Ramaphosa defends internal army deployment, cites funding pressures

President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged years of financial strain within the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), even as government deploys troops internally to help combat gang violence and illegal mining.

Following Armed Forces Day celebrations in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, Ramaphosa conceded that the military has been operating under pressure due to budget constraints.

“Like many other areas of the state, the SANDF has for several years been operating under significant financial constraints due to the poor state of our public finances,” he said.

The president said government is now working to stabilise funding and rebuild operational readiness.

“As our financial position stabilises, we are working to close funding gaps and strengthen the readiness of our armed forces,” he wrote.

The admission comes as the SANDF prepares to support the South African Police Service (SAPS) in tackling organised crime in the Western Cape, Gauteng and Eastern Cape — a move Ramaphosa announced during the State of the Nation Address earlier this month.

He described the deployment as necessary amid escalating violence.

“This recent deployment has become necessary due to a surge in violent organised crime that threatens the safety of our people and the authority of the state,” Ramaphosa said.

However, he emphasised that the military would operate under strict limitations to avoid repeating the abuses of the apartheid era.

“Given our history, where the apartheid state sent the army into townships to violently suppress opposition, it is important that we do not deploy the SANDF inside the country to deal with domestic threats without good reason,” he said.

“That is why the SANDF will be deployed in support of the SAPS, operating under police command, with clear rules of engagement and for specific time-limited objectives.”

Beyond crime-fighting, Ramaphosa used the platform to highlight the SANDF’s broader responsibilities, from disaster relief to development support.

He pointed to the military’s role in responding to floods in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, providing healthcare services to more than 50,000 people through Project Owethu, assisting with rural bridge construction, securing borders and supporting law enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The president also signalled renewed efforts to bring more young South Africans into the ranks, noting that applications have opened for the 2027 Military Skills Development System intake.

With more than 69,000 active personnel and a substantial reserve force, Ramaphosa said the SANDF remains central to safeguarding sovereignty and democratic order.

“As we work together to overcome the challenges facing our armed forces, let us not lose sight of their immense contribution to building a democratic nation in which all our people are safe and secure,” he said.

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