City Press reports that only 27% of the standing force of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) is currently healthy enough to be deployed, according to statistics from the SA Military Health Service (SAMHS).
Moreover, the military does not know the health status of 36% of its roughly 70,000 soldiers because commanders have not ensured that they keep up with their health assessments. According to the SAMHS, soldiers must undergo health tests every two years. But, the health service cannot compel any soldiers to complete the test, which must be enforced by the command structure. One disease category in the health report is reportedly too sensitive to share with the defence force’s audit committee and presumably refers to soldiers’ HIV status. At a recent meeting of the audit committee, a range of shortcomings came to light – from the worrying state of soldiers’ health to the deterioration of ammunition depots.
Although young service volunteers are generally in much better physical condition, their numbers are too small to raise the average health levels by much. The result of the large number of undeployable soldiers is that the military must use the same small band of healthy troops again and again to get the work done. The rest merely draw a salary. Several meetings have already been held with National Treasury to increase the defence force’s budget allocation, as it currently receives enough money for only 66,000 of its 70,000 soldiers.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Erika Gibson at City Press (subscription / trial registration required)
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