BY Kaya 959 Reporter
The DA has slammed a decision by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to create a chain of bakeries.
The SANDF recently launched its sixth bakery at the Army Support base in Potchefstroom. The bakeries are a way of ensuring soldiers are fed and a means of making extra income.
The party’s Kobus Marais says it could amount to irregular and wasteful expenditure. He says they are going to write to Defence Minister Modise for clarity.
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Cash-strapped SANDF
Reports state that SA soldiers are putting their guns aside to run bakeries in order to help the SANDF deal with its budgetary crisis.
“While the DA acknowledges the fact that the cash-strapped SANDF is confronted with a number of operational challenges, the opening of bakeries is not the solution. These bakeries fall outside of the defence force’s mandate and have potentially opened SANDF up to irregular and wasteful expenditure of its already limited funds,” Marais says.
He says this decision once again highlights the lack of strategic thinking and foresight within the SANDF’s leadership ranks.
“In order to address its budgetary contracts, SANDF needs to be reformed and repositioned to address the modern-day challenges that South Africa faces, building a chain of bakeries will do little to achieve that goal,” Marias adds.
The SANDF is facing massive budget cuts which could see it reduce manpower. According to experts, this could leave the SANDF weaker, older and less skilled.
News24 reports that Defence Secretary Sonto Kudjoe briefed Parliament on funding models and cost containment plans.
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