South African National Defence Force
| South African National Defence Force | |
|---|---|
10 other official names:
| |
Emblem of the SANDF | |
Flag of the SANDF | |
| Motto | For the brave, for the proud |
| Founded | 1 July 1912 (113 years, 261 days) (as Union Defence Force) |
| Current form | 1994 |
| Service branches | South African Army South African Navy South African Air Force South African Military Health Service |
| Headquarters | Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa |
| Website | dod.mil.za |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-chief | President Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Minister of Defence and Military Veterans | Angie Motshekga |
| Chief of the SANDF | General Rudzani Maphwanya |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 18–49 |
| Conscription | No |
| Active personnel | 68,731 (2024/25) |
| Reserve personnel | 29,350 (2020/2021) |
| Expenditure | |
| Budget | US$3.60 billion (2025/26) |
| Percent of GDP | 0.8% (2025) |
| Industry | |
| Domestic suppliers | |
| Foreign suppliers | |
| Related articles | |
| History | |
| Ranks | South African military ranks |
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The Chief of the SANDF is appointed by the President of South Africa from one of the armed services. They are in turn accountable to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans of the Defence Department.
The military as it exists today was created in 1994, following South Africa's first nonracial election in April of that year and the adoption of a new constitution. It replaced the South African Defence Force and also integrated uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), and the Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) guerilla forces.