Trending 
South Africa deployed more than 3,000 soldiers nationwide to bolster security and support police during a wave of anti-migrant protests.
In a letter published by parliament on Friday, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that 3,405 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) began their deployment on June 28 to maintain order.
The operation will cost an estimated 54.6 million rand ($3.37 million) as troops remain on standby to handle weekly demonstrations.
The military deployment followed nationwide protests on Tuesday, where thousands of demonstrators marched through major cities.
Although the marches remained mostly peaceful, several demonstrations descended into violence and looting, prompting police to arrest over 900 people for public violence, robbery, and immigration violations.
Authorities sent soldiers directly into inner-city Johannesburg neighbourhoods where large populations of migrants reside to prevent further escalation.
“Members of the SANDF … will be on standby for any eventualities.”
— Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President
Organisers of the anti-migrant movement vow to march every Thursday to force the government to take a tougher stance against undocumented foreign nationals.
These protests follow months of unrest that have drawn international criticism, during which rioters have driven foreigners from their homes and vandalised their businesses.
While demonstrators blame immigrants for rising crime, job losses, and strained public services, social scientists note that these claims lack evidence, pointing out that immigrants make up just 4 per cent of South Africa’s population.
