In light of the severe underfunding of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and its consequent impact on equipment and capabilities, and the changing nature of warfare, the Democratic Alliance has called for a new defence review, and for the withdrawal of soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Chris Hattingh, Democratic Alliance representative for Defence & Military Veterans, made these remarks during the defence budget vote debate in Parliament on Monday 15 July. He started off by reminding Parliamentary representatives that the defence budget has once again decreased, from R52.5 billion to R51.8 billion, continuing a downward trend that has seen a 1.3% year on year decrease, or 5.69% decrease in real terms considering inflation.
“Over time the departmental budget has declined to such an extent that the estimated shortfall has now reached R50 billion per annum. The diminishing budget does not enable the defence force to comply with its constitutional mandate to be a disciplined military force that defends and protects the Republic, its territorial integrity and its people.”
He pointed out that in July 2023 the Department of Defence informed National Treasury that there is insufficient funding for the compensation of employees, that critical posts are being left vacant, and that the Department of Defence is unable to execute its core mandate amidst increasing operational requirements. There is also limited funding for the Strategic Capital Acquisition Master Plan (SCAMP), that the deterioration of SANDF facilities, infrastructure and capabilities continues, that the Department of Defence is unable to modernise and secure legacy defence ICT systems, and is unable to maintain critical stock levels – including fuel, ammunition, medical supplies as well as pharmaceuticals.
“The national treasury reported in June that the Department of Defence was responsible for 78% of all government departments’ late payments of suppliers over 30 days, amounting to R1.407 billion. These late payments have severe consequences for suppliers, some struggling to survive, and others having their credit ratings downgraded,” Hattingh stated.
He reminded Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga that the 1998 Defence Review set the defence personnel budget at 40% of the total budget with 30% for operating costs and 30% for capital costs (a 40:30:30 ratio). However, by 2011 personnel spending climbed to 55% and it has now escalated to 66%, “which is unsustainable.”
He warned that the lack of adequate funding resulted in a lack of proper maintenance and regular upgrading and replacement of obsolete equipment, “and this has seriously impacted on the SANDF’s ability to fulfil its mandate.”
New defence review needed
“Armscor has identified a bloated South African military and the resistance to strategic modernisation as one of its key risk factors. The Department’s response to address these issues by a re-evaluation of the Defence Review 2015 will prove to be totally inadequate and a critical waste of money and time. To re-evaluate the Defence Review 2015, the basis for what resulted in the SANDF is today, is unthinkable. You can’t use the framework that collapsed the system to repair the system,” Hattingh said.
“We have lost our air and maritime capabilities, and the DRC, where our forces are now being confronted with new technology, is evident that the Defence Review 2015, conceived and born in the heyday of state capture, is not only outdated but totally inadequate,” Hattingh said, emphasising that the world has moved on and conventional warfare will never be the same, with electronic warfare, drone warfare and new technology reshaping the battlefield. This new face of warfare has also reached the SANDF, where soldiers in the DRC are exposed to precision guided mortars, amongst others.
“What is required now is a new and fresh defence review to guide the SANDF to be a lean, potent and agile SANDF that South Africa needs.”
External deployments
With regard to international military deployments, Hattingh noted that the Department of Defence faces a mandate to deploy 2 900 SANDF members into the DRC with the Southern African Development Community mission (SAMIDRC) at an approximate cost of R2.4 billion, while the SADC mission in Mozambique is costing R850 million this financial year.
However, “only R2.6 billion has been allocated over the MTEF [three-year Medium Term Expenditure Framework] period for peace support operations. However, last week, Treasury’s allocation of R2.1 billion for operation Thiba [in the DRC] and R750 million for Operation Vikela in Mozambique – collectively R400 million less than the projected cost – will certainly ease the financial pressure on the SANDF. However, the escalation of the DRC conflict will certainly demand more funding,” Hattingh prophesised.
“Now let me address the elephant in the room,” he told Parliament. “The SANDF deployment in the DRC is certainly not an SADC peacekeeping mission. Neighbouring countries like Angola and Zambia, part of SADC, do not participate in this SADC mission although they share long borders with the DRC. The conflict between the DRC and various rebel groups including M23 has escalated into an undeclared war involving the FARDC – that’s the army of the DRC – the Wazalendo coalition of rebel groups, the FDLR, the Burundi National Defence Force, and SADC force on the one side, where we have rebel groups joining South Africa and other groups against the M23 rebel group’s coalition and the Rwanda Defence Force. This is not peacekeeping.
“Recently, the conflict has seen the deployment of precision guided mortars and GPS jamming, limiting flights between Goma, Beni and Butembo, further restricting support for members in the DRC. The cold reality of the south African DRC deployment is that our soldiers lack the required levels of logistical, tactical and medical support; lack adequate training for high tech warfare, and lack discipline.
“There is inadequate funding, no threat to south Africa from the regional conflict in the eastern DRC. Therefore, Honourable House Chair and Minister, our soldiers should come home immediately. And perhaps, Honourable Minister, the Honourable Minister should tell the President in words that he understands, ‘Honourable President, whether you like it or not, our soldiers must come home,” Hattingh concluded.
