Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has strongly criticized South Africa’s military preparedness, labeling it a national embarrassment. Speaking on Sunday, February 17, at the St. Paul African Apostolic Church’s Thanksgiving Feast, Malema blasted the South African government for its handling of military operations, particularly its involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He argued that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is ill-equipped and unprepared for conflict zones, with soldiers sent into battle without the necessary arms, intelligence, and logistical support.
Malema used harsh language to emphasize his point, claiming, “When you send soldiers without arms into a war zone, you are actually sending farm workers to a war zone.” He said the key difference between a soldier and a farm worker is the presence of arms, and according to Malema, South African soldiers in the DRC were lacking in both weapons and support.
He pointed to the deaths of South African soldiers in the DRC as evidence of the government’s failure to provide proper military resources. Malema claimed that the helicopters deployed to the region were out of service from the moment they landed, and South Africa currently lacks operational fighter jets. He also revealed that South African troops had run out of ammunition, and were unable to get resupplied due to the country’s lack of military capacity.
Further criticizing the government, Malema argued that South African soldiers lacked modern warfare technology such as drones and intelligence support, leaving them vulnerable to surprise attacks. “They just woke up and found the enemy in their camp,” Malema said, questioning why the government continues to send unprepared soldiers into battle zones.
Malema also decried the government’s decision to send 800 more troops to the DRC after the deaths of 14 South African soldiers, when, in his view, the logical step would have been to bring the remaining troops home. He alleged that the remaining SANDF soldiers in the DRC are now effectively being held hostage by the M23 rebel group, with soldiers requiring permission from the rebels for basic activities like using the bathroom or getting water.
Malema called for the immediate withdrawal of South African troops from the DRC and urged the government to prioritize investing in the country’s military capabilities before engaging in foreign interventions. “A country without a capable army is nothing,” he warned, pointing to China and America as examples of nations investing heavily in their military forces, while South Africa, according to him, continues to invest in corruption.
This criticism comes amid growing concern over South Africa’s military capabilities and its ongoing involvement in the DRC, where the country is engaged in peacekeeping operations under both the United Nations and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) military alliance. Adding to the controversy, the EFF has also condemned the South African government for the delay in repatriating the bodies of soldiers killed in the DRC, calling the eight-day delay “callous” and a source of agony for the grieving families awaiting the return of their loved ones.
