SANDF’s arrival time still not sure
It is currently still not sure when SANDF soldiers will come to our area to help fight against illegal mining.
Although President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the SANDF would deploy soldiers to help fight against zama-zamas, it is still unclear when this will happen.
The president confirmed on Thursday, 2 November, during questions in Parliament and when United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa asked about the army that hundreds of soldiers would help fight illegal miners and economic infrastructure crimes.
Since then, however, no one has been able to say when the soldiers would arrive in our area, one of those worst affected by illegal mining.
Although the Herald tried to get information from several police officers at the West Rand Regional Officer, the SANDF’s director of defence corporate communication, Brigadier General Andries Mokoena Mahapa, shed more light on the matter.
“We are waiting for the Natjoints (National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure) co-ordinating committee to sit on the matter. After that, they will make a pronouncement on it, after which further actions will follow,” Mahapa said on Monday.
Although Mahapa could not give a specific timeline, he noted that this would happen ‘soon’.
However, not all the details will be available to the public, as the law enforcers want to maintain an ‘element of surprise’.
