Parliament, Thursday, 30 April 2026 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, Mr Dakota Legoete has expressed discomfort on the report from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) that weapons have been stolen at its Tekbase in Lyttelton through a break-in at a corrugated iron storeroom where a burglar door had been forcefully opened.
Mr Legoete has expressed his disappointment that the weapons stolen included three R4 rifles and two 40mm multiple rocket launchers, as reported by SANDF. “We are surprised that we have such brazen criminal elements that can target a military facility and remove weapons.”
He added that it is concerning that there are weapons such as R4 riffles and rocket launchers that are now in unknown hands and could be used for criminal or even terrorist activities against citizens or the state itself.
He said what is even more disappointing is that this is not the first such incident happen at the SANDF bases. He cited Cape Town 9 SAI Battalion, and Simons Town Naval Base where this criminality happened in the recent history.
He said since this is not the first incident, he called on the Military Police, Defence Intelligence as well as the South African Police Services (SAPS) to work cooperatively to ensure that they get to the bottom of this before these weapons are used.
He said it was unthinkable what could happen given the crime levels in the country where it necessitated the President to deploy members of the army in crime ridden areas in the country.
“We need to track and trace the whereabouts of these weapons as a matter of extreme urgency and those responsible must be held accountable in terms of our justice system should they be civilians, and should they be members of the armed forces they must face the military courts” emphasised Mr Legoete.
Mr Legoete further called on the SANDF to reassess weapons stores safety and base security measures around the country.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CO-CHAIRPERSONS OF THE JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE, MR PHIROANE PHALA, DR MALUSI GIGABA, AND THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS, MR DAKOTA LEGOETE.
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