South Africa

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Abstract
Following the end of Apartheid, the newly formed South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in 1994 explicitly shifted its primary role to external defence, withdrawing from internal security. However, since 2009, the SANDF has seen an increasing number of domestic deployments, including border control, crime prevention, and disaster relief. The COVID-19 pandemic marked a significant expansion of the SANDF’s domestic role, with troops deployed to enforce lockdown regulations, provide health and humanitarian support, and assist with logistical needs. This extensive deployment, coupled with a consistently declining defence budget and pre-existing operational overstretch, raised serious concerns about the SANDF’s capacity, readiness, and overall effectiveness. Furthermore, the "securitization" of the pandemic and reported instances of human rights abuses by soldiers severely impacted civil-military relations and the public’s trust in the military, highlighting critical issues of civilian oversight and accountability.

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