The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be submitting urgent parliamentary questions to Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga to establish why proper accommodation and provisioning were apparently not secured before recruiting and training naval members.

The party condemned systemic neglect and lack of accountability in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) leadership, condemning the inhumane treatment of about 130 naval recruits who have, according to media reports, been stranded at SAS Saldanha since July, allegedly surviving on minimal food rations and living without proper accommodation as a result of ongoing construction delays at the Simon’s Town Naval Base.

National Council of Provinces DA Member on Defence & Military Veterans Nicholas Gotsell said Motshekga must explain why no contingency plan was put in place when construction delays at Simon's Town became known.

The party also wants to establish budgets and money spent on rations and accommodation for these recruits.

Gotsell said for nearly three months the young recruits, who have completed their basic military training, have endured conditions that families have described as “inhumane”.

“Confined to the base without day passes, denied sufficient food and prohibited from receiving parcels from home, they have effectively been punished for the Department of Defence’s own logistical failures,” he stated.

He highlighted that this was not an isolated incident, noting that earlier this year, SANDF members deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo faced chronic ration shortages and delayed deployment allowances, forcing soldiers to buy their own food in a foreign operational theatre.

Gotsell said budgetary and logistical failures led to rationing and deprivation.

He said this was clear that command and leadership deflect responsibility by blaming discipline rather than fixing the system, and said action was only taken after media exposure, not through proactive leadership or internal accountability.

He stated that the military’s rank and file were being forced to shoulder the cost of institutional neglect.

“…this is a disgraceful betrayal of the very people who volunteered to serve their country - all whilst the top brass are constantly playing golf at SANDF-hosted golf days,” he said.

He explained that the Defence Force was meant to embody discipline, professionalism and service to the nation.

“It cannot do so while starving its own personnel and relying on newspaper headlines to take action,” he said.