illegal mining is closely tied to organized crime involving international criminal syndicates that employ illegal artisanal miners known as zama zama. These illegal miners are often heavily armed, conduct attacks against rival miners and security forces, and usually sell extracted minerals to local dealers or exporters. The South African government implemented several measures to combat this activity, such as the criminalization of illegal mining under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 and the launch of Operation Vala Umgodi, a security initiative that includes cutting off food and water supplies to compel miners to resurface so they could be arrested.