The 2014 South African Defence Review

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) analyzes the 2014 South African Defence Review. It describes the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as being in a state of critical decline and evaluates the financial feasibility of the government's long-term plan to rejuvenate the military by 2034. The author argues that the review's expansive mandate is out of step with the available budget and suggests a more focused approach centered on peacekeeping and a 'growth core' concept.

• The 2014 Defence Review describes the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as being in a "critical state of decline," which is marked by a lack of critical mobility, an inability to meet current defence commitments, and a "disproportionate tooth-to-tail ratio." The review further characterizes the force as "unsustainable" and notes that the South African Army's prime mission equipment is facing "block obsolescence."
• The South African government has approved a long-term strategic trajectory extending to 2034, divided into four planning milestones: Milestone 1 (from 2015) to arrest the decline in critical capabilities; Milestone 2 (from 2017) to rebalance and reorganise the force; Milestone 3 (from 2023) to create a sustainable force for current commitments; and Milestone 4 (from 2028) to enhance capacity for nascent challenges.
• Implementing the 2014 Defence Review requires significant budget increases, including an additional R11.7 billion in the 2014/15 financial year and R11.2 billion the following year. Subsequent annual increases from 2017 to 2028 are projected to average 6.8 per cent.
• South Africa's military spending is low compared to other regional powers; for example, Angola spends approximately 50 per cent more on its military in absolute terms, and Algeria spends almost three times as much as South Africa.
• The Department of Defence suffers from a bloated staffing structure due to the integration of various armed forces, leading to approximately 52 per cent of its budget being spent on personnel, while only slightly more than 8 per cent is spent on capital equipment.
• The author recommends a shift from the review's "mandate-driven" approach to one focused on actual short- to medium-term tasks, specifically peace operations, and suggests that the chief of the SANDF should be appointed as both head of department and accounting officer to improve procurement and expenditure delegation.

APA

Cilliers, J. (2014). The 2014 South African Defence Review. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief56.pdf

Chicago

Cilliers, Jakkie. The 2014 South African Defence Review. Institute for Security Studies, 2014. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief56.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cilliers |first1=Jakkie |title=The 2014 South African Defence Review |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=June 2014 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief56.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cilliers20142014, author = {Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{The 2014 South African Defence Review}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2014}, month = jun, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief56.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }