Cape Town – Defence Minister Thandi Modise, has acknowledged that the country’s defence force is becoming unsustainable due to severe budget cuts, leading to a weakened SA National Defence Force (SANDF).
According to News24, Modise said this while responding to a written parliamentary question from EFF’s Washington Mafanya.
She said that reviving the SANDF required a comprehensive approach that encompassed various aspects, including leadership, funding, training, and strategic planning.
“The South African Defence Review 2015 is, and remains, the national policy on defence. The Defence Review 2015 remains largely valid and appropriate, even though it was predicated on a steady-stream improvement in defence allocation, agreed to by Cabinet at that time, but which did not materialise.
“The defence force is becoming progressively more unsustainable in terms of the declining defence baseline allocation and we have now reached the point where the Republic must decide on the kind of defence force it wants and what it can afford,” the report quoted Modise as saying.
Following Modise’s revelation, an expert warned that if a military superpower were to attack, South Africa would be defenseless.
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“If any big player came to attack us, we would not be able to do anything. The only reason we are not in trouble is because no one is attacking us. In the state of our navy, we cannot patrol our waters and we can’t prevent smuggling,” the report quoted defence expert Helmoed Heitman as saying.
The minister in May announced a multi-medium term strategic planning process aimed at rescuing the SANDF.
She revealed at the time that a scientific evaluation of the SANDF highlighted its diminishing capabilities due to persistent budget cuts.
“The ravages of underfunding and unserviceable capabilities against escalating tasks has had a devastating effect,” the minister said during the debate on the Defence and Military Veterans Budget Vote
The plan included comprehensive border safeguarding, establishing a rapid reaction capability, maintaining legacy systems, and addressing the needs of soldiers.
“We need to be cognisant of the uniqueness of the SANDF. Universal military practices must inform the structuring of the SANDF, including structuring into combat formations with a complementary command and staff system at the military strategic, operational and tactical levels.
“I have directed that work begin to reconfigure, reposition and reorganise the department to ensure coherent command and control, and appropriate governance and accountability,” said Modise.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
