Key facts
- 510 soldiers deployed to KwaZulu-Natal.
- Deployment costs 34.1 million rand ($2.05 million).
- Protests linked to misinformation about a Constitutional Court ruling on asylum seekers.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the deployment of 510 soldiers to the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal to support police efforts to control anti-migrant protests. The deployment, which runs from October 9 until November 30, is expected to cost 34.1 million rand ($2.05 million). This action comes ahead of local government elections on November 4 and follows months of anti-migrant marches that have drawn international criticism and sometimes descended into violence. Ramaphosa's office stated the deployment followed recent violence linked to misinformation about a Constitutional Court ruling concerning asylum seekers. Protests in Durban and Soweto this month turned violent, with looting and torching of vehicles, and a foreign national was allegedly beaten to death in Durban last week.