House Chairperson,

I distinctly recall warning the Minister during the July 2024 budget cycle deliberations that, without urgent reforms, South Africa’s defence capabilities were at serious risk. Now, a year later, your own Deputy confirms our worst fears and contradicts your own claims, stating in his own words that he is not confident we will be able to defend our nation against imminent threats.

Let us not be deceived by marginal nominal increases or rhetorical commitments to constitutional mandates. The truth is plain is that this budget is a betrayal of our national security, a disgraceful abdication of responsibility and a masterclass in fiscal short-sightedness.

We are told this budget increases by 3 percent. Yet, in real terms, it is a reduction of 1.6 percent when adjusted for inflation. What good is a bigger number when its buying power is being eroded? This hollow increase does not come close to addressing the systemic rot infecting the South African National Defence Force.

Force employment, our operational backbone, has been slashed by over R1.5 billion. That is a staggering 20 percent nominal decrease. This, while our troops are expected to operate in volatile theatres and safeguard our borders. It is nothing short of sabotage from within. The withdrawal from the DRC is being painted as strategic realignment, yet it is nothing more than a retreat dressed in diplomatic pretence.

The air force limps forward with aircraft grounded due to lack of parts and service hours cut. The navy cannot meet sea-hour targets, year after year. Our cyber defences, critical in the digital age, remain a theoretical capability only because we cannot fund implementation. Meanwhile, R111 million will be squandered on travel and R60 million on advertising. That is the real enemy within....misallocation, mismanagement and ministerial vanity.

The Department's Strategic Plan offers nothing new. No innovation. No bold reforms. No plan to address the bloated compensation bill strangling operational capacity. We are still shackled to the deadweight doctrine of “a soldier for life” while our youngest and brightest are locked out of opportunity.

The long-overdue 2015 Defence Review? Still ignored. The “Journey to Greatness”? Still secret. The SANDF is being starved into irrelevance while leadership debates documents in back rooms, far removed from the realities faced by soldiers in the field.

Let us be clear: this budget does not secure South Africa. It signals our surrender. It does not reform; it defers collapse. 

ActionSA rejects this budget. 

I thank you.