Mayibongwe Maqhina|Published4 hours agoR800 million for security: SANDF mobilises against gang violence and illegal mining

Members of Parliament heard on Friday that the deployment of soldiers to Gauteng, Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape was not funded yet because the announcement was made after the budget process was finalised. The Department of Defence has requested more than R800 million for the deployment of the SANDF to support the police in provinces affected by gang violence and illegal mining, Acting Secretary of Defence Thobekile Gamede said on Friday. “It is almost above R800 million.

It is in the employment papers that have already been submitted to the minister, and I have learnt that the employment papers are now with the president,” Gamede said. “As soon as the president signs the employment papers, those will be sent to the National Treasury,” she said, adding that Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant-General Siphiwe Sangweni has submitted a budget of R823m. Gamede was briefing the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on the preparedness of the SANDF following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa during theState of the Nation Address.

Ramaphosa stated that deployment would be in Gauteng and the Western Cape, and the Eastern Cape was added the following day. The Free State and North West were included during the briefing on Friday. Gamede told the MPs that the deployment was not funded yet because the announcement was made after the budget process was finalised.

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“It is not funded for now. What happens is that the department will have to use its available resources,” she said. Gamede added that the National Treasury was expected to allocate additional funds in the Adjustment Budget later in the year. However, the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) allows the Finance Minister to provide emergency funding purposes in the public interest.

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