By RicardoTeixeira, February 20, 2025
The South African Department of Defence and Military Veterans (DMV) is facing numerous challenges prohibiting it from being able to defend the country, say members of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA).
During a parliamentary meeting on 18 February, the Minister of Defence, Deputy Minister, and senior officers, were challenged by members of the parliamentary committee, who laid bare the severity of these issues.
The discussion spanned audit findings, governance failures, underfunding, Denel’s uncertain status, and concerns about South Africa’s military readiness. The committee identified chronic challenges which have persisted for years and worsened under current leadership. Thes include continued underfunding, a failed and ineffective procurement processes, and an overstretched, unfunded mandate.
The Minister of Defence, Angie Motshegka, acknowledged the department, like many others, has been crippled by austerity measures, which have negatively impacted its ability to fulfil its obligations. Major challenges were noted in maintaining and repairing essential equipment, training soldiers, and ensuring operational readiness. The department highlighted its HR intensive nature, which has made it particularly vulnerable to budget cuts.
Underfunded deployments
Underfunding further affects the department’s ability to respond to unplanned deployments. When emergencies arise, such as supporting police operations or deploying troops abroad, there is no corresponding adjustment in the defence budget. This practice of unfunded operations has resulted in overspending and increased unauthorised expenditure, creating legal and operational risks.
Deployments for which there is no allocated funding have placed enormous financial strain on the department. While such missions are often necessary for national security and regional stability, there is no formal financial process to account for them after deployment, parliament heard. This failure to regularise budget allocations has created a pattern of unauthorised expenditure and financial mismanagement. A recent court ruling emphasised that committing resources without funding is illegal, creating further pressure on the department.
Procurement failures
Additionally, SCOPA heard that the department has faced significant failures in strategic procurement, resulting in delayed delivery of equipment. Prime examples, according to Committee member Carl Niehaus, are the protracted delays in Project Hotel and Project Hoefyster. Despite billions spent on contracts, zero Badger Infantry Fight Vehicles (IFVs) have been delivered under Project Hoefyster. Further, the Auditor General noted that poor procurement practices have left essential equipment, including spare parts and rations, unavailable or expired.
Dysfunctional Denel
Denel, a critical state-owned enterprise responsible for providing defence equipment, remains in a state of dysfunction. Once a strategic national asset, Denel has been plagued by financial mismanagement, corruption, non-delivery of contracts, and leadership instability.
The transfer of Denel from the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) to the Department of Defence was highlighted by the Committee as a critical issue. Despite the transfer being approved, there remains significant administrative confusion. The Minister of Defence explained that Denel is technically still under the Presidency’s oversight, due to delays in the process of transfer.
This “limbo status” has created accountability challenges, as the Department of Defence cannot exercise full oversight over Denel’s finances or operations, leaving the enterprise essentially “in no man’s land.” In the meantime, Denel’s failure to deliver on contracts has further hampered the military’s readiness, resulting in grounded aircraft, drydocked ships, and few available armoured vehicles. The committee emphasised the urgency of formalising the transfer, warning that delays could have catastrophic consequences for South Africa’s national security.
Poor state of the military
One of the most alarming revelations from the hearing was the state of South Africa’s operational military capability. The Committee expressed grave concerns about the military’s ability to protect the country in the event of an attack or other national security threats.
One of the most pressing issues is the lack of operational hours for the South African Air Force (SAAF) and Navy. SCOPA Chairperson Songezo Zibi highlighted the audit report, which indicated that flying hours for pilots have dropped by over 80% in recent years, while naval ships have seen an 85% reduction in sea time. This drop in training time has led to pilots and mechanics losing their certifications and operational currency. Without these certifications, personnel are not legally or practically capable of conducting missions, said Zibi.
The Minister and Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Michal Ramantswana argued that they have partnered with other countries for simulator training to keep pilots somewhat prepared. However, the committee was not convinced, stating that simulators cannot replace real-world training. The committee warned that if spare parts, fuel, and maintenance funding are not restored, South Africa could be left defenceless in the event of a national crisis.
The discussion further highlighted reports of soldiers being forced to stretch one-day food rations over several days, and multiple instances of troops receiving expired ration packs. The Chief of Staff implied that if soldiers were allowed to create their own ration packs, the problem could be solved. However, the Committee strongly disagreed with the notion.
Equipment failures have also contributed to low morale and operational humiliation, believes the Committee, with it being noted that the remains of the 14 soldiers killed in the eastern DRC returned on a Tanzanian Air Force Y-8 aircraft, due to a lack of aircraft from the SAAF.
A recent incident where South African peacekeepers had to raise a white flag of surrender due to inadequate supplies and weaponry was further cited as a “national embarrassment.” The committee demanded immediate reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Poor governance and leadership
The Parliamentary Committee did not mince words in its critique of the department’s governance and leadership. Chronic mismanagement has resulted in repeated adverse audit outcomes, unauthorised expenditure, and irregular procurement, stated the Committee.
Despite repeated warnings from the Auditor General and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), there has been little progress in holding individuals accountable for governance failures. Several committee members emphasised that there needs to be stronger “consequence management”, and individuals responsible for financial mismanagement and procurement failures must be dismissed or prosecuted.
The issue of expired medical equipment at 1 Military Hospital was highlighted as an example. Equipment purchased during renovations became obsolete due to project delays, and despite millions in losses, no one has been held accountable.
A significant issue raised was the lack of cooperation between military leadership and civilian oversight bodies. The Secretary of Defence Dr Thobekile Gamede (Acting) explained that while the military formally acknowledges civilian oversight, there are often delays and resistance when it comes to sharing information with auditors or investigators. This lack of transparency has created an environment where the military leadership is able to operate with impunity.
The SIU highlighted instances where investigators were refused access to procurement records, which was condemned by the Committee as behaviour that is “unconstitutional” and demanded a formal investigation into any obstruction of oversight.
The Committee expressed frustration with the department’s tendency to deflect blame onto budget constraints, acknowledging that while underfunding is a legitimate issue, many of the failures in the Department of Defence are due to poor planning, corruption, and weak leadership.
In a particularly stern exchange, committee members warned the Minister and military leadership against providing vague or overly optimistic answers. “The correct answer is not to say we are prepared when the facts clearly show otherwise,” one member stated.
The South African Department of Defence and Military Veterans now stands at a crossroads. Chronic underfunding, governance failures, Denel’s limbo status, and operational shortcomings have eroded the country’s military capability. Unless immediate reforms are undertaken to address accountability, and leadership failures, South Africa risks becoming a vulnerable state. The parliamentary committee’s message was clear: time is running out, and the nation’s security depends on decisive action.
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