Parliament, Friday, 16 October 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans has called for urgent intervention to reverse the decline of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), warning that persistent resource shortages, financial pressures and governance weaknesses are undermining the country's defence capability.
The Committee stressed that the SANDF cannot effectively fulfil its constitutional mandate if soldiers deployed on operations continue to face shortages of basic equipment and critical resources.
The Committee met to consider the Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports (BRRRs) for the Department of Defence (DOD), the Department of Military Veterans (DMV), the Castle Control Board (CCB), the Armaments Corporation of South Africa (Armscor) and Denel.
In considering its report, the Committee expressed frustration over what it described as unacceptable shortages of basic equipment for soldiers, particularly those deployed on operations. The Committee emphasised that quality boots, uniforms, bulletproof vests, weapons and serviceable vehicles are minimum requirements for any effective military force. The Committee called for a “back-to-basics” approach, with the Department of Defence reprioritising funding towards essential tasks and the provision of critical equipment.
The Committee said it was concerned by persistent overspending on compensation of employees, which remains one of the biggest contributors to the Department of Defence’s financial challenges and downward spiral. The Committee recommended an urgent engagement between the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Defence to agree on a clear way forward, including costings and implementation timelines, to curtail over-expenditure on compensation of employees from the 2027/28 financial year onwards.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Mr Dakota Legoete, raised concerns about the difficulties experienced by the Office of the Auditor-General of South Africa in auditing the Special Defence Account (SDA). Mr Legoete proposed that AGSA and the Department of Defence work together to find ways of ensuring the necessary vetting processes are in place to enable audits to be conducted. Mr Legoete said the SDA consisted of taxpayers’ money and must be properly accounted for.
Members of the Committee turned to the DMV and said the depth of the deterioration was unimaginable. The Committee cited the prolonged tenure of Ms Mafu as Acting Director-General of the DMV as a concern, noting that she has been serving in an acting capacity for at least two years. The Committee said the continued acting arrangements undermined accountability while military veterans remained unable to access benefits provided for in legislation. The Committee recommended that the Minister provide a written explanation of the legal basis for each extension of the Acting Director-General’s tenure.
The Committee said it was disappointing that the Department of Defence has continued to receive qualified audit opinions over several financial years. While the DMV received an unqualified audit opinion, several audit concerns remain. The Committee recommended stronger leadership from the Minister of Defence and all senior leaders to turn around the Department of Defence and its reporting entities.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS, MR DAKOTA LEGOETE.
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