JOHANNESBURG- Deputy Defence Minister Bantu Holomisa has warned that the South African National Defence Force is not in a condition to defend the country if it were to come under attack.

In an interview on Radio 702, Holomisa cited outdated equipment and chronic underfunding as key reasons for the SANDF’s limited capacity. He pointed to recent events, such as the July 2021 civil unrest and floods in the Eastern Cape, as examples of the SANDF’s weakened state.

“Soldiers being carried by military buses to violent situations shows that our equipment is obsolete,” Holomisa said. “If we were to be attacked, we would respond – but I am not confident in the SANDF’s readiness. Let’s not mislead people.”

Although he clarified that South Africa currently faces no direct threat, Holomisa criticised the government’s failure to implement longstanding recommendations to improve defence funding.

“Every defence minister has complained for years. Defence reviews have been ignored, even President Ramaphosa’s 2023 call to raise defence spending from 0.57% to 1.5% of GDP was overlooked,” he said.

The SANDF conducts regular threat assessments, but Holomisa warned that without proper investment, the force will remain ill-prepared to deal with serious security challenges.