SA National Defence Force (SANDF) troops in Cape Town are receiving "mission readiness training" ahead of their deployment in the city's gang-infested areas, where they will be offering support to local police efforts in combating crime.
The troops arrived in Cape Town on Friday.
SANDF spokesperson Brigadier-General Mafi Mgobozi confirmed to News24 on Saturday that the troops are receiving the orientation to ensure they are prepared.
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The training includes a briefing of the areas in which the troops will be active. Mgobozi added that the preparation is necessary to ensure troops are ready before they are deployed.
Mission readiness training also includes the objectives of the mission, expectations of troop conduct and preparation for engagement with the public, added Department of Defence and Military Veterans spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini.
The 10 Cape Town precincts identified for support by the SANDF are Bishop Lavis, Mitchells Plain, Delft, Elsies River, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, Philippi, Kraaifontein and Manenberg.
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No further information on the expected date of deployment, or how many troops are being deployed, was available, with Mgobozi citing the safety of SANDF members as the reason.
The SANDF is still waiting for legal documentation, or their deployment papers, to be signed off. Mgobozi declined to comment on when the SANDF expected to receive these documents.
Police Minister Bheki Cele announced on Thursday in his budget speech that President Cyril Ramaphosa had given the go-ahead for soldiers to enter crime-ridden areas on the Cape Flats.
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