ECONOMIC REINSERTION OF SOUTH AFRICA'S DEMOBILISED MILITARY PERSONNEL

The report examines the challenges faced by former South African National Defence Force (SANDF) personnel and combatants from non-statutory forces (such as MK and APLA) as they transition to civilian life. Based on a survey of 307 former soldiers, it finds high unemployment rates, particularly among the youth, and a significant mismatch between the military skills of demobilised personnel and the demands of the South African labour market. The document argues that the demobilisation process was often dysfunctional for individuals, leading to poverty and disillusionment. It recommends a policy shift toward targeted reskilling, public-private partnerships, and the creation of specific Citizen Force units to provide sustainable employment and social reintegration.

• The integration of former statutory and non-statutory forces into the SANDF was functionally effective for the institution, but the subsequent demobilisation and rationalisation processes were often traumatic and dysfunctional for individual members.
• Unemployment is prevalent among demobilised personnel, with 37% of the study's 307 respondents unemployed; this rate rises to 43% for those aged 19 to 30.
• There is a stark disparity in employment based on education: 65% of full-time employed respondents had attained grade 12 or higher, compared to only 35% of the unemployed group.
• Military training has provided little to no assistance in securing civilian employment; 77% of those who received military training stated it did not help them find a job.
• Former military personnel expressed extreme dissatisfaction with the support provided by the SANDF upon their departure, with 99% of unemployed respondents stating the SANDF had not done enough to help them.
• The South African labour market is experiencing a structural shift where unskilled jobs are disappearing while demand for skilled and semiskilled workers grows; between 1995 and 1999, 567,504 unskilled jobs were lost.
• The Service Corps, intended to assist in reskilling, was largely ineffective because its training focused on low-level skills already abundant in the civilian economy, such as bricklaying and motor mechanics.
• Field research revealed deep psychological distress among former soldiers, including reports of suicide, feelings of worthlessness, and a perceived lack of dignity following their rejection by the military.
• The report recommends establishing two or three Citizen Force units based on the tradition of the armed struggle to provide part-time employment and preserve the identity of former combatants.

APA

Liebenberg, I., & Roefs, M. (n.d.). ECONOMIC REINSERTION OF SOUTH AFRICA'S DEMOBILISED MILITARY PERSONNEL. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono61.pdf

Chicago

Liebenberg, Ian, and Marlene Roefs. ECONOMIC REINSERTION OF SOUTH AFRICA'S DEMOBILISED MILITARY PERSONNEL. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono61.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Liebenberg |first1=Ian |last2=Roefs |first2=Marlene |title=ECONOMIC REINSERTION OF SOUTH AFRICA'S DEMOBILISED MILITARY PERSONNEL |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono61.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{liebenbergndeconomic, author = {Liebenberg, Ian and Roefs, Marlene}, title = {{ECONOMIC REINSERTION OF SOUTH AFRICA'S DEMOBILISED MILITARY PERSONNEL}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono61.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }