Sandf Reserve Force Faces Budget Cuts and Personnel Challenges, Threatening National Defence Mandate
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Reserve Force is confronted with significant budget cuts and personnel challenges, posing a threat to the country’s national defence mandate. Despite being hailed as a valuable contributor to the one force concept, the Reserve Force is grappling with various issues such as an aging workforce, instances of call-up fraud, and a diminishing number of budgeted service days.
One of the key implications of reduced defence funding is the curtailment of service days for part-time soldiers. This hampers the SANDF’s ability to fulfill its constitutional mandate, including vital tasks like border protection (Operation Corona), support to the South African Police Service (SAPS) under Operation Prosper, and providing humanitarian aid during natural disasters (Operation Chariot). The Reserve Force has also been deployed to other African countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (Operation Mistral) and Mozambique (Operation Vikela) as part of UN peacekeeping and regional missions, respectively.
The recent joint standing committee on defense (JSCD) meeting shed light on the challenges faced by the Reserve Force. Brigadier-General Zoleka Niyabo-Mana, acting chief of the Reserve Force in the absence of Major-General Stephen Marumo, shared insights into the plight of part-time soldiers. One concerning aspect highlighted by the JSCD was the average age of Reserve Force members, which currently stands at 46 and continues to increase.
To address these challenges and ensure the viability of the Reserve Force, strategies for rejuvenation and enhancement are imperative. These subjects were discussed during the recent Reserve Force indaba II. The oversight committee emphasized the need for an urgent assessment of Reserve Force personnel who have not been called up for duty in the past five years. The current number of such personnel stands at 5,233, a decrease from previous figures. The JSCD recommends close collaboration between the Reserve Force Command, the Department of Defense (DD), and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to ensure the functionality of the personnel system known as Persol.
A well-functioning personnel system would have prevented the personnel issues that arose during the call-up of the Umzimvubu Regiment in 2021 for Operation Prosper duties in KwaZulu-Natal. The failure of the system had serious consequences, including two boards of inquiry, 25 deaths, and the withholding of payment for the call-up. With regards to reserve numbers, approximately 19,000 part-time soldiers are registered, with the majority (12,000) serving in the SA Army Reserve. The remaining members are divided among the SA Military Health Service (2,400), DD Logistics Division (1,000), SA Navy (670), and SA Air Force (SAAF) (650).
The reduction in budgeted mandays in 2021 is a concern for the Reserve Force. From an allocation of 2.6 million mandays, the number has been reduced to 1.9 million. According to Brigadier-General Niyabo-Mana, this means that not all force employment goals can be met, although Reserve mandays are regularly exceeded despite the lack of budgetary support.
The Joint Standing Committee on Defense (JSCD) believes that the challenges faced by the part-time component of the national defense force require a permanent leader who can drive the strategic role of the Reserve Force, taking into account the ongoing SANDF review process regarding its role, cost, and rejuvenation. The Reserve Force has been without a permanent chief for some time, with Brigadier-General Niyabo-Mana currently serving in an acting capacity.
In conclusion, the SANDF Reserve Force is currently dealing with budget cuts and personnel challenges that pose a threat to the country’s national defence mandate. Rejuvenation strategies and improved personnel systems are crucial to ensuring the viability and effectiveness of the Reserve Force. The ongoing SANDF review should provide valuable insights into addressing these pressing issues and securing the future of the Reserve component as a vital part of South Africa’s defence framework.
