121 suspects arrested in Gauteng illegal mining raid:

The military is not trained for civilian policing. We saw the disastrous backlash during the Covid-19 lockdown, where soldiers, operating under unclear rules of engagement, brutalised the very communities they were meant to protect. Deploying the SANDF into the complex social fabric of our townships is a recipe for confrontation, not safety. It criminalises an entire community rather than isolating the actual criminals.

— Mametlwe Sebei, president of the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (Giwusa), commenting on the SANDF deployment and its impact on communities.

I have employed 550 members of the SANDF for service in co-operation with the SAPS to prevent and combat crime and maintain and preserve law and order in Gauteng under Operation Prosper — illegal mining.

— Cyril Ramaphosa; addressing the deployment of the SANDF to Gauteng to combat illegal mining under Operation Prosper.

For years we have begged, pleaded and prayed, and finally our pleas and prayers have been answered.

— Rina Potgieter, a resident of Helenvale, expressed her feelings about the military intervention against gang violence.