SANDF struggling to patrol borders due to underfunding: Gigaba

The SANDF, Border Management Authority (BMA) and other stakeholders stationed at the Beitbridge Border Post outside Musina in Limpopo are expected to present their challenges to the Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence on Thursday. 

The committee is on an oversight visit to the border post. It visited numerous spots along the borderline near the Limpopo river on Wednesday. 

WATCH | Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence and the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans will conduct a two-day oversight visit to the porous Beitbridge Border Post. SABC News reporter Pimani Baloyi has the details. pic.twitter.com/eidvURyJ13

— SABC News (@SABCNews) October 15, 2025

The border faces challenges including illegal migration as well as smuggling stolen vehicles and illicit goods. 

Members of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence and the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans are in Limpopo Province conducting oversight over the South African National Defence Force (@SANDF_ZA). The visit is a fact-finding mission focused on how the SANDF and… pic.twitter.com/18xOwStwhb

— Defence Cluster Parliament of RSA (@DefenceCluster) October 15, 2025

 In a statement that was issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services, Dr Malusi Gigaba said the visit was a fact-finding mission to understand the challenges facing both the SANDF and communities affected by the movement of people from neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe. 

“The SANDF is severely underfunded. We should have 22 military companies patrolling our borders, but currently there are only 15. Even these are struggling due to shortages of personnel, vehicles and modern technology, such as drones,” says Gigaba.

MEDIA STATEMENT

JOINT DEFENCE COMMITTEES SAY LACK OF MANPOWER THREATENS BORDER SECURITYhttps://t.co/M2kBfm7u6e@ParliamentofRSA @SANDF_ZA @EconoCluster @GovernanceClus1 @TheBMA_SA @FinanceCluster @HealthSocClust @JustSecuCluster pic.twitter.com/NWbWcyNgeO

— Defence Cluster Parliament of RSA (@DefenceCluster) October 16, 2025