The South African Navy (SA Navy) is in crisis due to years of underfunding, a situation Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, Chief of the Navy, highlighted in a recent briefing ahead of the Navy Festival.
Despite these challenges, the Navy remains committed to protecting South Africa’s maritime interests, but the Admiral’s frank assessment laid bare the extent of the problems caused by inadequate resources.
“As you are aware, the SA Navy has been subjected to years and years of underfunding by the Government,” Lobese stated. “Although we, as leadership of the Navy, can understand the socio-economic prerogatives of Government, we have used any and all platforms over the past number of years to focus the attention of South Africans on the financial plight of the Navy,” he said.
Years of budget cuts have left the Navy unable to meet its essential needs, leaving it neither “funded, equipped, resourced nor staffed” to effectively counter maritime threats.
One of the Navy’s primary responsibilities is patrolling South Africa’s vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which encompasses 1.8 million square kilometres—larger than the country’s land area—and could potentially grow if a Continental Shelf claim is approved. However, the Navy’s current Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) capability, essential for monitoring vessels in these waters, is insufficient.
The Navy’s challenges are compounded by the harsh weather conditions and sea states prevalent along the South African coastline, particularly around the Prince Edward and Marion Islands. These conditions require large, robust ships for effective patrolling, but the Navy’s fleet is limited.
Lobese painted a sobering picture of the Navy’s current capabilities: “At this point, I have to be honest by saying that the SA Navy only has a very basic idea of what is happening in our EEZ at any given time.”
The Navy’s surveillance infrastructure is outdated and requires billions of rands to bring up to standard, leaving South Africa vulnerable to illegal fishing and other maritime crimes.
“This situation is causing me sleepless nights, and it should do the same for you,” Lobese told those present, illustrating the frustration of watching helplessly as foreign vessels plunder South Africa’s marine resources.
Lobese highlighted the financial cost of inaction, with some reports stating the revenue lost each year to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is more than R6 billion, stating that “this is equal to the procurement cost of four of the Multi Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels.”
The Navy, he said, “can only watch helplessly as these crooks come into our waters and steal what belongs to us.”
The threat extends beyond fishing, with increased incidents of drug trafficking, human smuggling and environmental risks from maritime traffic.
In addition to these criminal threats, the geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea have increased ship traffic along South Africa’s coastline by 60%. This surge has led to a rise in maritime incidents, including ships losing cargo and oil spills, further straining the Navy’s capacity.
Personnel shortages exacerbate these issues. The Navy’s budget is R4.3 billion, of which R2.7 billion is for personnel costs, leaving the Navy just R1.6 billion to cover its operational costs. This, Lobese said, “is not enough. Even if we received the full budget that we require, this budget should have been R8.5 billion per year.”
Skills shortage
The Navy is currently structured for 9 532 posts but can only afford to staff 6 356, leaving a shortfall of over 3 000 people. As Lobese pointed out, “For safety purposes, there is a minimum number of personnel that must work on a ship… If there are not enough people for the vessel, then the vessel cannot sail.” This shortage affects critical operations, including the Navy’s submarine fleet. “We are facing this situation currently with our submarines. As a volunteer Service, the Submarine Squadron is a very technical environment, and these members are highly qualified and can easily find employment outside the Navy,” he said, highlighting the difficulty in retaining highly trained personnel.
Over the past five years, the Navy has lost 1 658 personnel due to resignations, retirements and deaths, while only 1 175 new members have joined. A recruitment turnaround is underway, with 368 members recently completing their Basic Military Training and over 600 new recruits expected next year. Lobese acknowledged, however, that it will take years before these junior members can make meaningful contributions to the Navy.
Lack of maintenance
The Navy’s maintenance issues are another source of concern. National Treasury has allocated R1.4 billion for the refit of the Navy’s frigates and submarines, an essential step to extend their operational lives. Lobese explained the various levels of maintenance required to keep the vessels operational, noting that many have not undergone the necessary refits or upgrades due to funding shortfalls. “By now, the lead vessel SAS Amatola should have had three refits, and she should now be undergoing her mid-life upgrade,” he said. Yet, Amatola is the only frigate that has had only one refit to date. Fortunately, progress is being made, with SAS Isandlwana currently undergoing a refit in Durban.
Similarly, the Navy’s submarine fleet is in a precarious state, with only one partially refitted submarine, SAS Manthatisi, currently operational. The other two submarines are not sailing, awaiting a refit partner to be announced by Armscor.
Shortcomings at Armscor Dockyard
One of the most significant obstacles to maintaining the fleet is the dysfunctional state of the Armscor Dockyard, with Lobese remarking that the Armscor Dockyard had not done any meaningful work on any SA Navy ship for many years. This bottleneck in maintenance has left many of the Navy’s frigates and submarines inoperable.
Lobese was forthright in his assessment: “I visited many Naval Dockyards over the course of my career, and I can say without fear or favour that the Armscor Dockyard is the least performing dockyard that I know of in the world.”
The Navy is forced to pay approximately R300 million annually to the Armscor Dockyard, which then outsources the work to outside companies, effectively making the Navy pay twice for maintenance tasks. He stressed the need for the Navy to take control of its own dockyard capabilities, stating, “If there is nothing else, let this be my legacy that I leave behind.”
On a positive note, the Navy continues to foster international cooperation through exercises with other nations, including Ibsamar (with Brazil and India), Atlasur (with Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay) and Mosi (with China and Russia). These partnerships, Lobese stressed, are crucial for maintaining the Navy’s strategic relevance in the region and beyond.
While the Navy has recently received some positive news, such as the allocation of funds for frigate and submarine refits and the recruitment of new personnel, the road ahead remains challenging. The Navy requires sustained investment and support to address its critical deficiencies and ensure the security of South Africa’s maritime domain.
