The SA Army Gymnasium in Heidelberg was the venue for the second Department of Defence (DoD) retirement seminar in line with a directive to trim personnel numbers.
Over 65% of the national defence budget, allocated to what Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana terms a labour intensive department, goes to compensation of employees (CoEs). This is set at R115 billion over the next three years with early exit of personnel in the 50 to 64 age group an area where the CoE bill can be cut.
The Heidelberg seminar was held just days after a similar one in Thaba Tshwane, billed by a SA National Defence Force (SANDF) communicator as “the first of many” where the Chief Directorate Human Resource Management of the DoD Human Resource Division explained the ins and outs of the early exit. This saw personnel from at least six units in Gauteng hear how to go about ensuring early retirement was as hassle free as possible to avoid unforeseen risks and hidden costs associated with improper separation”.
In addition to DoD human resource personnel, led by Director Human Resource Separation, Brigadier General Somikazi Mulaudzi, assisted by Deputy Director Human Resource Separation, Dr Zamokuhle Shabane, those attending also had opportunity to discuss issues such as investments, tax at retirement as well as estates and deceased estates from private sector financial services providers.
On completion of the DoD early retirement seminars nationally, expected to be by the end of this month (March), the retirement packages will be introduced to other “personnel intensive” government departments, National Treasury (NT) Director-General Duncan Pieterse is on record as saying.
The personnel reduction is across all government departments and, as far as the DoD/SA National Defence Force (SANDF) is concerned the aim to have a maximum of 73 000 personnel on strength. In 2024/25 there were 71 051 personnel in the national defence force, set to rise to 71 654 in 2025/26, 73 069 in 2026/26, and 74 492 in 2027/28 unless interventions are made. The majority are in landward defence (SA Army) – with 35 063 personnel in 2024/25.
