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SANDF soldiers.
Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Angie Motshekga, tabled her department’s Budget Vote in Parliament. Out of the R57 billion Budget, R8,3 billion has been allocated for amongst others accommodation, leases and municipal services.
Tabling the Budget Vote earlier today, Motshekga said the department’s priority is to ensure that soldiers are properly equipped.
“And this Budget, R36 billion thereof, has been set aside as a ceiling compensation for employees, which constitute 64% of the defense allocation. Addition to this R36 billion, R8,3 billion has been allocated as follows: more than R2,7 billion is for accommodation, for leases and municipal services; more than R2,5 billion is for peacekeeping; R1.4 billion is going to Armscor as transfers; R487 million go to the republic’s assets contributing to SADeC and peacekeeping processes; R480 million for the repair and maintenance of maintenance defense systems,” says Motshekga.
Motshekga has assured the nation that all the 2,250 SANDF members who were deployed in the eastern DRC have since returned home.
Fourteen SANDF soldiers were killed earlier this year after M23 rebels advanced on the city of Goma in the DRC.
Motshekga says all that’s remaining at this stage is the army’s equipment that is currently being kept in Tanzania.
“Meanwhile, all our prime mission equipment has also been withdrawn from the Eastern DRC. It’s currently in Tanzania, being verified and will be loaded back by air and sea, and will be back home. I also want to take this opportunity to thank the government of Rwanda for allowing us a safe passage through their territory into Tanzania. And further wish to thank the government of Tanzania and Malawi, and the parties involved in the safe withdrawal of our members,” Motshekga added.
Video: Defence Budget Vote | Motshekga to prioritise equipping soldiers
