Broke SANDF spends R5 Million on a funeral

An estimated R5 million was spent by the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) on buses, lodging, meals, allowances, and a fly-past during the funeral of a senior general in the Eastern Cape.

According to the Sowetan, over 450 troops and officers attended the funeral of logistics chief Lt-Gen Xolani Ndlovu in New Brighton last Sunday.

SANDF members were allegedly told to claim meal allowances and stay in guest houses rather than military barracks, even though non-urgent travel and travel allowance claims had recently been outlawed.

The publication said military accommodation and meals would have cost a fraction of its “conservative estimate” of R4.2m spent on guest houses and travel allowances. Additional costs included a flyover by two Gripen fighter jets and one C-130, catering, mobile toilets, tents and five hired buses.

HeraldLIVE reported there were about 500 mourners at the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton.

“He will forever live on in the life of our organisation,” SANDF chief Gen Rudzani Maphwanya told mourners.

The funeral of a senior general in the Eastern Cape.

“He shall never be forgotten … In his name, we will never waver in our efforts to serve the republic and support its people … His legacy will loom large in the pages of the department of defence and in the story of our country.

“He gave much to his work. May the fond memories of this fallen compatriot remain with us forever.”Independent security and defence analyst Helmoed Heitman wrote in Business Day that defence funding was less in real terms this year than in 1998, and had declined from 5.36% of government spending in 1998 to 2.27% in 2023.

Defence minister Thandi Modise recently disclosed, in response to a DA question in parliament that 85% of the SA Air Force’s aircraft were out of action due to age, a lack of spares or budget constraints.

Must read: Trevor Noah claims his R3 million Erasmus Prize in the Netherlands.