GOOD Statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General
27 May 2026
When Operation Prosper was deployed in April, there were concerns about possible human rights abuses against civilians, particularly around the risks of militarising civilian spaces.
But what is now emerging raises a different and deeply uncomfortable question: what about the human rights of the soldiers themselves?
R823 million has been allocated to this deployment, yet reports indicate that 146 soldiers are being serviced by only 3 toilets- in reality, 2, since one is reportedly out of order and in need of repairs.
That is roughly 48 people per toilet, a ratio that falls far outside basic standards of dignity and sanitation.
Prisoner of war camps have historically been recorded at around 1 toilet per 40 people. Let that sink in.
According to Department of Employment and Labour guidelines, workplaces with more than 100 employees must provide at least 5 toilets per gender, plus an additional toilet for every 30 employees beyond the first 100. In this case, that would require at least 11 toilets.
This is not just a logistical oversight. It is a direct infringement on constitutional rights to dignity, health, and safety. It also raises serious concerns about occupational health standards in environments where soldiers are expected to operate under extreme pressure.
Female soldiers face compounded risks when adequate, private sanitation facilities are not provided, further exposing systemic blind spots in how their safety is prioritised.
Clearly, “deployment readiness” is being used to describe something that looks far closer to neglect. A multi-million-rand operation should not result in the stripping away of basic humanity from those tasked with protecting it.
Besides the inhumane conditions that directly affect public servants on the frontline of important violence prevention work, these conditions are not conducive to ensuring morale is high and the deployment is done with enthusiasm.
The Ministers in the Security Cluster, and the Ministers of Defence and Police in particular, need to intervene urgently.
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