The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) arrived in Craighall, Johannesburg, sending the public into a frenzy about whether it signals a possible shutdown.
Passers-by have noticed a large gathering of SANDF officials in full uniform outside their command base on Jan Smuts.
SANDF tweeted, however, that the soldiers were part of a "mobilisation phase as part of normal preparations for support to government and is not a deployment as speculated."
According to the City Press , the SANDF said it would be deploying its troops to help combat the virus in partnership with the police.
On Monday, a gathering of SANDF officials on the side of Jan Smuts outside their base began to turn heads.
Earlier in the day, 402 positive cases of Covid-19 were confirmed hours before President Cyril Ramaphosa was set to address the nation and provide an update on government’s response to the virus.
His address will follow a high-level meeting between Treasury, the Reserve Bank and SARS around measures to shore up the economy, small businesses and ordinary South Africans amid fears that the number of Covid-19 infections could rise.
