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Ramaphosa Deploys 510 Soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal Amid Violence

By Drooid · Oct 27, 2026, 23:11 UTC · How we work

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Summary

President Cyril Ramaphosa deployed 510 soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal to support police amid anti-immigrant violence.
The troops operate under Operation Prosper and will remain until the end of November.
Deployment costs about 34 million rand ($2 million).
Ramaphosa said misinformation about a July Constitutional Court ruling sparked the unrest.
A foreign national was beaten to death by roughly 50 protesters in Durban last week.

History

The 2008 May xenophobic riots, which began in Alexandra and left 62 dead, prompted President Thabo Mbeki to order the first post-apartheid deployment of roughly 2,000 troops under Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota. Echoing that response, President Cyril Ramaphosa sent 510 soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal under Operation Prosper, reflecting a pattern of military intervention in anti-immigrant unrest.

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Historical Context

The 2008 May xenophobic riots, which began in Alexandra and left 62 dead, prompted President Thabo Mbeki to order the first post-apartheid deployment of roughly 2,000 troops under Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota. Echoing that response, President Cyril Ramaphosa sent 510 soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal under Operation Prosper, reflecting a pattern of military intervention in anti-immigrant unrest.

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