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South Africa’s military has been deployed to KwaZulu-Natal as violent anti-immigration protests continue in Durban, with a report suggesting the operation may also be intended to prepare for possible unrest if former president Jacob Zuma dies, Cape {town} Etc reports.

The reported contingency has not been confirmed by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). However, it adds another layer of concern to an already volatile situation in the province, where businesses have been looted and buildings and vehicles set alight during several days of violence.

Zuma, 84, has been receiving treatment at Netcare St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg after arriving by ambulance on Tuesday, 6 October. While his uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party described the hospital visit as a routine health check, sources close to the party leader have reportedly raised concerns about the seriousness of his condition.

A source familiar with the military deployment told News24: ‘There could be mayhem.’

The national government approved KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli’s request for military assistance as protests against undocumented immigration entered their third day on Saturday, 10 October.

SANDF vehicles were spotted on Che Guevara Road near the Department of Home Affairs offices in central Durban, where protesters had gathered during the unrest. Additional soldiers were expected to arrive in the province as authorities worked to contain the violence.

SANDF spokesperson Brigadier General Selinah Rawlins confirmed that the deployment had been approved, saying military personnel had been on the ground since Friday, 9 October. The deployment is scheduled to continue until 31 October.

The unrest has spread beyond Durban’s central business district to areas including Umlazi and Merebank. Businesses believed to be owned by foreign nationals have been targeted, while reports of looting, arson and property damage have heightened concerns about public safety.

Police have also moved against protest participants, with two members of the March and March movement arrested on Saturday, including a figure known as Magolide.

Ntuli has acknowledged that provincial authorities underestimated the scale of the violence. He said additional police were being brought in while government representatives prepared to engage protest leaders.

The approach combines efforts to address protesters’ stated concerns about undocumented immigration with a warning that criminal activity will not be tolerated.

Zuma’s condition adds political uncertainty

President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged that Zuma has not been well and said the military’s surgeon-general had been briefed on his situation. ‘We wish President Zuma well. We wish him a very quick recovery,’ Ramaphosa said, expressing hope that the former president would recover and continue serving South Africans in whatever capacity he could.

Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal broadcaster Gagasi FM reported that Zuma remained in a serious condition and that a planned transfer to a military hospital had reportedly been halted again because of his health. Political analyst and North-West University professor André Duvenhage suggested the situation could be more serious than public statements indicated.

‘My reading of the political environment, the body language of the situation, is telling me that this is most probably more serious.’

– Professor André Duvenhage, Political analyst and North-West University professor.

The reported possibility of unrest following Zuma’s death remains unverified, and the SANDF has not confirmed it as a reason for the deployment.

Memories of July 2021 unrest

The concerns come against the backdrop of the July 2021 riots, which erupted in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng following Zuma’s imprisonment for contempt of court.

The unrest escalated into widespread looting and destruction, leaving approximately 354 people dead and thousands arrested. The economic damage was also severe, particularly for businesses and communities in KwaZulu-Natal.

With Durban now facing another wave of violence, the military’s presence signals a more forceful government response. Authorities must contend with immediate threats to residents and businesses while preventing the unrest from spreading further.

Currently, the confirmed reason for the deployment is the escalating violence in the province. Whether Zuma’s health has prompted additional contingency planning remains a reported possibility, rather than an established fact.

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