Defence Budget Squeeze Limits Sea Security Patrols

The South African Department of Defence is feeling the squeeze on its fast dwindling budget. It has had to reallocate more than R5 billion to the coronavirus pandemic including R1,2 billion of an additional R2.8 million granted to it for 2020/21. But border safeguarding is a matter of national security and securing South Africa’s sea trade routes, territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are vital.

A Supplementary Budget Review 2020 was published by National Treasury this week.

It doesn’t leave much room to manoeuvre. Of the R1.2 billion amount suspended, R104 million comes from maritime defence which now has a budget of just R4.9 billion.