south african national defence forcelatest news & developments
DA leader John Steenhuisen.

‘GNU responsible for country’s success’, MPs say in response to Ramaphosa’s Sona

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said much of the progress made ‘bears the unmistakable imprint of the DA’s principled participation’ in the government of national unity

  • Eyaaz
4 min read
M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa

M23 rebels welcome SANDF departure from Monusco

M23 president Bertrand Bisimwa accused the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo of failing the people of eastern DRC

  • Eyaaz
3 min read
Nabbed: A Zimbabwean national caught with goods at an informal crossing point along the South Africa–Zimbabwe border.

Smuggled birth control pills in demand

Female migrants cite barriers to accessing local healthcare facilities

  • Eyaaz
7 min read
The naval drill involved the armed forces of South Africa, China and Russia, with Iran reportedly participating and several other countries observing.

Parties demand answers over Iran role in a SANDF naval exercise

The Democratic Alliance and ActionSA have called for a formal investigation after Defence Minister Angie Motshekga confirmed that President Cyril Ramaphosa had issued instructions barring Iran’s participation

  • Eyaaz
3 min read
Iran has been under intensified scrutiny over its response to protests. (Screenshot: Al Jazeera)

South Africa urges restraint and dialogue in Iran conflict

The presidency said sustainable peace and stability could only be achieved through solutions that centred on the agency of the Iranian people

  • Eyaaz
3 min read
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the late former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe’s son, was arrested for attempted murder on Thursday after a shooting at his Hyde Park residence

Killing of Witness D casts doubt on state’s ability to protect those testifying at Madlanga commission

The inquiry into corruption in the criminal justice system will submit its interim report to President Cyril Ramaphosa by 17 December

  • Eyaaz
4 min read
The naval drill involved the armed forces of South Africa, China and Russia, with Iran reportedly participating and several other countries observing.

SANDF repatriates more troops from the DRC

Personnel and equipment have been airlifted from Lubumbashi and Kinshasa to Pretoria, amid tension over unpaid allowances for soldiers

  • Eyaaz
2 min read
US President Donald Trump. (File photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

International relations department downplays US defence aid suspension

The decision was a logical consequence of Donald Trump’s decision to suspend aid to South Africa, the ministry said

  • Emsie Ferreira
4 min read
Alert: South African National Defence Force soldiers stand guard outside a hostel in Alexandra, Johannesburg. The military is used to assist during natural disasters, to protect infrastructure, secure borders and ensure internal stability. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

SANDF: A force stretched to its limits

Despite increasing demands on the country’s defence force, funding for the military has been steadily declining

  • Eyaaz
7 min read
Storm: The smiles mask the tension between President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, over the escalating conflict fuelled by Rwandan troops in eastern DRC. The two leaders met in Kigali in April last year. Photo: GCIS

Kagame’s verbal attack complicates Ramaphosa bid to stem DRC conflict

The Rwandan president is defying international pressure to withdraw his soldiers from eastern DRC where they are backing militia

  • Emsie Ferreira
8 min read
The joint task force comprising the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to tackle crime will not see soldiers performing ordinary policing functions. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Civil war raging in DRC becomes a nightmare for South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa remains in direct contact with the presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of Rwanda, the perceived backer of the M23 rebels

  • Emsie Ferreira
3 min read
Opposition parties have slammed the department of defence and state-owned military manufacturer Denel after the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) told parliament it had uncovered irregularities in procurements and the awarding of contracts

Political parties slate defence department, Denel after SIU uncovers procurement irregularities

In one Special Investigating Unit inquiry, Denel was paid more than R8 billion by Armscor for 264 Badger vehicles but only produced a fraction of those

  • Busi Lethole
3 min read
Ronald Lamola. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Lamola condemns Rwanda’s role in DRC conflict as SA loses more soldiers

The South African Defence Force confirmed four more of its troops have died, bringing the number lost in the rebel advance on Goma to 13

  • Emsie Ferreira
4 min read
Speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. (Photo by Jaco Marais/Die Burger/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

ANC ‘still discussing’ no-confidence motion in Mapisa-Nqakula

The Democratic Alliance wants the motion to be debated next week

  • Eyaaz
3 min read
Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. File photo

Speaker allegedly lied to evade arrest

The president reportedly said he would not meddle when told that Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula could be taken into custody over graft

  • Khaya Koko
7 min read
President Cyril Ramaphosa gestures to supporters during his address at the African National Congress election manifesto launch at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on February 24, 2024. (Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL/AFP via Getty Images)

WRAP: Packed stadium, but little new as Ramaphosa delivers ANC election manifesto

The party wants to tie ministerial performance contracts to implementing key manifesto items

  • Des Erasmus
6 min read
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola defended South Africa’s involvement in the DRC, arguing that it would be “reckless” not to resolve the ongoing conflict in the country’s volatile eastern region. (File photo)

SANDF reinstates employee after HIV discrimination

The defence force only re-employed the woman after being threatened with litigation This content is restricted to registered users and subscribers. Get Your Free Account The Mail & Guardian is committed to providing all our readers with the best possible experience. Please register your free account now. Your registration is your first step to becoming an M&G community member. Register Registration enables: – M&G newsletters access – notifications – the best possible experience Already registered? Login here Want to subscribe and get even more benefits? Explore our subscription offers

  • Umamah Bakharia
1 min read