The Department of Defence (DoD) has had its budget for 2025/26 increased by R1.8 billion but the adjusted allocation (R59 billion) is barely sufficient for improving equipment serviceability or achieving flying hour and sea hour targets.
The Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) was released by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to Parliament on Wednesday 12 November, revealing the R1.888 billion increase: R657 million more for Force Employment, R1 billion more for Landward Defence, R53 million more for Military Health Support, and R54 million more for Air Defence.
The defence vote (Vote 23) noted an additional R439.078 million allocated for expenses related to the implementation of the governmentwide early retirement programme to facilitate the exit of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members. The allocation will cover expenses related to financial incentives and medical continuation.
Aerospace and defence expert Dean Wingrin commented that in spite of the slight increase in defence budget, operational readiness remains under strain as by mid-year the South African Air Force (SAAF) had flown only 2 411 of 12 000 planned flight hours and the Navy had sailed only 2 377 of 8 000 sea hours due to maintenance delays. Similarly, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) standby force readiness stands at 79%, short of the 100% target again due to the unavailability of aircraft and naval platforms. However, R90 million has been reallocated for Valour-class frigate systems maintenance, which should improve naval serviceability.
“Despite the higher allocation, the defence budget remains stretched. The SANDF continues to depend on one-off revenues and reservists to maintain operations while core capabilities,” Wingrin stated.
“The funding noose continues to strangle: the SANDF still struggles with ageing assets, low readiness and growing reliance on reservists. Maintenance backlog (aircraft/vessels) reduces flight/sea hours and weakens SADC commitments. This will not improve anytime soon,” he said.
African Defence Review Director Darren Olivier said the need for more funding going toward capability maintenance is “beyond the urgent crisis level.” Thes flight hour and sea hour achievement levels are already causing serious losses in capabilities and many resignations of key personnel. “Time has run out, real harm is being done,” he said.
“Note too that the 12 000 funded SAAF flight hours is already a huge decline over what it used to be. Up until 2010/2011, the SAAF was routinely funded (and achieved) over 40 000 flying hours a year. This year it will achieve no more than 6 000. The public should be outraged,” Olivier said, adding that the recent funding allocations are all stopgap measures to keep the lights on, not serious capability and availability enhancements. “If government really intends to increase defence spending it needs to start now.”
The SANDF continues to rely heavily on the Reserve Force to meet its commitments, and had used 2.12 million mandays by September against a planned total of 1.9 million for 2025/26. This reflects increased reliance on reservists, who are paid only when called up, Wingrin explained.
Overspending on the compensation of employees (CoE) helped push Department of Defence spend to 104.5% of its appropriation in 2024/25 (R58 billion). Such expenditure is regularly classified as irregular expenditure by the Auditor General.
“Compared to the first half of 2024/25, expenditure over the same period in 2025/26 increased by R3.2 billion, 11.6%. This was mainly due to an additional allocation to cater for adjustments arising from the public sector wage agreement and the provision of additional support to South African National Defence Force members deployed in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The support was intended to enhance the operational effectiveness of defence force personnel, including specialised units, equipment, aircraft charters and other resources,” the Vote 23 document read.
“As part of the defence force’s contribution to the Southern African Development Community mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this deployment led to increased operational expenditure, particularly on fuel, ammunition and weapons.”
On a more positive note, revenue of R1.449 billion was generated through reimbursements from the United Nations and Southern African Development Community for South Africa’s contributions towards peace support in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through operations Mistral and Thiba, and through the sale of equipment and spares procured through the special defence account.
These funds will be used to enhance border safeguarding through the use of technology; support internal stability operations; and cover costs associated with the continuous deployment of and procurement of uniforms for South African National Defence Force personnel, the upgrading of prime mission equipment, and logistical support, according to the latest budget document. Of this additional revenue, R616 million will go towards Force Employment, and R832 million to Landward Defence.
