News24 reports that Acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni indicated during a media briefing on Wednesday that 5,000 soldiers had been deployed and placed at identified hot spots hit by ongoing civil unrest.

"Yesterday [Tuesday], when we did the briefing of the justice crime prevention cluster, we said 2,500 were initially planned because the process of mobilising the military is not as easy as people think. There are different units. Overnight, the deployment continued as we indicated - and, as we speak, 5,000 are on the ground. We cannot say where they are placed because it will jeopardise their ability to be effective," Ntshavheni advised. She added that critical infrastructure had been secured, especially those that would put jobs and food security at risk if damaged. A total of 208 looting incidents at shopping centres and businesses were reported overnight - 156 in KwaZulu-Natal and 52 in Gauteng. Ntshavheni said the government was currently engaging with the National Consumer Goods Council to ensure food security. She added the government was assessing as to whether to declare a state of emergency or not. She was, however, mum about the ongoing investigation into the 12 people identified as being at the centre of orchestrating the unrest.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Marvin Charles at News24
• Read too, Opposition parties in heated meeting with Ramaphosa over 'small' army deployment, at News24

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page