By Simon Nare
The SA National Defence Force needs an urgent cash injection as it has been underfunded for years, according to Parliament’s joint standing committee on defence chairperson, Malusi Gigaba.
Addressing the peace and security parliamentary press briefing in Cape Town on Thursday, Gigaba said while funding was on the decline, SANDF’s missions had expanded both locally and internationally over the years.
These missions included deployment during the Covid-19 pandemic and more recently, helping the police crack down on zama zamas.
“The needs of the national defence force are part of the needs of the society. You must never separate the national defence from the society because the level of security of the country depends on the ability of the state to defend that society in times of needs but also provide members of that society with the certainty that they safe and secure should there be any situation arising,” he said.
Gigaba argued that the country should find other ways to fund the SANDF in addition to what it was allocated in the budget.
He said that after the dawn of the new dispensation, there was a perception that the SANDF was overfunded by the apartheid regime that “turned it into monstrous instrument of repression”.
And when the new order took over, it was preoccupied with reforming the defence force so that was viewed favourably by civilians and not as an enemy of society.
“So, in part, we reduced its funding and capabilities as we were trying to create this defence force that was not involved in oppression, but at the same time we neglected the growing international responsibilities of the democratic South Africa, particularly in the Southern African Development Community and the continent.
“What we have seen is that as we expanded our participation in peacekeeping efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and various other countries in the continent, the national defence force was at the same time underfunded and was unable to keep up with these international obligations,” he said.
Gigaba said these factors led to the military’s capabilities being compromised and it not being able to purchase new equipment.
He argued that many countries were increasing their defence force funding not because they were preparing for war, but because there were new geopolitical dynamics that required countries to have a military that could defend and undertake international missions.
Gigaba said the SANDF also played a supportive role in the country’s international relations.
“We cannot be put to the test by rebels anywhere. As a country we must take a dim view to our defence force being challenged by rebels. We must be able to demonstrate our power.
“A country demonstrates its power and demonstrates its posture internationally by its ability to back up its international policy with a very well equipped, well trained national defence force,” he said.
South Africa recently recalled its soldiers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo after fighting with M23 rebels resulted in casualties.
Gigaba said there must be a general debate in the National Assembly to ascertain what kind of a national defence force the country required and what type of posture South Africa wanted to take internationally, particularly in the SADC region.
This could help the country determine what kind of funding should be allocated to the SANDF.
“We must not, and we cannot confine ourselves to existing revenues if we want to have a national defence force that will not be challenged by rebels. We will need to find the funding and I believe the funding for such a posture for the national defence is possible,” he said.
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