South African National Defence Force
Encyclopedia
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is the armed forces of South Africa
. The military as it exists today was created in 1994, following South Africa's first post-apartheid national elections and the adoption of a new constitution. It replaced the South African Defence Force
(SADF), and included personnel and equipment from the SADF and the former homeland
s forces, as well as personnel from the former guerrilla forces of some of the political parties involved in South Africa, such as the African National Congress
's Umkhonto we Sizwe
, the Pan Africanist Congress's APLA
and the Self-Protection Units of the Inkatha Freedom Party
(IFP). The SANDF is subdivided into four branches, the South African Army
, the South African Air Force
, the South African Navy
, and the South African Military Health Service
.
The South African Special Forces Brigade
is a separate special forces
unit under the direct command of the Joint Operations division of the SANDF.
As of 2004, the integration process was considered complete, with the integrated personnel having been incorporated into a slightly modified structure very similar to that of the SADF, with the latter's structure and equipment for the most part being retained.
Due to integration problems, financial constraints, and other issues, the U.S. government is not alone when its diplomats considered in 2005 that the South African military was 'rapidly crumbling.'
The South African Commando System
was a territorial militia active until 2008, based upon local units from the size of company to battalion. In its final years its role was to support the South African Police
in internal security, During such deployments the units came under Police control.
The commander of the SANDF is appointed by the President
from one of the armed services. The current commander is General Solly Shoke
. He in turn is accountable to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.
Recent peacekeeping actions by the South African military include an invasion of Lesotho
in order to restore the democratically-elected government after a coup, as well as extensive contributions to United Nations
and African Union
peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and Burundi
. An operation to Sudan
has just recently been started and is scheduled to be increased to Brigade
strength in the next few months.
The SANDF commander consults with members of several councils and committees and chairs the Defence Command Council (DCC), which oversees the defence budget. On the DCC are the four service chiefs, the chief of the National Defence Force staff, the military inspector general, the chiefs of defence headquarters staff divisions, and other key defence officials. Headquarters responsibilities are allocated among six staff divisions—the Finance Division, the Intelligence Division, the Logistics Division, the Joint Operations Division, the Personnel Division, and the Planning Division.
Recently a large-scale programme was launched to re-equip the SANDF with warship
s and submarine
s being purchased in Germany
and fighter jets being purchased in Sweden
and the United Kingdom
. This has been controversial due to the great cost and reports of corruption in the awarding of contracts.
Issues that face the SANDF include a severe shortage of pilots and naval combat officers, due to the replacement of white officers from the former SADF with appointments from the old liberation forces, none of which ever had any aviation or maritime components. The loss of trained personnel and the decommissioning of much needed equipment due to funding issues, high HIV-rates amongst personnel and the fact that SANDF infantry soldiers are some of the oldest in the world, all raise questions regarding the current fighting efficiency of the SANDF. Some of these issues are being addressed with the introduction of the Military Skills Development
(MSD) programme, as well as aggressive recruitment and training by the Reserve Force Regiments. Funding shortages also cause problems.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The military as it exists today was created in 1994, following South Africa's first post-apartheid national elections and the adoption of a new constitution. It replaced the South African Defence Force
South African Defence Force
The South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
(SADF), and included personnel and equipment from the SADF and the former homeland
Bantustan
A bantustan was a territory set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa , as part of the policy of apartheid...
s forces, as well as personnel from the former guerrilla forces of some of the political parties involved in South Africa, such as the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
's Umkhonto we Sizwe
Umkhonto we Sizwe
Umkhonto we Sizwe , translated "Spear of the Nation," was the armed wing of the African National Congress which fought against the South African apartheid government. MK launched its first guerrilla attacks against government installations on 16 December 1961...
, the Pan Africanist Congress's APLA
Azanian People's Liberation Army
The Azanian People's Liberation Army was the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress in South Africa. It was originally called Poqo.-History:...
and the Self-Protection Units of the Inkatha Freedom Party
Inkatha Freedom Party
The Inkatha Freedom Party is a political party in South Africa. Since its founding, it has been led by Mangosuthu Buthelezi. It is currently the fourth largest party in the National Assembly of South Africa.-History:...
(IFP). The SANDF is subdivided into four branches, the South African Army
South African Army
The South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
, the South African Air Force
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
, the South African Navy
South African Navy
The South African Navy is the navy of the Republic of South Africa.-Formation:The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922....
, and the South African Military Health Service
South African Military Health Service
The South African Military Health Service is the branch of the South African National Defence Force responsible for medical facilities and the training and deployment of all medical personnel within the force...
