Parliament, Wednesday, 4 March 2026 – A joint meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Police and the Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources has urged senior management of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to ensure clear safeguards for the protection of human rights and robust accountability mechanisms in the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to hotspot areas affected by illegal mining and gang violence.
“Because the deployment is SAPS-led, it is important to underscore the need to ensure that SAPS members, who are trained to police crime in civilian settings, adhere to high human rights standards. While the deployment is of strategic importance in the short term, strict parameters are necessary to avoid militarised areas,” said Mr Ian Cameron, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police.
While SAPS management highlighted the existence of accountability mechanisms such as the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for SAPS, the committees expressed concern about the lack of clarity regarding accountability mechanisms applicable to the SANDF. This, they said, must be urgently clarified. The committees also called for enhanced oversight, including regular updates on the funding allocated for the deployment.
The committees further emphasised the importance of joint training between the SANDF and SAPS to ensure interoperability and coordination among the SANDF, SAPS and other law enforcement agencies.
In addition, the committees called for strengthened collaboration between SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to ensure prosecutor-led investigations that result in increased conviction rates, rather than high arrest figures with low convictions. “It is important that any heightened presence is accompanied by high conviction rates to prevent recurrence when the deployment period ends. This period also presents a necessary opportunity for collaborative work between government departments in the quest to combat crime,” Mr Cameron said.
The committees agreed on the urgency of finalising the organised crime implementation model and tabling it in Parliament for scrutiny and oversight of its implementation. They stressed that SAPS and the broader law enforcement apparatus cannot afford further delays in implementing this strategy if organised crime is to be effectively combated. The need for a clear exit strategy was also highlighted to ensure that the withdrawal of the SANDF does not result in a resurgence of gang violence and illegal mining.
Regarding illegal mining, the committees welcomed assurances that SAPS is ready to table a comprehensive report on Operation Vala Umgodi to assess its impact and shortcomings, which will inform decisions on the joint deployment plan between SAPS and the SANDF. However, concern was raised over the reliance on public order policing units to combat illegal mining, citing both a lack of specialised investigative skills and the risk of a deterrence-focused rather than intelligence-driven approach.
The committees reiterated that while SANDF deployment may serve as an interim deterrent, it is critical that syndicates and kingpins behind illegal mining operations are infiltrated and dismantled. “There must be a clear plan to arrest kingpins, who are the strategic drivers and primary beneficiaries of illegal mining. Arresting low-level miners will not have the necessary impact in addressing the scourge,” said Mr Mikateko Mahlaule, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources.
The committees further emphasised the need to collaborate with the South African Revenue Service to target kingpins by disrupting their financial networks and cutting off the lifeblood of ground-level illegal mining operations. They stressed that financial investigations, asset tracking and tax enforcement are critical tools in dismantling organised crime syndicates and ensuring that those who benefit most from illegal mining are held accountable.
Meanwhile, the committees underscored that intelligence-led policing remains essential in the fight against organised crime. Continued weaknesses in crime intelligence, they warned, will render the deployment a temporary reprieve rather than a sustainable, long-term solution.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE, MR IAN CAMERON, AND THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON MINERALS AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES, MR MIKATEKO MAHLAULE.
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