Overview
- The Presidency formally notified Parliament of the Operation Prosper deployment running 1 March 2026 to 31 March 2027, with an estimated cost of R823,153,960 across the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Free State and North West.
- Joint SANDF–SAPS actions in Gauteng included raids near Randfontein where equipment used for illegal mining was seized and suspected gold‑bearing material was destroyed.
- Early results included drug arrests in Westbury and Eldorado Park, the confiscation of cash and narcotics valued at about R100,000, and a SARS‑processed seizure of counterfeit clothing worth R49.8 million in Musina.
- Residents in areas such as Rietvallei and parts of Johannesburg reported feeling safer as troops arrived, while Parliament’s security committee welcomed the rapid roll‑out and urged coordinated, multi‑agency operations.
- Critics, including a trade union leader, warned that the military is not trained for civilian policing and cited past deadly operations, as fresh gun violence like the Bishop Lavis killings underscored the need for strict oversight and a long‑term strategy.