In his 2026 Budget Speech, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced a multi-year funding plan for the country’s security cluster, increasing the overall allocation to R291.2 billion by the 2028/29 financial year. This represents a rise from R268.2 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, aimed at intensifying law and order efforts following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s earlier commitment to deploy the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) alongside police to combat illegal mining and gangsterism.
A key component of the allocations includes R2 billion from the Criminal Assets Recovery Account (CARA) — R1 billion each to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the SANDF — specifically to tackle organised crime and illegal mining. An additional R2.7 billion has been earmarked over the medium term to enhance defence operations, including maintaining the South African Air Force’s fighter capability.
The Border Management Authority, under the Department of Home Affairs, received an additional R990 million over the medium term for capacity building, including filling 738 positions to strengthen border enforcement. The judiciary was granted an extra R687 million.
DefenceWeb editor Guy Martin provided analysis on these allocations, noting that while nominal increases are evident, many are below inflation rates — estimated at around 5%. For the defence sector, this translates to roughly a 1.5% average increase over the next three years, resulting in a real-term shrinkage of the budget. Martin highlighted that the SANDF remains underfunded by approximately 50% according to the Department of Defence, and the Border Management Authority faces shortfalls of several billion rand.
He described the funding from the CARA as encouraging but still inadequate for the mandates of the SANDF, Border Management Authority, and other security entities. Martin pointed out that the allocations, while providing some boost, are unlikely to substantially improve conditions for the police, SANDF, or Home Affairs given inflationary pressures.
Regarding the recent SANDF deployment to assist SAPS in provinces including the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Martin reported that troops are beginning to arrive, though the rollout remains slow. Coordination is underway on deployment locations, troop numbers, and equipment needs. With Armed Forces Day recently concluded, more troops are expected in the coming weeks. The Chief of the Defence Force emphasized that initial efforts focus on intelligence gathering to guide where and how many soldiers will be deployed, indicating a gradual buildup over the next few weeks.
Martin underscored the critical nature of the R2.7 billion for defence operations, particularly in the context of global tensions such as those involving the US, Iran, Israel, and the broader Middle East. He warned that South Africa remains vulnerable, citing the 2025 experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where SANDF forces — alongside those from Tanzania and Malawi — were defeated by M23 rebels, leading to the early termination of the SAMIDRC mission and withdrawal of South African troops.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has since announced South Africa’s withdrawal from the UN mission in the DRC, which Martin views as evidence that the SANDF lacks the strength to defeat rebel groups or sustain international deployments effectively. Currently, the defence budget supports only basic constabulary tasks such as border patrol, internal security, and limited maritime patrols.
Martin described the SANDF’s current state as perilous, with limited capacity to respond to significant external threats. He noted a historical shift post-1994 toward peacekeeping on the continent, which may have contributed to border vulnerabilities and equipment deficiencies. The core challenge remains a mismatch between mandates and funding, even with recent increases.
While the return of troops and equipment from the DRC could strengthen domestic capabilities — particularly for border security — Martin stressed the need for hundreds more troops along borders for adequate performance. Running multiple internal operations on the existing budget will remain difficult, he concluded.