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Bokwe Mafuna
Feb 17 2025
177In his AENE, Godongwana mentions that South African soldiers earned peace support revenue from their deployment in the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and the completed SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM). The SANDF received R739 million from the UN for MONUSCO and earned R6 million from selling equipment.
The MTBPS reports that SANDF faces financial challenges, with 2023/24 spending at 106% of the budget at R55. 8 billion. Expenditure for 2024/25 is rising due to necessary adjustments and deployments. SANDF has been allocated an extra R3. 6 billion for the 2024/25 budget, mainly to support Force Employment and Air Defence.
Funding issues have affected SANDF's performance, resulting in missed targets such as maritime patrols and hours spent at sea. The Air Force has also fallen behind its flying hours target for the year.
South Africa's military spending has fluctuated over recent years. In 2022, the defence budget was $3.00 billion, marking a 11.74% decline from the previous year By 2023, the budget further decreased to $2.781 billion, continuing the trend of reduction The budget allocation has been affected by various factors, including the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which led to reallocations of funds for health and relief purposes Despite these reductions, South Africa's arms industry remains one of the most advanced in the non-Western world, capable of producing sophisticated military equipment
As part of the country’s responsibility to promote regional peace and stability, this budget will also allocate funding for the deployment of soldiers in Mozambique and the DRC.
Work on costing and identifying the needs for these critical missions will continue throughout the year and funding will be allocated as such.
Enoch Godongwane in his 2025 Budget
Speech: https://www.gov.za/news/speeches/minister-enoch-godongwana-2024-budget-speech-21-feb-2024
The SANDF is currently involved in:
Operation MISTRAL and Operation THIBA in the Democratic Republic of Congo;
Operation VIKELA in Mozambique, which is coming to an end; and
Operation COPPER through offshore patrols in the Mozambique Channel.
Honourable members, I am pleased to report that, in relation to our external deployments, Government has assisted the Department with funding for our operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique. I wish to thank my colleague Minister of Finance Godongwana in this regard.
On the strength of ensuring clean governance and a capable state, the Ministry is being briefed on audit findings and different financial challenges facing the department’s finances. I will shortly be engaging on this matter with the Secretary for Defence and Chief of the SANDF to strengthen our financial systems.
Honourable Speaker as we focus on the budget allocated to the Department of Defence, we have been allocated R51.8 billion for the 2024/25 financial year. Of this total budget, approximately R5,5 billion is earmarked to the following costs:
R2,6 billion for obligations to Department of Public Works and Infrastructure for lease payments, assessment rates, refurbishment, maintenance and repairs and municipal services, which the DOD is managing on their own.
R1,4 billion to Armscor,
Honourable Speaker Armscor, (SOC) (LTD) is entrusted with the vital tasks of managing the acquisition of defence prime mission equipment, the development and maintenance of critical defence technologies and the management of strategic defence facilities.
There is an increasing requirement for the rapid modification or application of commercial technologies for military-use; which implies a reconceptualization of the role that Armscor plays in Research and Technology Development.
Initiatives must also be embarked upon to reposition some aspects of the defence industry as a foundation for a different and better future. In terms of the Soldier-First principle, our soldiers must be better off. The need for practical solutions has now become operationally urgent, including the need to adjust appropriately to the changing nature of the battlefield, with an enhanced focus on imminent technologies.
R500 million dedicated for the procurement of protective personnel vehicles and technology for border safeguarding.
R441 million for the repair and maintenance of Naval Defence Systems to enhance Maritime patrol in our waters.
R70,2 million allocated for the Military Ombud. Honourable Speaker, as a statutory means to resolving grievances by soldiers and public complaints; the Military Ombud promotes good labour relations within the SANDF.
R300 million for day-to-day maintenance and emergency repairs for our facilities by the DoD.
R60 million for the deployment before, during and after the May 29th 2024 elections.
R6 million to assist the Castle Control Board to manage the Castle of Good Hope as a national heritage asset.
