LINDY HEINECKEN|
IN a show of force unprecedented since South Africa became a democracy in 1994, the South African National Defence Force has commissioned 25,000 soldiers for deployment across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, the two provinces most affected by recent riots and large scale looting.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of the troops to support the country’s police, who had been overwhelmed by the scale of the violence.
Governments usually deploy the military as the last line of defence when they face an insurrection or revolt. The threat of or use of military force is the ultimate arbiter to quell unrest that threatens state stability or the safety of citizens, as seen in Nigeria, where the deployment of the army on internal security operations has increased dramatically since 1999.
In South Africa, the military has recently been deployed to counter gang violence on the Cape Flats and during the
You’ve reached your free article limit
Subscribe to enjoy unlimited access to trusted journalism. Cancel anytime.
Subscribe nowNeed help? molokom@insidepolitic.co.za
