South African Treasury limits defense spending amid equipment shortages

South Africa’s National Treasury has presented a mid-term budget policy statement that fails to address significant funding gaps within the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Despite a nominal increase in the Defence vote from R57.6 billion to R61.5 billion, much of this is attributed to departmental income, such as UN and SADC reimbursements, rather than new Treasury funding.

The Parliament defence committee previously raised concerns regarding salary overspending and a critical lack of basic equipment for soldiers, including uniforms, boots, bullet-proof vests, weapons, and functional vehicles. While R823 million has been allocated to support soldiers fighting illegal mining and gangs, the total budget remains R0.9 billion below the amount spent in the previous year.

Treasury forecasts suggest that due to inflation, the defense and state security budget will effectively purchase approximately 5% less by the 2029/30 period. The department is currently facing a projected salary overspend of approximately R3.8 billion.