Honourable speaker, of our total budget allocation of R51,8 billion, the compensation of employees (COE) ceiling of R34,2 billion constitutes 66%, based on actual feet on the ground.
Honourable Speaker, it is common knowledge that the SANDF’s needs to upgrade its prime mission equipment. We are robustly engaging with the National Treasury on a common way to meet the Defence Force’s medium-term Capital budget, including the vital repair and maintenance of critical Prime Mission Equipment and the exploitation of evolving technologies.
"In his AENE, Godongwana points out the peace support revenue was earned by South African soldiers and equipment deployed to the United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – MONUSCO – and the now finished Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM).
The SANDF received R739 million in reimbursements from the UN for its contribution to MONUSCO. R6 million was generated from the sale of equipment and spares procured through the Special Defence Account.
According to the MTBPS, the SANDF remains financially stressed, with total 2023/24 expenditure reaching 106% of the adjusted appropriation (R55.8 billion). For 2024/25, expenditure increased due to an additional allocation to cater for adjustments arising from the 2023/24 public sector wage agreement and for the deployments in the DRC and Mozambique.
The SANDF has, however, been allocated an additional R3.6 billion to bring the 2024/25 defence budget to R55.483 billion. R3.4 billion is going towards Force Employment while R153 million has been allocated to Air Defence (Helicopter Capability). The majority of extra funding (R2.1 billion) falls under “use of funds in emergency situations” and is allocated to cover expenses related to the deployment of SANDF personnel as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) through Operation Thiba.
Funding shortcomings can be seen in the SANDF missing force employment targets. “Although the department had conducted only one maritime coastal patrol by mid-year against an annual target of four, it remains on track to meet the target by the fourth quarter. Similarly, only 3 290 hours were spent at sea by mid-year against an annual target of 12 000, with the expectation that this target will be met in the fourth quarter,” the MTBPS stated.
“Delays in the maintenance and repair of vessels resulted in only 1 721 hours at sea against an annual target of 8 000 hours. Performance is expected to improve in the second half of the year once the maintenance and repair work is completed.”
For April to September 2024, 3 290 hours were flown by the Air Force against a target of 12 000 for the year, indicating the Air Force is 50% behind schedule in terms of hours flown."
"In his AENE, Godongwana points out the peace support revenue was earned by South African soldiers and equipment deployed to the United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – MONUSCO – and the now finished Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM).
The SANDF received R739 million in reimbursements from the UN for its contribution to MONUSCO. R6 million was generated from the sale of equipment and spares procured through the Special Defence Account.
According to the MTBPS, the SANDF remains financially stressed, with total 2023/24 expenditure reaching 106% of the adjusted appropriation (R55.8 billion). For 2024/25, expenditure increased due to an additional allocation to cater for adjustments arising from the 2023/24 public sector wage agreement and for the deployments in the DRC and Mozambique.
The SANDF has, however, been allocated an additional R3.6 billion to bring the 2024/25 defence budget to R55.483 billion. R3.4 billion is going towards Force Employment while R153 million has been allocated to Air Defence (Helicopter Capability). The majority of extra funding (R2.1 billion) falls under “use of funds in emergency situations” and is allocated to cover expenses related to the deployment of SANDF personnel as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) through Operation Thiba.
Funding shortcomings can be seen in the SANDF missing force employment targets. “Although the department had conducted only one maritime coastal patrol by mid-year against an annual target of four, it remains on track to meet the target by the fourth quarter. Similarly, only 3 290 hours were spent at sea by mid-year against an annual target of 12 000, with the expectation that this target will be met in the fourth quarter,” the MTBPS stated.
“Delays in the maintenance and repair of vessels resulted in only 1 721 hours at sea against an annual target of 8 000 hours. Performance is expected to improve in the second half of the year once the maintenance and repair work is completed.”
For April to September 2024, 3 290 hours were flown by the Air Force against a target of 12 000 for the year, indicating the Air Force is 50% behind schedule in terms of hours flown."
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