SANDU: Additional SANDF troops will help preserve country’s health
The South African National Defence Union (SANDU) says the deployment of additional troops will help to preserve the country’s health amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has deployed an additional 76 000 soldiers to help enforce lockdown regulations.
READ: Ndabeni-Abrahams pays fine for breaching lockdown rules
The deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the fight against coronavirus will cost the country an estimated R4.5 billion.
SANDU’s Pikkie Greeff says additional troops could also possibly help by delivering essential services.
“It would mean that there are now a certain amount of military personnel that is available, but not necessarily deployed, but available for deployment should a state department need assistance, should an essential service need extra feet on the ground to assist it.
“It’s a prudent measure, I think it provides for the worst case scenario and not that the worst case scenario is necessarily going to become a reality. But it is a prudent move because every time the president needs to deploy soldiers… he needs to inform Parliament of the number of soldiers.”