Defence Minister Thandi Modise Says the Army Lacks Resources and Funding to Respond to Crisis Events

• The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise said her department lacks resources and funding
• Modise told parliament that if a similar situation to the July unrest had to occur the military will be hard-pressed
• She made her comments with a heavy heart and said that unless there is a significant intervention, the cupboard will remain bare

PRETORIA - The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise said in the event of another critical event occurring in the country, her department will be willing to assist but lacks resources. She made the comments while addressing parliament on Tuesday 24 May and tabling her required budget of R49 billion for the 2022/23 financial year.

Modise referenced the unrest last July and said if another similar situation had to occur the military will be hard-pressed.

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Modise said she made her comments with a heavy heart and that unless there is a significant intervention, the cupboard will remain bare. She said the lack of funds puts the SA National Defence Force under great pressure. TimesLIVE reported that the department faces a major shortage of critical equipment that is desperately needed in times of crisis. Modise said the military has assisted with numerous civil interventions to ensure services were delivered to citizens.

She added that the continued budget cuts are widening the gap between what the SANDF was expected to achieve and the resources it was provided with to do its job, according to Eyewitness News.

SA reacts

Social media users were not buying the comments and said that the lack budget is a result of corruption:

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Lee Brande said:

“We have known this for years...defence has been bled dry from the criminals in power.”

Mninawe Qashani wrote:

“Not surprising though, everything in this country is a mess.”

Anne Kriel posted:

“It didn't take the ANC Government long to destroy South Africa’s strong Defence Force, SAA, Denel etc. Even our wonderful museums and Art Galleries, like The Apartheid Museum, have collapsed.”

Ashley Cockhead added:

“Wow, who would have thought? After you steal or maladminister everything there is nothing left to provide the necessary services to the public whose money you stole or/and maladministered?”

SANDF deploys 10 000 soldiers to help with search and rescue and mop up operations in KwaZulu-Natal

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have been deployed to assist with mop-up work and humanitarian aid in KwaZulu-Natal.

10 000 troops will assist during Operation Chariot which will help to pick up the pieces in the province where the flooding caused “loss of life and livelihood.” Part of the operation will include providing clean water through the SANDF’s purification systems and will help to restore electricity to the parts of the province that have been affected by the floods. The South African Military Health Services (SAMHS) will also provide health care assistance to those who need it.

Source: Briefly News