The planned release of 3,000 military personnel over the next three years – men who will be ill-equipped to deal with civilian life – has raised questions about the timing of their release when the country is in the midst of an economic and crime war. Kobus Marais, the Democratic Alliance’s shadow defense secretary and war veteran, said there was certainly a fear among people that if soldiers, “especially special forces [are released back] in society, which will be a threat to national security.” He said that the soldiers who will be destroyed within the next three years…
Scheduled release 3,000 soldiers for the next three years – people who will be ill-equipped to deal with civilian life – has raised questions about when to let them go when the country is in the midst of an economic and criminal war.
Kobus Marais, the Democratic Alliance’s shadow defense secretary and war veteran, said there was certainly a fear among people that if soldiers, “especially special forces [are released back] in society, which will be a threat to national security.”
He said that while the soldiers who would be laid off over the next three years were mostly those closer to retirement, younger soldiers were not exempt from the cuts. If they were not absorbed by the reserve, this would also pose a huge threat.
It was previously reported that a number of ex-servicemen were arrested for various reasons; one for possession of illegal firearms and ammunition in the Eastern Cape in June 2021 and the other for his alleged involvement in the theft of cash in transit at a petrol station in Oudtshoorn in July of the same year.
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A policeman and a soldier in Westonaria were arrested in February after stealing cash in transit. In June 2021, six soldiers were arrested for allegedly assisting criminal syndicates operating along the Beitbridge border crossing and the Limpopo River.
The director of the African Defense Review, Darren Olivier, said the cuts would severely damage the South African National Defense Force, which is already below the level needed to properly fulfill its mandate. Downsizing will lead to further reductions in capabilities, missions and critical tasks.
“This is absolutely the wrong way to reduce the size and budget of the SANDF and it is ridiculous that the National Treasury has been given the power to effectively determine national security policy and the consequences,” he said.
“Not that it’s surprising. The Cabinet of Ministers abdicated its responsibilities for proper management of the country’s defense capabilities a long time ago. To be clear, this does not mean that the SANDF should never be cut.
“These are challenging economic times and government spending must be carefully controlled.”
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However, reductions in both budgets and personnel must be made as part of a proper policy-making process, such as a formal defense review that cuts mandated capabilities, missions, and locations at the same time as reducing the budget and force size, “so that the force can remain stable and able to fulfill their basic duties”.
“Furthermore, I don’t believe that this cut will lead to an increase in unemployment or crime.”
– reitumetsem@citizen.co.za
