President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the deployment of 510 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops to KwaZulu-Natal to support police amid escalating tensions and violence linked to misinformation surrounding a Constitutional Court judgment on asylum applications.
The Presidency said late Tuesday that the soldiers would assist the South African Police Service (SAPS) in maintaining law and order following recent unrest sparked by false claims that the court ruling granted blanket amnesty to undocumented foreign nationals.
The deployment will run until 30 November at an estimated cost of R34.1 million (about US$2.1 million).
According to the Presidency, the troops will remain on standby to support police operations and respond to any further disturbances.
The military deployment follows a wave of protests and violence in KwaZulu-Natal province triggered by widespread social media claims and public misinformation regarding a recent Constitutional Court judgment on asylum applications.
Government officials have repeatedly rejected claims that the ruling legalises the stay of undocumented migrants or grants amnesty to foreign nationals residing unlawfully in South Africa.
Authorities say the unrest has been characterised by protests targeting foreign nationals and demands for stricter immigration enforcement, particularly in parts of KwaZulu-Natal where anti-migrant sentiment has periodically flared in recent years amid concerns over jobs, crime and access to public services.
Earlier this month, police arrested 30 people in connection with public violence and unlawful demonstrations linked to the protests, including 25 suspects in KwaZulu-Natal and five in Gauteng.
JN/APA