Portfolio committee concerned about Department of Defence’s strategy, budget constraints
The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans has raised concerns that the ongoing budgetary constraints experienced by the Department of Defence (DoD) will result in the ongoing decline in the department’s capabilities and performance.
The department briefed the committee on April 24, including on its strategic plan and performance plan for the 2025/26 financial year.
The committee noted that it was clear from the presentation that it should anticipate another chronic underwriting of budgets, which will continue the decline in defence capabilities.
Committee chairperson Dakota Legoete says it is necessary to engage National Treasury to reconsider their allocation in line with the 2024 Presidential directive that ordered the defence budget to be moved from 0.7% to 1.5% of GDP to redress chronic underfunding.
Members of the committee are also concerned about the deteriorating condition of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), particularly the lack of maintenance of its prime mission equipment.
Despite previous commitments from SANDF leadership, the committee notes its repeated failure to deliver a fresh, effective strategy to reverse the decline.
While the committee acknowledges plans to develop a strategy to address force rejuvenation and rising personnel costs, it believes that current plans as presented during the meeting lack innovation and do not seek ways to enhance SANDF operational capacity within tight fiscal constraints.
“The DoD must use allocated funds wisely since there is concern about growing irregular and fruitless expenditure and, furthermore, to answer all audit queries as raised by the Auditor-General to reduce an adverse outlook on its books,” Legoete states.
The committee further urges the DoD to engage with Treasury and find innovative ways to reduce the cost of employees without undermining the department’s human capabilities.
Comments
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Showroom
Weir is a global leader in mining technology. We recognise that our planet’s future depends on the transition to renewable energy, and that...
VISIT SHOWROOM
From batteries for boats and jet skis, to batteries for cars and quad bikes, SABAT Batteries has positioned itself as the lifestyle battery of...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
