The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Tuesday called for an urgent new Defence Review process to reform the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

The party said the process must be led by a new White Paper, a vital step that takes years to complete and cannot be rushed.

DA spokesperson on Defence & Military Veterans Chris Hattingh said the SANDF was in decline, and crippled by outdated policies and poor management.

“The SANDF is at a critical point. Without a new strategy, hard political choices, and real leadership, South Africa's defence capability will continue to erode until it becomes irrelevant,” Hattingh stated.

He said despite repeated promises, South Africa still had no updated, funded defence policy, noting that the 2015 Defence Review that was meant to guide SANDF renewal, was never implemented.

“It now stands as a symbol of institutional failure. With no alternative, this outdated document remains the only point of reference for our Defence Force,” he said.

Hattingh highlighted that in the meantime, the overdue reassessment of the 2015 Defence Review, promised by two Ministers but never delivered, must be finalised and adopted to guide short-term action.

“References to a new White Paper are vague, with no visible urgency or progress. As a result, the SANDF is drifting without direction. No one can clearly define its size, purpose, or equipment needs. The force structure is bloated, with over 60% of the budget spent on personnel, leaving training, maintenance, and modernisation largely ignored for more than a decade,” he explained.

Hattingh said this was not sustainable, highlighting that the budget deficit, already at 43% based on outdated structures, continued to grow.

“There is no clear leadership, no plan before Cabinet, and no political will to fix the situation. Leadership responses are evasive, offering no real solutions.

“The consequences are already visible. Failures in operations, such as those in the Democratic Republic of Congo, are not isolated incidents. They are the natural result of a degraded, under-supported force,” he said.