SA Defence

Military Ombud hosting annual symposium

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The South African Military Ombud Office is today hosting its eleventh annual symposium under the theme, “the role of military ombud institutions in promoting...

Subsidised public transport for veterans under the microscope

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The Department of Military Veterans (DMV) seems to be failing on its subsidised public transport benefit for old soldiers. Evidence of this, according to Democratic...

More soldiers deployed to fight illegal mining

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the employment of 3 300 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), in co-operation with the South...

SAAF’s 508 Squadron sharpens musketry skills

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The men and women tasked with providing protection services to Air Force Base (AFB) Durban and its ancillary facilities spent time honing their musketry...

SEA soldier suspects should pay costs if guilty – FF+

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A Freedom Front Plus (FF+) National Council of Provinces (NCOP) representative could well have opened a door, in legal punishment terms, if Defence and...

November is Army Month with Ex Vuk’uhlome taking the lead

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The runaway fire that claimed six lives and caused extensive damage to SA Army equipment at the Lohathla Combat Training Centre (CTC) a month...

Awards aplenty at MP gala function

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Thirty-plus awards were presented in categories ranging from officer commanding and warrant officer to intelligence and “financial functionary” when the Military Police Division of...

Ramaphosa proud of SANDF and wants more funding, but budget remains stagnant

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President and Commander-in-Chief Cyril Ramaphosa says he wants improved funding for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), but little additional money is making...

SA Military Bargaining Council to be operational in January

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Come January, men and women in the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) will have another avenue for service-related grievances. The Military Bargaining Council (MBC), Parliament’s...

Ramaphosa extends deployment of soldiers to fight crime

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President and Commander-in-Chief Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the deployment of 880 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers to assist the South African Police...

Lohatlha fire could have legal repercussions

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Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) raised the possibility of a legal claim against the owners of the land where the...

First monthly military veteran pension payments made

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The “first batch” of approved military veterans received their first monthly pension benefit on Wednesday (1 November), 11 months after the revised benefit for...

SANDF expresses concern over unauthorised use of camouflage

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The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has voiced concerns over the illicit use of SANDF camouflage material after the surfacing of a viral...

South African SEA suspects repatriated from DR Congo

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South African soldiers apparently involved in sexual abuse and exploitation (SEA) while on United Nations (UN) peacekeeping duty in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)...

Slight increase in medium term defence budget

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South Africa’s Department of Defence (DoD) is getting slightly more funding from National Treasury, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has revealed in his medium-term budget...

SANDF members in the DRC receive UN medals

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Members of 10 South African Infantry Battalion and Tactical Intelligence Unit (TIU III) deployed in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have...

Engineer Formation remains part of rural bridge project

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The SA National Defence Force (SANDF), specifically by way of the SA Army Engineer Formation, continues to be a vital cog in national government’s...
Deputy Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thabang Makwetla at the Reserve Force indaba.

SANDF holds second Defence Reserves Indaba

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The reserve component of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) met this month (October) for its second indaba with a ministerial plea for “serious...

South African Air Force Chief highlights challenges of underfunding

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Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo, Chief of the South African Air Force (SAAF), recently spoke to defenceWeb about the challenges faced by the Air Force...

Cubans and “Tiffies” thanked for refurbishing SA Army prime mission equipment

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Last year the SA Army, specifically its Technical Service Corps (TSC) and Project Thusano, “amalgamated” to form a Forward Workshop Detachment (FWD) committed to...

Lack of funds pauses DoD military exit mechanism

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Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise finds herself and those under her responsible for human capital caught between the proverbial rock and a...

New senior appointment at Joint Operations Division

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The South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF’s) Joint Operations Division has a new Chief Director: Operations. On Tuesday 24 October, the Chief of the South...

AG finds “material misstatements” in DMV annual report

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Further evidence the Department of Military Veterans (DMV) qualifies for a serial offender title when it comes to service delivery – and other failures...

Auditor-General critical of Project Thusano

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The ongoing relationship between the South African defence fraternity, in the form of the Department of Defence (DoD) and the SA National Defence Force...

SAN adds qualified technical and trade staff to personnel strength

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The efforts of naval technical personnel, ably assisted by qualified instructors, saw 31 SA Navy (SAN) sailors rewarded with technical degrees and trade qualifications...
An SA Air Force flight double times it at the SANDF prestige week parade.

SANDF prestige week underway

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Underway this week (7 to 19 October) at various venues in and around Thaba Tshwane is the 2023 SA National Defence Force (SANDF) prestige...

Department of Defence performance declining, annual report reveals

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Mainly due to funding constraints, South Africa’s Department of Defence (DoD) is missing more of its performance targets. In a presentation to the Portfolio Committee...

SANDF returns to Overstrand to combat poaching

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The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has once again deployed to the Overstrand region of the Western Cape to combat the poaching of...

New SA Military Academy colours

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The SA Military Academy in Saldanha is a military unit of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) and, as such, adheres to and practises...

Army Foundation steps into the breach post CTC fire

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In the wake of a runaway fire earlier this month at the SA Army Combat Training Centre (CTC) in the Northern Cape Province the...

SA SEA suspects repatriated from DR Congo

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The “serious nature” of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) allegations against South African soldiers on peacekeeping duty in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)...

Lady R report will remain secret

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa invoked the National Conventional Arms Control Act (NCACA) when telling the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) he had “no...

SA soldiers in DR Congo suspended for sexual abuse

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The ugly spectre of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by soldiers deployed on peacekeeping duties has again raised its head in the Democratic Republic...

Defence budget cuts did not impact Lohatlha fire deaths – Maphwanya

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Budget cuts were not a factor in last week’s deadly fire at the SA Army’s Lohatlha Combat Training Centre, SA National Defence Force (SANDF)...

Army Foundation to the rescue after Military Academy fire

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SA Army personnel studying at the Military Academy in Saldanha were beneficiaries of SA Army Foundation largesse in the wake of a fire. The fire,...

Youth leadership development candidates in training at SAS Saldanha

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The arrival of 735 selected National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) men and women at SAS Saldanha brings to 1 630 the number of...

Lohatla fire dead named as Gift of the Givers assists

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All six soldiers who died in a devastating veld fire at the SA Army Combat Training Centre (CTC) were non-commissioned officers (NCOs). These “departed warriors”,...

SA Army division-level exercise not affected by Lohatla fire

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Deaths and damage in the wake of Friday’s runaway fire at the SA Army Combat Training Centre (CTC) in the Northern Cape Province will...

Revised military veterans’ pension regulations published

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A last minute rush saw a Government Gazette published yesterday (Friday 6 October) with details of revised pension regulations for military veterans. The Department of...

Runaway veld fire claims the lives of six SANDF soldiers

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A runaway veld fire that swept through the South African Army’s Combat Training Centre (CTC) at Lohatla claimed the lives of six soldiers, and...

Seven companies vying for Armscor APC tender

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The South African Army’s search for new armoured personnel carriers (APCs) to replace its current border patrol vehicles is seeing seven South African defence...

Still no finality on veterans’ pensions

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“Instability” at senior management level coupled to what some term “bureaucratic bungling” is denying properly registered South African military veterans are not receiving what...

Defence Procurement System: It is broken – and it’s time to fix it

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This is the title of the hard-hitting report generated by the UK House of Commons Defence Committee regarding the detailed look at the entity...

Military Veterans Dept annual report delayed due to ‘instability in the senior management’

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Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise has informed Parliament that the finalisation and publication of the Department of Military Veterans annual report and...
SANDF Chief, General Rudzani Mahwanya at Army Support Base Limpopo with SA Army Chief, Lieutenant General Lawrence Mbatha.

SANDF chief on the state of South Africa’s defence capabilities

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General Rudzani Maphwanya, SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Chief, penned an upbeat introduction for the 2022/23 Department of Defence (DoD) annual report pointing out,...

SA Army artisan ranks boosted

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Qualified artisan numbers in the Technical Service Corps (TSC) of the SA Army are 96 stronger following a graduation ceremony where trade certificates were...

Appreciation expressed to Roy Andersen for Education Trust effort

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Retired Reserve Force chief Roy Andersen was thanked, honoured and appreciated for his effort in developing the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Education Trust. The...

Minister Modise says SA defence “needs sustained funding”

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In six months’ time, South Africa should have an indication of what revised levels of “defence ambition” and “defence strategic trajectory” the country’s securocrats...

Reserve Force integral and essential for SANDF – Ramantswana

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SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Chief of Corporate Staff (CoS) Lieutenant General Michael Ramantswana maintains the country’s part-time soldiers are “a backbone to the...