Izimbokodo — a movement for women under the Operation Dudula banner — wants the national defence force to be deployed in areas where illegal mining is rife.

On Wednesday, the group marched to the department of defence in Pretoria to call on the SANDF to help the police in combating zama zamas whom they allege are behind an assortment of other crimes besides illegal mining.

The women marchers said SA is under siege and ordinary laws and government powers are no longer sufficient to restore peace and order in the country.

“Our institutions are no longer coping and systems are buckling under pressure,” the group said, 

Operation Dudula said together with its alliance partners (Put SA First, ATDF, Forgotten Citizens of SA, and others) through national joint operational and intelligence structure (Natjoints), wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa in May, requesting him to declare a state of emergency on the illegal immigration crisis and resultant crimes, including the high prevalence of social crimes against women and children.

They want the deployment of soldiers to tighten security along SA's porous borders and also want officials stationed at the border lines to be dealt with, alleging it was there that national security was compromised.

The group expressed their concerns over the issue of zama zamas, ongoing rapes and murders of women, the high rate of kidnapping and human trafficking and other crimes, citing the recent incident where eight women were raped and robbed at a disused mine near Krugersdorp as an example. Their attackers were alleged to be zama zamas. 

They also demanded the mass deportation of illegal foreigners.

They have given defence minister Thandi Modise seven days to respond to their demands. 

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