South Africa to keep 20,000 soldiers on COVID-19 duty until September

Soldiers on patrol interogates a resident amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Diepsloot, a shantytown north of Johannesburg, South Africa, April 16, 2020. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has informed parliament of his decision to extend the deployment of 20,000 soldiers, a drop from 76,000, until Sept. 30 to help enforce COVID-19 restrictions as the country reported its biggest single-day jump in coronavirus cases.

Ramaphosa first deployed 2,820 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) a few days before enforcing a nationwide lockdown in late March. The number was increased to 76,000 in April as the health threat grew.