Parliament’s defence committee has issued a stark warning that the South African National Defence Force is failing and cannot protect the country without immediate intervention.
The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans met on Friday to review budget reports for the Department of Defence, the Department of Military Veterans, the Castle Control Board, Armscor and Denel.
Committee members expressed frustration that soldiers deployed on operations continue to work without basic equipment and critical resources. The committee stressed that the SANDF cannot fulfil its constitutional mandate under these conditions.
Equipment shortages threaten operations
The committee highlighted what it called unacceptable shortages of essential military equipment. Soldiers lack quality boots, uniforms, bulletproof vests, weapons and serviceable vehicles—items the committee described as minimum requirements for any effective military force.
Members called for a “back-to-basics” approach, demanding that the Department of Defence reprioritise funding towards essential tasks and the provision of critical equipment.
Employee costs drain defence budget
Persistent overspending on employee compensation remains one of the biggest contributors to the Department of Defence’s financial challenges and downward spiral, the committee said.
Members recommended an urgent meeting between the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Defence to agree on a clear way forward. The committee wants concrete costings and implementation timelines to curtail over-expenditure on employee compensation from the 2027/28 financial year onwards.
Accountability concerns mount
Committee chairperson Dakota Legoete raised concerns about difficulties the Office of the Auditor-General faces when auditing the Special Defence Account. Legoete proposed that the auditor-general and the Department of Defence work together to establish the necessary vetting processes to enable audits.
“The SDA consists of taxpayers’ money and must be properly accounted for,” Legoete said.
The committee expressed disappointment that the Department of Defence has continued to receive qualified audit opinions over several financial years. While the Department of Military Veterans received an unqualified audit opinion, several audit concerns remain.
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Veterans department in crisis
Committee members said the depth of deterioration at the Department of Military Veterans was unimaginable. They cited the prolonged tenure of Nontobeko Mafu as acting director-general as a major concern, noting that she has served in an acting capacity for at least two years.
The committee said the continued acting arrangements undermine accountability while military veterans remain unable to access benefits provided for in legislation. Members recommended that the Minister provide a written explanation of the legal basis for each extension of the acting director-general’s tenure.
The committee called for stronger leadership from the Minister of Defence and all senior leaders to turn around the Department of Defence and its reporting entities.
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