South African President to deploy thousands of armed troops for election duty




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JOHANNESBURG – President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the deployment of 10 000 soldiers during the local government elections.

The deployment will come into effect from Saturday until next Wednesday.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said recently that hotspot areas had been identified in KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Gauteng.

Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and National Council of Provinces chairperson Amos Masondo said they would inform members of Parliament about Ramaphosa’s deployment of the troops.

The country was in the grip of unrest when the government deployed thousands of troops to protect national key points, malls, businesses and other assets.

Spokesperson for Parliament Moloto Mothapo said on Wednesday the presiding officers had received a letter from Ramaphosa on the deployment of the soldiers.

“The president indicated in his letter that the number of SANDF members employed for this service is ten thousand (10 000), and is expected to incur an expenditure of R47 249 000,” said Mothapo.

“The letter from the president will be brought to the attention of the MPs through Parliament’s official publications,” he said.

KwaZulu-Natal has, in the past few weeks, seen an increase in the number of candidate councillors being killed.

In Tshwane, an ANC candidate councillor was shot and killed recently.

Yesterday, an NFP candidate councillor was killed in Nongoma.

The IEC has said it would have more than 23 000 voting stations with millions of people expected to cast their ballots.

Cele said they would beef up security in hotspot areas to prevent the flare up of violence or any threat to voting.