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The Joint Standing Committee on Defence has resolved to support the employment of 3 400 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) for service in support of, and in cooperation with, the South African Police Service (SAPS) under Operation Prosper: Illegal Migration for the period 28 June 2026 to 31 July 2026.

The committee is of the view that the operation, which serves as a contingency measure should heightened security become necessary because of increased anti-migration protests, is both necessary and deserving of support.

Despite endorsing the deployment, the committee reiterated its concern regarding the late tabling of the Presidential letter authorising the employment of the SANDF. The committee has raised this issue before, emphasising the importance of compliance with parliamentary oversight requirements and the timely submission of deployment notices.

The committee also expressed concern over reports that, although the deployment has been officially approved, the allocation and release of funding for such operations are frequently delayed. Members cautioned that delays in securing the required financial resources present a potential security risk and may undermine the effective execution of authorised deployments.

In this regard, the committee called for a closer working relationship between the Department of Defence and the National Treasury to ensure that employment directives are accompanied by the necessary financial support and that funding is released timeously.

The committee further committed itself to engaging with relevant sister committees in Parliament, including the Standing Committee on Appropriations, the Standing Committee on Finance and the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, with a view to engaging with the National Treasury on mechanisms to ensure that funding for authorised deployments is made available without undue delay. 

Issued by communication services on behalf of the co-chairpersons of the joint standing committee on defence, Phiroane Phala and Dr Malusi Gigaba