South Africa boosts military and judiciary spending

Funding to support army deployments and intensify law enforcement is set to rise to about $15.7 billion, Pretoria’s finance minister has said

South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced increased spending on peace and security and the judiciary in his national budget speech on Wednesday, as part of efforts to combat crime.

This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address, in which he announced the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) alongside the police to combat illegal mining and gangsterism.

To support the SANDF deployment and intensify law enforcement, spending on peace and security is set to rise from R268.2 billion in 2025/26 to R291.2 billion in 2028/29. The Border Management Authority will receive an additional R990 million over the medium term to build capacity, including filling 738 positions.

A further R2.7 billion has been allocated to defense over the medium term to improve operations, including maintaining the South African Air Force’s fighter capability. The police service and the SANDF will each receive an additional R1 billion through the CARA fund to combat organized crime.

READ MORE: South African soldiers deployed to combat crime

Over the medium term, R883.8 million will be transferred from the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development to the Office of the Chief Justice. An additional R687 million has also been allocated to expand capacity in the judiciary.

Read more

“This will enable the Office of the Chief Justice to manage its own budgets, enhancing its independence from the Executive from 1 April,” Godongwana said. “Similar arrangements for the funding of Parliament are being undertaken in the spirit of separation of powers”.

President Ramaphosa also announced the establishment of specialised courts. Once the costing is finalised, allocations for these courts will be considered later in the year. Funding will also be provided for various commissions of inquiry currently underway, once their costs are clarified.

First published by IOL