The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed the deaths of two soldiers who fell into an abandoned mine shaft while pursuing suspected illegal miners during Operation Prosper in West Johannesburg on Friday morning. The incident occurred at about 6 am at the abandoned CRD Mine, where SANDF members were conducting an anti-illegal mining operation alongside the South African Police Service (SAPS). According to the Department of Defence, soldiers deployed at the site spotted a group of suspected illegal…

In the quiet hours of a South African morning, the landscape is defined not by its natural beauty, but by its steel. From the electric fences of Sandton to the high-tensile mesh surrounding the mining shafts of the Northwest, South Africa has become a nation of fortifications. Recently, this “fortress” has taken on a more olive-drab hue. With the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to combat illegal mining and gang violence—at a cost exceeding R823 million—the…

Police in Gauteng have arrested two suspects and seized a cache of high-powered weapons as part of ongoing efforts to curb violent crime and the spread of illegal firearms in the province. Members of the Organised Crime Unit recovered three AK-47 rifles, a 9mm pistol and scores of rounds of ammunition during an intelligence-driven operation in Lawley Extension 2 in Ennerdale, south of Johannesburg. The operation, carried out on Thursday, led police to a property where the weapons were discovered.…

I am writing this op-ed not as a political scientist but as a decolonial scholar, rooted in organic intellectualism. I was born in Soweto and now reside in a neighbourhood where the state remains invisible, arriving silently in the form of a rates bill or a traffic fine, never as a boot through the door. This duality shapes how I interpret the State of the Nation Address and observe 550 soldiers being deployed to our townships for a year-long operation.…

The decision by President Cyril Ramaphosa to launch a high-level investigation into the controversial Exercise MOSI III “Will of Peace” has sparked mixed reactions, with political parties, analysts and the public sharply divided over both the incident and the handling of the probe. At the centre of the controversy is the participation of Iran’s navy in the Chinese-led naval exercise hosted in South African waters—despite a reported instruction from the President that Iran should not be involved. The development has…

Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Bantu Holomisa has stressed the critical importance of strengthening military health systems as the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) prepares for deployments in gang-affected areas of the Western Cape. Holomisa was speaking during an oversight visit to 2 Military Hospital in Wynberg, Cape Town, on Wednesday, where he assessed the readiness of the facility’s pharmacy services and broader healthcare infrastructure. The visit forms part of a wider government push to ensure military…

In a major border security operation, the Border Management Authority (BMA), working in close coordination with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), has intercepted more than 20 minors aged between 5 and 17 years near the Beitbridge port of entry along the Limpopo River. Officials believe the children were en route from South Africa to Zimbabwe without lawful supervision. The interception occurred during routine border safeguarding patrols focused on preventing illegal crossings and protecting vulnerable groups. Alongside the minors…

The South African National Defence Force has raised concern about the ongoing illegal use of its patented camouflage uniform by civilians. The military said it has noted with alarm the growing number of people using SANDF combat dress to commit crimes and mislead communities. In a statement on Wednesday, the SANDF said the camouflage uniform is a registered item reserved only for authorised members of the defence force and honorary members who have been formally appointed by the Chief of…

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has raised the alarm over what it calls a “deliberate disregard” for parliamentary oversight by two key Cabinet ministers, warning that their failure to account threatens South Africa’s already fragile defence capability. In a letter sent to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza on Monday, the EFF accused Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana of repeatedly failing to attend scheduled committee meetings, despite the South African National Defence Force (SANDF)…

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has moved to quell mounting speculation over its Chief, General Rudzani Maphwanya, following claims that he had defied Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga. In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, the SANDF dismissed the allegations as “incorrect, misleading and irresponsible,” stressing that General Maphwanya continues to operate within the bounds of military protocol and remains fully accountable to the Minister. Rear Admiral (Junior Grade) Prince Tshabalala, Director of Defence Corporate…