Dire state of defence force 'old hat' - Holomisa

The flagging by the parliamentary joint standing committee on defence chair Malusi Gigaba of the poor state of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), has plagued the SANDF across successive administrations, according to Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans General Bantu Holomisa.

- Brian Sokutu

Holomisa was responding to Gigaba's candid assessment of the state of the SANDF capability and warned persistent underfunding threatened "not only the country's ability to defend its borders, but its international credibility and economic growth potential".

Weaknesses raised included:

The protracted refurbishment of 1 Military Hospital in Tshwane, with over R1 billion already expended;

Concern over low morale and poor working conditions, due to the slow pace of implementing recommendations of the Defence Force Service Commission; and

A call for SANDF's role in international peacekeeping to be resourced.

Parliament was urged to hold a comprehensive debate on the future of the SANDF, including its posture, missions and funding.