Defence ministry blames lack of funds for SANDF’s reduced ability to protect the country

Limited resources and budget cuts are to blame for the SA National Defence Force’s (SANDF) inability to send enough troops to protect the country’s borders as well as the fewer naval patrols, Deputy Minister Thabang Makwetla told MPs on Wednesday.

The department also finds itself overspending on employee compensation as the State frequently requests boots on the ground to help police deal with the country’s major crime incidents.

Following the Covid pandemic and the 2021 violence and unrest that saw SANDF members deployed in the country for months, more call-ups are continuing, including at Eskom‘s power stations and recent attacks on trucks.

Makwetla and top officials on Wednesday presented the department’s bleak quarterly reports and expenditure details to members of Parliament’s defence portfolio committee.

Lack of resources impacts services

The last 2022 quarter saw a dip in performance compared to this year’s first quarter.

“Where we have not performed, it is because of limitation of resources. Limited resources make us not achieve the targeted number of hours at sea and maritime patrols.

“I would go further and say other areas might give us comfort but there’s still a shortage of resources.

“Look at deployments at borders – our borders are porous because we are not able to deploy enough people.

“The department has to look into defence capabilities because many of the targets are not achieved because of the budget,” said Makwetla.

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A target of 1 900 man-days for the reserve force was exceeded to 2 800 in the last quarter of 2022. The SANDF foresees a shortfall of R6.7 billion for the current financial year.

Makwetla said the country’s defence levels are too low.

“The defence review advances the argument that even with an under-armed force we can cope by providing defence quickly, and that is what the reserve force is for.

“To want to cut down man-days is tantamount to shooting ourselves in the foot. The defence force’s support of the Saps is becoming more regular. It is a constitutional obligation to help police when needed, we can’t fail to turn up.”

Budget swallowed by employee costs

In her May budget vote, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise said her department received a total of R51.1 billion in 2023/24, a decrease of approximately R500 million from the previous adjusted budget. 

Out of R51.1 billion, R30.6 billion has been set as the ceiling for employee remuneration, totalling at least 64% of the budget.

R800m was set aside to fund the voluntary retrenchment plan of more than 1 500 personnel. At least 980 of them will come from the army.

Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Kobus Marais remarked that the chief of the navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, was reluctant to sign off for those approved for retrenchment for fear of losing skills.

“It seems his concern is that he is losing valuable but expensive 500 members. But they are expensive, especially for those in the 53-57 age bracket.

“Surely it will do good to let go of the expensive personnel and train younger ones who will be cheaper and fitter?”

“We have an ageing force with an average age of 47, older people in defence are expensive. They push up the costs.”

Secretary of Defence Thobekile Gamede said the voluntary retrenchments, referred to by the department as mobility exit mechanisms (MEMs), are not done willy-nilly.

“MEMs are done in line with specifics in individual divisions and is an employer-initiated exit strategy. The navy chief might still have to apply his mind to assess its impact.”

‘Pilots could lose accreditation’

Apart from a shortage of naval patrols at sea and other maritime duties, the SA Air Force is unable to take up duties due to grounded planes.

These problems are brought by the ailing state arms manufacturer Armscor’s failure to repair and maintain the fleet, according to a City Press report.

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Marais said the lack of flying hours has left pilots and other technical staff at risk of losing their accreditation.

“Our analysis shows this is because of the unavailability of airframes and air platforms. There are concerns that pilots and technical staff risk losing their accreditation because of low flying hours,” he said.

Subsequently, the department has no choice but to charter private flights to transport troops and equipment to combat areas such as Mozambique and the DRC, said the Department of Defence’s CFO Edem Abotsi.

“Unfortunately, I don’t readily have actual figures on how much we have spent on chartering flights this financial year, but we’ll provide that in writing.”

He added that the department is following the National Treasury’s directive issued on 31 August to cut costs on accommodation and flights.

Airforce planes ‘in ICU’

But Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Tseko Isaac Mafanya said the department has over the years continued to administer a declining SANDF without a viable strategy.

“We questioned the validity of these aircraft during our oversight visits because we found that they cannot even be flown to Mozambique nor the DRC.

“Our aircraft are in an ICU, because when they break, there are no spares but we keep deploying them and putting our people at risk.

“We are nowhere near improvement in terms of the defence review of 2015. There is nothing indicating that SANDF can withstand whatever might happen in the near future.

“We are confronted with budget constraints and an unsound administration. I am not happy that we administer while there is no turnaround strategy,” said Mafanya.