.
The South African Special Forces Brigade
South African Special Forces Brigade
The South African Special Forces Brigade is the only Special Forces unit of the South African National Defence Force ....
is a separate special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
unit under the direct command of the Joint Operations division of the SANDF.
As of 2004, the integration process was considered complete, with the integrated personnel having been incorporated into a slightly modified structure very similar to that of the SADF, with the latter's structure and equipment for the most part being retained.
Due to integration problems, financial constraints, and other issues, the U.S. government is not alone when its diplomats considered in 2005 that the South African military was 'rapidly crumbling.'
Four armed services
Four armed services make up the forces of the SANDF:- South African ArmySouth African ArmyThe South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
- South African Air ForceSouth African Air ForceThe South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
- South African NavySouth African NavyThe South African Navy is the navy of the Republic of South Africa.-Formation:The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922....
- South African Military Health ServiceSouth African Military Health ServiceThe South African Military Health Service is the branch of the South African National Defence Force responsible for medical facilities and the training and deployment of all medical personnel within the force...
The South African Commando System
South African Commando System
The South African Commando System is a voluntary, part-time force of the South African Army. but serves under the South African Police Service.-Mission:...
was a territorial militia active until 2008, based upon local units from the size of company to battalion. In its final years its role was to support the South African Police
South African Police
The South African Police was the country's police force until 1994. The SAP traced its origin to the Dutch Watch, a paramilitary organization formed by settlers in the Cape in 1655, initially to protect civilians against attack and later to maintain law and order...
in internal security, During such deployments the units came under Police control.
The commander of the SANDF is appointed by the President
President of South Africa
The President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President....
from one of the armed services. The current commander is General Solly Shoke
Solly Shoke
General Solly Shoke MMS is a South African military commander. He joined Umkhonto weSizwe , the military wing of the African National Congress, in the 1970s, and served as a field commander fighting against the South African government in the 1980s...
. He in turn is accountable to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.
Recent peacekeeping actions by the South African military include an invasion of Lesotho
South African intervention in Lesotho
The 1998 military intervention in Lesotho, codenamed Operation Boleas, was a military invasion launched in the name of the Southern African Development Community , and led by South Africa through its South African National Defence Force . Troops from Botsawana were supposed to join SANDF forces...
in order to restore the democratically-elected government after a coup, as well as extensive contributions to United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
and Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
. An operation to Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
has just recently been started and is scheduled to be increased to Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
strength in the next few months.
The SANDF commander consults with members of several councils and committees and chairs the Defence Command Council (DCC), which oversees the defence budget. On the DCC are the four service chiefs, the chief of the National Defence Force staff, the military inspector general, the chiefs of defence headquarters staff divisions, and other key defence officials. Headquarters responsibilities are allocated among six staff divisions—the Finance Division, the Intelligence Division, the Logistics Division, the Joint Operations Division, the Personnel Division, and the Planning Division.
Recently a large-scale programme was launched to re-equip the SANDF with warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
s and submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s being purchased in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and fighter jets being purchased in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. This has been controversial due to the great cost and reports of corruption in the awarding of contracts.
Issues that face the SANDF include a severe shortage of pilots and naval combat officers, due to the replacement of white officers from the former SADF with appointments from the old liberation forces, none of which ever had any aviation or maritime components. The loss of trained personnel and the decommissioning of much needed equipment due to funding issues, high HIV-rates amongst personnel and the fact that SANDF infantry soldiers are some of the oldest in the world, all raise questions regarding the current fighting efficiency of the SANDF. Some of these issues are being addressed with the introduction of the Military Skills Development
Military Skills Development
The Military Skills Development program is a South African project whose aim it is to improve the mission readiness of the South African Army, Airforce, Navy and Medical Service...
(MSD) programme, as well as aggressive recruitment and training by the Reserve Force Regiments. Funding shortages also cause problems.
See also
- List of South African military chiefs
- Military history of South AfricaMilitary history of South AfricaThe history of South Africa chronicles a vast time period and complex events from the dawn of history until the present time. It covers civil wars and wars of aggression and of self-defense both within South Africa and against it...
- South African Orders, Decorations and MedalsSouth African Orders, Decorations and MedalsSouth African Orders, Decorations and Medals are those military and civilian orders, decorations and medals issued by the Government of South Africa...
- South African Police ServiceSouth African Police ServiceThe South African Police Service is the national police force of the Republic of South Africa. Its 1116 police stations in South Africa are divided according to the provincial borders, and a Provincial Commissioner is appointed in each province...
- South West African Territorial Force