# South African Defence Forces



## Ex-Dragoon (23 Sep 2007)

Now that apartheid has been wiped off the map, I am wondering what the status of to be blunt, white personnel in the new SADF? I know a lot of the higher command positions were taken over by some former ANC members. Any one out there with info? 

Please note...1) Its not a thread about white vs black 2) its not a thread glorifying white rule.


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## armyvern (23 Sep 2007)

They are now known as SANDF (South African National Defence Forces).

Perhaps something burried in their website here.

But I couldn't seem to find anything that addressed their current make-up. Although the problems with loss of military "experience" are noted upon roll-over.

Found this regarding their 2010 Human Resources Starategy on another site. 

http://www.global-defence.com/2003/sandef_03.htm



> Human resources strategy 2010 Since the establishment of the SANDF in 1994, replacing the former SADF with an integrated force of freedom fighters and conventional soldiers, a corporate transformation process has been underway to migrate from the pre-1994 defence dispensation to a new dispensation as envisaged by the democratic constitution of South Africa. Many of the changes in the SANDF's human resources department have been implemented; more than 100,000 soldiers have been cut down to 80,000 and then to the current 70,000. However, in order to have a more affordable and capable force this number has to be cut by another 20,000 by 2010.
> 
> According to the SANDF many changes have been beneficial to contribute towards transforming the SANDF into a representative force of all race groups. However, many changes have also had side effects that impact negatively on the readiness, output and efficiency of the SANDF - particularly in the light of new political demands on the deployment of South African troops in warring countries.
> 
> ...


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## Ex-Dragoon (23 Sep 2007)

Thanks Vern. appreciate the poke in the right direction.


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## 3rd Herd (23 Sep 2007)

Ex, found a few things:

H I G G S, J A M E S A. 'Creating the South African National Defence Force' JFQ / Summer 2000 http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/jfq_pubs/1025.pdf

SANDF Officer Corps: Racial Composition
                              Army                                                Navy                                                    Air Force
Grade         African Asian Mixed White                African Asian Mixed White                   African Asian Mixed White
GOs/FOs
O10               1        0        0        0                       0        0       0       0                           0           0       0       0
O9                 4        0        0        1                       0        0       0       2                           0           0       0       1
O8                11       0        0       11                      1         0      0        5                          1            0       0       6
O7               29        0        2       49                      2         0      1       20                         3            0       0      23
Field/Company
O6              52         0        4     258                      6         1       0      94                       10            0       0      147
O5            167         0       34    495                      2         5        6     125                      40            0       3      352
O4            279         2       80    532                    24         2        8      96                      64            1       4       244
O3            479         4       82    705                      7         3        6      67                      91            4      14      299

Source: South African National Defence Force.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 09/09/2003
Source: Ministry of Defence
Title: Lekota: Parliamentary Media Briefing, September 2003
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PARLIAMENTARY MEDIA BRIEFING BY THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE, MOSIUOA LEKOTA, MP, 9 September 2003

1. Transformation

The process of transformation is ongoing and unity of the SANDF is being consolidated.

1.1. We are striving to achieve representivity at all levels of the SANDF both in terms of race and gender

Our baseline target is 65% African, 10% coloured, 0.75% Indian and 24% white.

As at March 2003 we have 62% African, 12% Coloured, 1% Asian and 25% white.

As at March 2003, 85% of the force is male and 15% is female.
http://www.pmg.org.za/briefings/briefings.php?id=34

Data for 1994 and 1998 can be found at: Chapter Ten http://www.dod.mil.za/documents/defencereview/defence%20review1998.pdf


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## Ex-Dragoon (23 Sep 2007)

And thank you 3rd. 

I had a couple of PMs asking why the interest in the SADF...oops SANDF and basically it stemmed from an article in the Trident newspaper talking about SNMG1s recent deployment to South Africa. It mentioned that one of the new Valour class ships Commanding Officer was a former ANC member, it got me thinking.


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## 3rd Herd (23 Sep 2007)

Happy to help Ex,
just adding another url: http://www.issafrica.org/Pubs/Monographs/No59/Chap8.html which contains the complete Racial Composition of the SANDF in 2000 by rank. And for interest sake since you brought up the issue of former terriorists. Lephophotho Mashike has just published an interesting article titled "Blacks can Win Everything, but the Army; The Transformation of the South African Military between 1994 and 2004" Journal of South African Studies, Volume 33, Number 3, September 2007. Aside from the figures below he looks at both the defenders of the apartheid regime and the "armed formations fighting against it". Interestingly, he states "the ANC had a political strategy, had plans and ways to deal with Constitutional matters, and so on, but had no strategy to deal with the military.......This contributed to the number of military concessions on the part of the ANC."

9 Nov 2004 Final Intergration Report Figures:

SANDF Total Members   74,709

APLA 4,244 personal
MK    9,913 personal


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## Korporaal (30 Oct 2007)

I only came across this today and the only way to answer it is as follows: The SANDF has to be " representative of the population" .
In other words which are not so politicaly correct, the ultimate make up of the SANDF is to be representative of the various races in SA., ie  85% Black, 15 % White, and so on down the line.
The majority of highly experienced and educated officers /NCO`S I knew, have been moved to the side to make way for less experienced but more "representative members of the population".

There are individuals making it to Generals rank after only 10 years of service.The new SANDF has more generals per soldier than any other army on earth. 

Affirmative Action based on colour is the order of the day.


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