Parliament’s National Council of Provinces held a plenary session on 28 November, bringing together Committees from Trade, Industry and Competition; Transport; Electricity and Energy; Mineral and Petroleum Resources; and Defence to address cross-cutting national resilience issues. Central to the discussions was the imperative for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to establish, store and maintain emergency strategic fuel reserves as a sovereign capability.
Setting the tone for the session, Defence Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Dakota Legoete stressed that fuel security can no longer be viewed as a mere logistics concern but must be recognised as a strategic imperative. He underscored that energy security forms a core pillar of national sovereignty, particularly for states with substantial maritime responsibilities or geopolitical exposure. Around the world, such nations ensure that their armed forces directly control critical fuel infrastructure to guarantee the protected receipt, secure storage, and rapid deployment of strategic reserves. This, he noted, is the standard international model for safeguarding operational independence and national resilience.
He warned that without assured emergency reserves under Defence stewardship, South Africa’s ability to safeguard territorial integrity, respond effectively to crises, and maintain operational readiness remains at risk.
Moreover, he cautioned that allowing fuel majors to retain monopoly control over capabilities that should fundamentally rest with the state exposes South Africa to vulnerabilities unbecoming of a sovereign nation.
Vice Admiral David M Mkhonto, Chief of Logistics of the Department of Defence, delivered a detailed briefing on what a Defence-managed emergency fuel reserve system should encompass across different operational scenarios. He grounded his argument in Chapter 14 of the Defence Act of 2002, which mandates the SANDF to maintain and safeguard the sovereignty of the Republic. He stressed that this mandate is inseparable from the ability to sustain uninterrupted operations – a capability that is impossible without secure emergency fuel reserves. The absence of such reserves, he warned, poses “detrimental implications for the sovereignty of the state” during crises, disruptions, or natural disasters.
Mkhonto drew attention to a paradox: the SANDF actively patrols the same seas and maritime routes through which large volumes of the country’s petroleum products flow, yet the Defence Force is structurally disadvantaged when it urgently needs access to these very “molecules.” Although the SANDF is legally entitled to 25% of the national energy fuel requirement, it remains unable to reliably access this allocation or the operational infrastructure at Island View Terminal in the Port of Durban, the entry point through which 70–80% of South Africa’s refined fuels are imported.
He outlined several critical operational failures that currently undermine Defence readiness: no guaranteed berth slots, no dedicated tankage, no pipeline access, no scheduling priority, and no operational seat at a facility designated as a National Key Point. As a result, essential Defence activities including air missions, maritime patrols, border security deployments, and national disaster responses remain dependent on private-sector arrangements, commercial scheduling cycles, and multinational control.
He emphasized that this situation leaves South Africa, despite its status as a major maritime nation, without assured Defence access to fuel in times of emergency.
Recalling multiple recent national disasters, Mkhonto noted that Defence response efforts were repeatedly constrained by inadequate fuel reserves, which limited the SANDF’s ability to support interdepartmental operations. He underscored that the logistics principle Fons Sine Quo Non requires maintaining an indispensable supply line and sufficient reserves to sustain the Force at critical moments. True operational readiness, he concluded, depends on predictable, secure, and Defence-controlled fuel availability.
The Admiral’s presentation also outlined a conceptual model for Defence-held reserves, including storage infrastructure, governance frameworks, and interoperability with national energy stakeholders. He argued that Defence management of emergency reserves would align South Africa with global best practice, where militaries routinely safeguard and manage strategic fuel for national resilience.
Committee members across sectors acknowledged the strategic value of the proposal, noting that current national reserve arrangements do not meet Defence’s operational timelines or requirements. The session concluded with agreement that interdepartmental collaboration, including with energy, trade, and transport sectors, will be essential to advance the development of this capability.
The Defence Committee is expected to continue its engagements with the Department of Defence as the concept matures, viewing fuel security as an essential enabler of national security, operational independence, and sovereign readiness.
South Africa’s national security, economic stability, and resilience during crises are inseparably tied to reliable access to fuel.
Fuel is not merely a logistical commodity – it is a sovereign asset, fundamental to defence readiness, emergency response, and the protection of territorial integrity.
