Government underestimated number of soldiers required for lockdown, says Mapisa-Nqakula
The troops include medical and auxiliary staff ready for possible emergencies, such as essential service delivery and mobile mortuaries
22 April 2020 - 19:12
The deployment of nearly 3,000 soldiers to help the police enforce the coronavirus lockdown regulations is just not enough and the government needs to beef it up, defence and military veterans minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said on Wednesday.
Justifying President Cyril Ramaphosa’s request to deploy another 73,180 troops on the country’s streets, Mapisa-Nqakula told MPs the 2,820 soldiers initially deployed were well below the requirements of the challenge at hand. ..
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