Top General Blames Politicians For 'mickey Mouse' Sa Defence Force

A high ranking general in the South African National Defence Force SANDF , Lieutenant-General Ntshavheni Peter Maphaha, says the country has a mickey mouse defence force thanks to politicians.

Maphaha, who is SANDFs Surgeon-General, was speaking at the funeral service of Sergeant Molahlehi Molahlehi in Thaba Nchu, Free State, on Sunday 23 February.

Molahlehi lost his life in the Democratic Republic of Congo recently. He was part of the peacekeeping mission that was caught in the fighting between government forces and M23 rebels .

Maphaha said South Africa is a global player and a leader in Africa in terms of economics and geopolitics and is therefore considered a big brother.

You cannot be a big brother if you are unable to wield a stick that would make people be afraid. How many of you would build a beautiful and expensive house and not fence it and protect it? I dont think any of you would do that, he said.

Constitutionally, the SANDF is mandated to protect and defend the country. If we are going to play big brother in Africa, what we give to the SANDF should symbolise that.

Maphaha said he would not comment on claims that SANDF is not well-equipped or resourced. However, he appealed to politicians to prioritise funding for the force because grants, education and other issues would not matter if the country is not protected.

We are sharing our grants for the poor with people who are not supposed to share the grants. And that is because we are not protected. Our borders are porous. And they are porous because you, the politicians, have decided you want a mickey mouse defence force, the general said.

His comments have sparked intense debate on social media. Darren Olivier, the Director of African Defence Review, said it was astounding for a top general to be this blunt, but added that his comments were accurate.

Quite astounding to hear a serving SANDF senior officer, let alone a Lieutenant-General, being this blunt, he wrote on X .