The National Treasury has dismissed claims that it is to blame for the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) ongoing financial troubles, following pointed remarks by Navy Chief Admiral Monde Lobese.
During a recent meeting of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, Lobese accused Treasury of undermining the SANDF, suggesting it behaves like a government on its own. His remarks sparked renewed attention on the state of military funding in South Africa.
Treasury, however, has responded firmly, stating that it does not make funding decisions unilaterally. Instead, it emphasized that the Cabinet is responsible for deciding how national funds are allocated. The department clarified that it simply administers those decisions based on broader government priorities.
For the current financial year, the SANDF has received funding equal to 1.7% of the country’s GDP—amounting to over R57 billion. Beyond that, an additional R4.3 billion has been earmarked under the 2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework. A further R5.5 billion has been set aside to support early retirement initiatives over this and the next financial year.
While concerns remain over the sustainability of defence operations amid tight budgets, Treasury maintains that the issue lies within the collective decisions made at Cabinet level—not with its department alone.