Helping SA defend itself

Obligation: Govt should ensure military is capable of protecting it

- Nicholas Woode-Smith

In January, 13 South African soldiers died fighting Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They were under-equipped, undertrained and not prepared for combat.

In the 2023-24 financial year, the department of defence squandered R3.33 billion in unauthorised spending, R977.5 million in irregular spending and R50.9 million in fruitless spending.

The overall 2024-25 budget was R51.1 billion, with the final tally being R55.8 billion.

And all the SANDF has to show for it is 18 dead South Africans, since they were ill-fatedly deployed in the DRC.

Thousands of troops are now trapped in Goma. At the time of writing, there was no clear plan on how to get them out.