By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The ministry of Defence has received a total budget allocation of R57.183 billion and Military Veterans received R878 million for 2025/26 financial year.
Minister Angie Motshekga delivered the budget vote for the department in Good Hope, Cape Town.
Motshekga said efforts were under way to rejuvenate the SANDF’s human resource profile, modernise, maintain, repair and overhaul the prime mission equipment.
“I cannot over-emphasise the importance of ensuring effective governance and accountability of the entire defence portfolio.”
She said they would continue to engage with the Defence Force Service Commission to re-examine its mandate and would make a pronouncement once all legal requirements were in place.
She used the occasion to announce that all the 2,215 soldiers who were deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have returned home after the withdrawal of the SADC Mission in the DRC.
“I want to thank our men and women for their sacrifice and hard work in contributing to peace and stability in the region. Their efforts will never be forgotten. We welcome all of them back home,” she said.
Motshekga also said all the prime mission equipment has been withdrawn from the eastern DRC to Chato, in Tanzania.
“Once verified, it will be loaded by air and sea back to South Africa. As we had promised in our engagement with the media, no equipment has been left in the eastern DRC.”
The minister thanked the Government of Rwanda for allowing them passage through their territory into Tanzania, as well as the governments of Tanzania, Malawi, and all parties involved in the safe withdrawal of the soldiers.
ANC MP Dakota Legoete said there was a need to ensure the defence was well-resourced, properly structured, and fully prepared to navigate complex security challenges.
“We can’t allow fiscal challenges to undermine the capacity of this crucial institution in our democratic order,” said Legoete.
EFF’s Carl Niehaus lashed out at the 2015 Defence Review document that was unimplemented and was gathering dust.
“The EFF demands a national defence summit to update the 2015 Defence Review and forge 10-year plan for a capable defence force,” he said.
DA’s Chris Hattingh said the dire situation in the defence force called for urgent prioritisation for a cleared force design aligned with the South African defence force’s needs and to secure the required funding.
“Minister, we will support you in achieving this, but if the minister and military leadership can;t put boots on our soldiers, honourable chair, they must step aside, “he said.
Motshekga accepted the criticism levelled at the defence challenges that were highlighted by parliamentarians.