“Their [SANDF] service is in co-operation with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to maintain law and order, to support other state departments and to control South Africa’s border line to combat spread of Covid-19 in all nine provinces,” parliament said.
According to the statement, Ramaphosa said the soldiers were “still required to combat the spread of the pandemic”.
The defence force was, among other things, helping the national health department in managing Covid-19 at field hospitals and quarantine facilities, and conducting medical screening. It was also assisting the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) “in efforts to maintain or enhance living conditions of the population”, and was also supporting SAPS in the enforcement of lockdown conditions.
The extension comes after Ramaphosa initially employed 2,820 soldiers in March, and then increased this to 76,000 solders on April 21.