The Joint Standing Committee on Defence is scheduled to meet virtually at 12noon on 22 April to discuss a letter allegedly sent by President Cyril Ramaphosa concerning the deployment of more army personnel.
The letter allegedly from President Ramaphosa, which has been confirmed as authentic by a number of other media houses, states that an additional 73 180 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members will be employed until 26 June.
The alleged deployment is expected to cost R4.6 billion.
According to the letter, the 73 180 members will include the regular force, reserve force and auxiliary force.
This follows the employment of 2 820 SANDF members authorised by President Ramaphosa on 25 March.
Interim party leader of the Democratic Alliance John Steenhuisen tweeted the letter on 21 April, requesting that the Presidency confirm its authenticity.
I have requested the presidency to urgently confirm this information. https://t.co/hOBFs5qOMQ
— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) April 21, 2020
United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa has also tweeted about this letter, “Sounds like we are marching towards the State of Emergency. Could it be that the police are not coping? We need to grill the government on this one.”
LIVE | Covid-19: Ramaphosa asks for another 73 000 army members to patrol until 26 June via @News24 https://t.co/QQIO5nYgiQ … Sounds like we are marching towards the State of Emergency. Could it be that the police are not coping. We need to grill the government on this one.
— Bantu Holomisa (@BantuHolomisa) April 21, 2020
Co-chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence Cyril Xaba spoke on The Eusebius McKaiser Show on 702 on 22 April, confirming the request that SANDF deployment is ramped up to more than 76 000 members.
The virtual meeting is also scheduled to discuss the alleged heavy-handedness of members of the SANDF in enforcing lockdown regulations.
The Alex News reported on 16 April about a man from Ext 8 in Alexandra who was allegedly beaten up by soldiers and died of his injuries. The cause of death was confirmed as blunt-force trauma to the head.
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