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Ramaphosa defends internal army deployment
The Star
|February 24, 2026
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged years of financial strain within the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), even as government deploys troops internally to help combat gang violence and illegal mining.
Following Armed Forces Day celebrations in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, Ramaphosa conceded that the military has been operating under pressure due to budget constraints.
“Like many other areas of the state, the SANDF has for several years been operating under significant financial constraints due to the poor state of our public finances,” he said.
The president said government is now working to stabilise funding and rebuild operational readiness.
“As our financial position stabilises, we are working to close funding gaps and strengthen the readiness of our armed forces,’ he wrote.
This story is from the February 24, 2026 edition of The Star.
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