MyZA

News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff

You are here: Home / News / SANDF is Underspending 80% on Research and Development

SANDF is Underspending 80% on Research and Development

Statement by Maliyakhe Shelembe MP – DA Deputy Spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans:

The Department of Defence’s (DoD) own latest figures confirm a deeply worrying reality: South Africa is investing barely one percent of its defence budget into research and development (R&D), a fraction of the five percent recommended in the 2015 Defence Review.

Over the span of three financial years, the DoD has fallen short by over R2 billion annually. In the 2025/26 financial year alone, the shortfall stands at R2.26 billion. In effect, the Department is spending only one-fifth of the recommended amount, underspending by approximately 80% every year. This is a national security risk unfolding in plain sight, not just a budget.

Without serious R&D funding, our technological edge erodes, while the SANDF loses its ability to develop, modernise, or even maintain sophisticated systems. An army that does not innovate is an army that falls behind. We become dangerously dependent on foreign suppliers, with all the political and supply chain risks that bring. When threats evolve, South Africa will be forced to buy solutions from abroad instead of building them at home.

The economic damage is just as real. South Africa’s arms industry, from Denel to smaller innovative firms, relies on state-backed R&D to stay competitive. When government stops investing in innovation, it starts exporting jobs, skills, and opportunities. Starve that pipeline, and you lose high-tech jobs, export revenue, and the expertise we desperately need to grow the economy. Defence exports were once a South African success story however, today that success story is being quietly dismantled.

While the Department has tried to ring-fence small amounts, allocating just 1.1% to R&D while maintaining a 5% target is not a strategy, it is an admission of failure. Our troops and taxpayers deserve better.

The DoD is not just underfunding research; it is presiding over the slow decline of the industrial base that once made South Africa a credible and ethical defence exporter. This means fewer factories, fewer engineers, fewer skilled jobs, and a weaker economy. Every rand not invested in defence innovation today increases the cost of rebuilding those capabilities tomorrow.

Category: Tag:

If you feel strongly about this article then feel free to send MyZA a ‘Letter to the Editor’ using the submission form below:

Letter to the Editor

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
If this is in response to an article please include that article title here or as the lead in for the first paragraph of your Letter below.

Separate tags with commas

Localise your letter by naming the city your words are about. Add relevant words describing your subject. Single comma separated words of no more than 5
Your Name(Required)
Your Name will be linked to the website below.
Your personal, business or social media web site
Choose NO to not set up a user account on MyZA. User Accounts will allow you to submit letters under your own Author Name

3 Latest Letters to the Editor:

  • Fun South African fact

    Dear Editor Fun South African fact: towns like Franschhoek and Stellenbosch are home to world-class wine farms set in stunning, scenic surroundings. Regards Aressa Smith In Response to/From: Luxury Properties Seized in New Lottery Crackdown

  • Condolences on the Passing of Lusanda Dumke

    Statement by Leander Kruger MPL – DA Buffalo City Constituency Leader: The Democratic Alliance in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality mourns the passing of Springbok Women’s rugby player and Mdantsane trailblazer, Lusanda Dumke, who lost her battle with cancer at the age of 28. South Africa has lost an exceptional athlete, a leader, and a source…

  • Rape Kits Delivered, But…

    Statement by Nicholas Gotsell MP – DA NCOP Member on Security & Justice: The DA can confirm that 2 840 rape kits arrived in Cape Town on Monday, following sustained DA oversight and pressure after multiple police stations across the Western Cape were found to be without this critical forensic evidence tool. While this delivery…

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melktert – milk tart. One of South Africa’s most popular desserts consisting of a sweet pastry crust and a creamy milk filling, topped with cinnamon powder. Absolutely delicious!

  2. Fun South African Fact: SA has three capital cities: Pretoria is the Executive Capital, Cape Town the Legislative Capital and Bloemfontein the judicial Capital.