South AfricaSANDF Spent R2.4bn on Charter Flights
The South African National Defence Force spent R2.4 billion on chartered flights over five years, with the Democratic Alliance calling for a detailed breakdown of the expenditure. The department says chartered aircraft were used for various operational requirements, including accessing remote areas and medical evacuations.
Global Newsflix 2 min read
Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga said the SANDF spent R2.4 billion on chartered flights over five financial years. The expenditure was R15,492,850 in 2021/22, rising to R753,797,591 in 2022/23.
The department reported total spending of R2,395,521,275 on chartered flights between the 2021/22 and 2025/26 financial years. The expenditure was R622,790,063 in 2023/24, R629,043,694 in 2024/25, and R374,937,076 in 2025/26.
Motshekga said chartered aircraft were used for various operational requirements, including accessing remote areas, medical evacuations, peacekeeping and regional missions, disaster relief, VIP transport, military training and urgent operational deployments.
The Democratic Alliance is demanding a detailed breakdown of the expenditure, including the number of flights and expenditure for each financial year across different procurement mechanisms.
DA spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans Chris Hattingh said the outstanding information was needed to properly scrutinise the expenditure. Hattingh questioned why the reconciliation process did not have a completion date.
The DA also identified a R540,000 discrepancy between the annual figures and the department's total expenditure. The department said it was reconciling its records to ensure accurate attribution and avoid double counting.
Motshekga said chartered flights were procured through different mechanisms, including ordinary travel-management arrangements, supply chain management deviations and emergency or operational procurement.
Key facts
- The SANDF spent R2.4 billion on chartered flights over five financial years.
- The expenditure was R15,492,850 in 2021/22, rising to R753,797,591 in 2022/23.
- Chartered aircraft were used for various operational requirements, including accessing remote areas and medical evacuations.
- The Democratic Alliance is demanding a detailed breakdown of the expenditure.
Three perspectives
Neutral
The SANDF's expenditure on chartered flights has raised questions about the department's procurement processes. The Democratic Alliance is seeking more information to scrutinise the expenditure. The department says it is reconciling its records to ensure accurate attribution.
Positive
The use of chartered flights has enabled the SANDF to access remote areas and respond to medical emergencies. The department's procurement processes have allowed for flexibility in responding to operational requirements.
Negative
The R2.4 billion expenditure on chartered flights has raised concerns about the department's financial management. The Democratic Alliance has questioned the lack of transparency in the department's procurement processes.
Your week in news, every Wednesday
The biggest stories of the week for your edition, in your inbox every Wednesday morning, your time. Free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.