Ramaphosa made the announcement durulng the SONA that was held at the Cape Town’s City Hall on Thursday evening.

Lesufi described the deployment as a decisive and necessary intervention to address the growing threat posed by illegal mining.

He said it undermines the rule of law, endangers communities, damages critical infrastructure and negatively affects the province’s economy.

“Illegal mining has become a serious criminal enterprise that threatens the safety of our communities, exploits vulnerable people, and causes extensive environmental damage. The deployment of soldiers to assist the police demonstrates government’s commitment to restoring law and order and protecting communities,” Lesufi said.

Lesufi noted that Gauteng has borne the brunt of illegal mining activities, including violent crime, unsafe abandoned mining shafts and the intimidation of residents in affected areas.

He expressed confidence that the joint deployment would strengthen law enforcement capacity and enhance coordinated operations against illegal mining syndicates.

“The people of Gauteng deserve to live in safe communities free from criminality. We remain committed to doing everything possible, together with national government, to eradicate illegal mining and its associated crimes,” he said.

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The decision follows a confrontation between immigration officers and protesters, during which officials said an armed woman was shot after allegedly ramming vehicles into law enforcement cars. She later drove herself to a hospital, and her condition remains unknown.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and other state leaders condemned the deployment, calling it an abuse of presidential power. They argued that the move exaggerates the situation in Chicago and undermines state authority.

A federal judge in Oregon recently blocked a similar deployment to Portland, ruling that using military force in U.S. cities without state consent violates constitutional boundaries and fuels unrest.

Despite Trump’s claims that violent crime in Chicago is spiraling, recent data from the Council on Criminal Justice shows homicides have decreased by about one-third compared to the previous year. Still, the city’s crime rate remains higher than the national average, with dozens of shootings reported during recent holiday weekends.

The White House defended the president’s decision, saying the deployment aims to protect federal officers and property. Trump, who has long criticized Democratic-led cities, said he plans to “straighten them out one by one” and suggested such deployments could serve as “training grounds” for U.S. troops to tackle domestic unrest.

Legal experts say the move is likely to face court challenges, as the use of National Guard forces for civilian law enforcement has strict legal limitations.

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