March 03
Congo-Kinshasa: After Mortar Fire Tragedy, Two SANDF Soldiers Deployed in DRC Die in Apparent Murder-Suicide
Just two weeks after two South African soldiers were killed by mortar fire in the Democratic Republic of Congo, two more SA soldiers died in an apparent murder-suicide in the… Read more »
February 15
South Africa: Army Training for Controversial Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens Raises Concerns
The Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens are now training under the supervision of the South African National Defence Force, a decision that has sparked concerns from an expert on… Read more »
December 08, 2023
South Africa: SANDF Confirms Inquiry Heard Torture Allegations but Denies Existence of Military 'Death Squad'
Generals from the top echelons of the South African National Defence Force on Thursday denied the allegations of the existence of a military squad responsible for acts of torture… Read more »
October 25, 2023
South Africa: The South African Air Force Has Become an Expensive, Dysfunctional Luxury
The funding crisis has become so severe that defence pundits are proposing the hitherto unthinkable -- that South Africa reduce its Air Force to just an Air Wing, which comprises… Read more »
September 27, 2023
South Africa: Submarine Tragedy a 'Wake-Up Call' to Govt to Stop Slashing Defence Budget - Navy Chief
Speaking at a memorial service for three submariners, the chief of the South African Navy on Wednesday decried the ongoing maritime defence force budget cuts by the government,… Read more »
South Africa: South African Army Mourns Loss of Four Soldiers in Road Accident Outside Upington
The South African National Defence Force has held a combined memorial service in Upington for four soldiers who died in a road accident on 20 September. They will be buried… Read more »
August 09, 2023
Africa: Human Rights Abuses and Anti-Democratic Disinformation Are Hallmarks of Wagner, Other Mercenary Groups in Africa
Private military contractors have developed into worldwide high-stakes businesses, with the Wagner Group smuggling gold out of Sudan to the tune of $130bn annually. However, there… Read more »
June 28, 2023
South Africa: Inside The Defence Force Plan to Spend U.S.$3,000 Per Soldier On New Uniforms
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is in financial trouble -- with ageing hardware, weaponry and uniforms. But even though South African soldiers' gear is overdue for… Read more »
June 06, 2023
South Africa: Democracy Dies Behind Closed Doors - Open the Lady R Inquiry
In the past week, Open Secrets has challenged both the South African Presidency and the US government to make public details of the mysterious cargo of the Russian vessel Lady R… Read more »
May 28, 2023
South Africa: Ramaphosa Announces Panel to Investigate Allegations About Russian Ship
The President has given an independent panel six weeks to complete an investigation into arms allegations about the Russian cargo vessel, the Lady R. Read more »
May 18, 2023
South Africa: Lady R Saga Reveals a Ship of State Foundering in a Sea of Uncertainty and Ineptitude
Wherever the truth lies in this sorry saga, what we have is a fundamental lack of transparency and trust between a government and its citizenry. We simply cannot believe what… Read more »
May 15, 2023
South Africa: Army Chief Visits Moscow for Talks About Military Cooperation
Amid a crisis in relations with the US over South Africa's growing relations with Russia, head of the SA army Lieutenant-General Lawrence Mbatha is visiting Moscow for talks on… Read more »
May 13, 2023
South Africa: U.S. Rang Alarm Bells About Alleged Russian Arms Trade in February - Minister
The impact on the South African economy of any secondary sanctions which the US might impose on this country because of its stance on Russia's war against Ukraine - including the… Read more »
May 11, 2023
South Africa: U.S. Ambassador Lashes Out At ANC Govt for 'Providing Arms and Ammunition to Russia'
After months of silence about the Russian vessel which docked in Simon's Town, the Presidency's solution to the quagmire is an independent inquiry to be led by a retired judge. Read more »
April 02, 2023
South Africa: In Apparent Effort Not to Upset Putin's Russia, ANC Government Bans Arms Sales to Poland
The ANC's South Africa has bet firmly on a dark side of history in selecting its partner of choice in the Russification of its foreign and domestic policy. Its choice is not based… Read more »
February 15, 2023
South Africa: Smoke, Mirrors - Naval Exercise Mosi II Is a Potemkin Village
If the South Africans participating in Exercise Mosi II are impressed they would, I suspect, be falling for one of the oldest tricks in the book. Read more »
February 13, 2023
South Africa: Cape Town Mayor Says 'Voetsek' to Docked Russian Frigate Admiral Gorshkov
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says Russian warship not welcome in the Mother City: 'Cape Town will not be complicit in Russia's evil war.' Read more »
January 12, 2023
Africa: Wagner Group Leads Russia's African Front in Cold War With the West
As men are being slaughtered on all sides in a grinding war of attrition for the control of destroyed Ukrainian cities, the new Cold War between Russia and the West is being played… Read more »
August 15, 2012
Africa: Standing By to Standby - the African Peacekeeping Force With More Problems Than Solutions
The African Standby Force is a beautiful concept. The crack troops were meant to be the silver bullet for Africa's security problems, a rapid-response team able to get in and stop… Read more »