Concerns Rise Over Military Budget Ahead Of Finance Ministers Speech

As the Finance Minister is set to deliver his budget speech in March, concerns over the countrys military budget are now growing.

The recent deaths of 14 South African National Defence Force SANDF soldiers in clashes between Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC forces and M23 rebels come after years of warnings from civil groups, unions, and political organisations about the SANDFs declining capacity due to budget cuts.

The South African National Defence Force has come under much scrutiny in recent months as it sustained fatalities and casualties during its peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The SANDF has about 70 000 personnel and boots on the ground both domestically and across the region.

"It's not just in Congo, soldiers are assisting zama zama, protest, power, building bridges, etclimit can stretch before break," a defence analyst says.

Over the past five years, South Africa has slashed its military spending by R9 billion.