LOOK: Leaked document reveals SA Army ‘on standby’ to combat unrest

Blimey, this is moving quickly. An alleged ‘leaked document’ from the SA Army has been circulated on Monday. It revealed that the military is now on ‘high alert’ for the possibility of widespread unrest across South Africa. This, after a series of violent protests erupted in several crime hot-spots.

Will Ramaphosa ‘send in the SANDF soldiers’ to quell unrest?

In what has been a tumultuous winter for Mzansi, tavern shootings and gang rapes have mobilised gatvol communities. Coupled with the cost of living crisis, those who were on the brink beforehand have now been pushed over the edge – and it’s overwhelming local police forces.

Earlier on Monday, we learned that President Ramaphosa was ‘considering a domestic deployment’ of the SA Army, in order to quell any further unrest. However, it now looks like we are MUCH closer to this scenario than anyone first thought.

SA Army deployment to stop unrest ‘now a possibility’, experts say

Darren Olivier, a Director for the African Defence Review, is convinced the leaked document is legitimate. Although it’s rare for ‘restricted’ SANDF instructions to be made public in this fashion, it’s not unheard of – and much of the information it contains is consistent with recent military moves.

Not often that an SANDF warning instruction to units gets leaked.

This appears to be legitimate, both in its formatting and content and the confirmation of key details by Erika Gibson for TimesLive.

Separately, a number of SANDF bases have gone on high security alert as well. https://t.co/xfkZsJ6Q4o

— Darren Olivier (@darren_olivier) August 8, 2022

What does the leaked SA Army document actually say?

There’s a lot going off across the four pages that have been shared online…

It reveals the deployment will initially be a modest one, and preparations are being made for soldiers who get the call. It seems ‘crowd control’ and ‘military presence’ will be key features of this potential operation.

• SANDF has stated that its goal is to ‘stabilise and bring normality back’ to affected communities.
• A total of 200 soldiers are on standby, with meals, accommodation, and mattresses now being arranged for them.
• Exactly 100 SA Army members who have completed the Crowd Control Learning Programme will be amongst those deployed.
• The military has also put 100 Mamba vehicle drivers on standby.
• Commanding officers have been told to compile a list of all serving soldiers who have been readied for action.
• Furthermore, SANDF confirmed that their aim is to supply ‘combat-ready forces’ that can ‘quell the threat of unrest’:
  

“The situation in South Africa is gradually deteriorating into unrest, due to criminality taking place within its borders. However, this is being exacerbated by a perceived lack of action from security forces. The SA Army might be called upon to play their secondary role to support SAPS.”

“Therefore, our Infantry has been ordered to go on 25-hour standby, in anticipation of deploying in support or cooperation with SAPS. Our aim is to give warning to the SA Army to prepare and provide combat-ready forces to help the police quell any form of unrest that may arise.”

SANDF document

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