Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Chris Hattingh MP.
– Soldiers forced to endure inadequate housing
– No repair work has commenced
– Defence leadership knowingly failed soldiers
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is deeply concerned that Defence leadership deployed Operation Prosper soldiers to Fort iKapa despite knowing beforehand that accommodation and ablution facilities were inadequate.
During a parliamentary oversight visit on 3 June 2026, Members of Parliament were briefed that these shortcomings had already been identified during planning discussions in February 2026, before soldiers arrived on 15 March. Yet almost three months later, no repair work had commenced.
This confirms what soldiers and Parliament have been saying all along: Defence leadership knew about the problems before deployment but failed to act.
Only after the DA conducted an oversight visit on 11 May, and the matter entered the public domain, did senior Defence officials visit the facility and begin treating the situation with urgency.
The lesson is clear. Parliamentary oversight and public scrutiny succeeded where internal systems failed.
The DA is equally concerned by reports that Fort iKapa’s commanding officer, Colonel Kamana, was summoned by senior command after facilitating parliamentary oversight. No evidence has been presented that classified information was disclosed, security procedures were compromised, or national security was placed at risk.
Parliamentary oversight is not a security breach. It is a constitutional obligation.
The perception that commanders could face consequences for cooperating with legitimate parliamentary oversight should concern every South African. Civilian oversight of the military is a cornerstone of our democracy and must never be treated as a threat.
This matter is particularly troubling given the approximately R823 million allocated to Operation Prosper. South Africans deserve to know why soldiers deployed to combat gang violence were housed in facilities that Defence leadership already knew were inadequate.
South Africa’s soldiers should never be expected to endure neglect from the very leadership responsible for their welfare.
The DA welcomes commitments to improve conditions and consider relocating affected soldiers. However, these interventions came only after sustained parliamentary oversight and public scrutiny.
The DA will continue to hold Defence leadership accountable until every Operation Prosper soldier is accommodated in conditions consistent with their dignity and service.