General Maphwanya says SANDF budget set to be increased
South African National Defence Force chief, Rudzani Maphwanya, said that he’s been promised an increase on the army’s budget as the country looks for answers on how to turn the SANDF around.
SANDF army defence force soldiers
JOHANNESBURG - South African National Defence Force chief, Rudzani Maphwanya, said that he’s been promised an increase in the army’s budget as the country looks for answers on how to turn the SANDF around.
Promises of a bigger budget allocation for the army comes amid criticism that the SANDF has been hollowed out, leaving it without a proper line of defence.
Fourteen South African soldiers were killed in January in the eastern DRC during their deployment on a peacekeeping mission in the region.
Critics believe budget cuts over a decade have made the army no longer fit for purpose.
Maphwanya admitted that the current allocation of 0.7 percent of GDP was not enough.
"The outcome of our engagement has seen an assurance by the commander-in-chief, the president of this country, that the defence budget will be increased to 1.5% of the GDP."
He said that playing the blame game now was counterproductive.
"Buying weapon systems is not like buying a loaf of bread. What we are asking is that we move into the future and not try to answer the now problem."