**The South African authorities are investigating how hundreds of soldiers were able to march on government buildings in a dispute over pay.**More than 1,000 soldiers left their Pretoria barracks on Wednesday and approached the Union Buildings, which houses the president’s office.
Police used rubber bullets and teargas to disperse the troops, who are campaigning for a 30% pay rise.
The defence minister said the country’s national security had been put at risk.
“The bases from which these soldiers are being mobilised would be without adequate protection, thus exposing them to potential raids by criminals,” said Lindiwe Sisulu.
She said all of the soldiers involved would be suspended without pay, and warned that she would not tolerate “thuggish behaviour by our armed forces”.
The soldiers’ protest is the latest in a series of rallies, strikes and disputes over pay and service over the past few months.
Several unions have walked out, demanding inflation-busting wage rises - and have largely had their demands met.
But the government said the military was subject to different rules to the rest of society.
A high court ruling had declared the protest illegal, and officials warned of “drastic” measures against any soldier found to have damaged property or carried out vandalism.
South African National Defence Union (Sandu) spokesperson Pikkie Greeff said soldiers had the right to protest because they were South Africa’s worst paid civil servants.