Des Erasmus
Treasury will add R2.7 billion to defence spending over the medium term, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said on Wednesday during his budget speech.
This as the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been deployed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to work alongside police in the Western Cape to tackle gang violence, and in Gauteng to fight illegal mining.
Godondwana said that to support efforts to intensify law and order, spending on peace and security would increase from R268.2 billion in 2025/26 to R291.2 billion in 2028/29.
He said the additional defence funding would be used to improve operations, “including to maintain the South African Air Force’s fighter capability”.
He also announced additional funding for law enforcement through the Criminal Assets Recovery Account (CARA).
Government had allocated R1 billion to the police service, and another R1 billion to the SANDF, via the CARA fund for the fight against organised crime, he said.
CARA is a separate account in the National Revenue Fund where money (and proceeds from property) is paid after courts issue confiscation or forfeiture orders linked to crime.
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