SANDF is no longer fit for purpose

It is getting to the point where the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) – once Africa’s most powerful – will no longer be fit for purpose.

Partly that is because the government has been systematically starving it of funds for the past 15 years; but also equally a reason for the SANDF’s decline is that what money is allocated to it is not being spent wisely.

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Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow defence and military veterans’ minister Kobus Marais said, after a National Treasury presentation to parliament this week on defence funding, that “continued irregular expenditure”, “a lack of strategic leadership” and a less than prudent use of the defence budget were making matters worse.

One of the most worrying aspects of defence spending is how much goes on personnel costs and overtime payments, which saw excess expenditure of R3 billion.

Our military is overstaffed by old, highly ranked officers – thanks mainly to the need by the ANC to accommodate its loyal cadres in what is, effectively, sheltered employment.

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The ratio of command echelon officers to on-the-ground fighting men and women is grossly out of kilter. That overspend means old weapons systems cannot be replaced or updated, or even maintained. We will be left soon with just tin soldiers.