As a Member of Parliament for the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the party’s permanent representative on the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans and the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, I have witnessed firsthand the rot that has seeped into the core of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
It is a decay born of neglect, corruption, and a profound disregard for the human dignity of those who serve our nation.
Recently, I made the decision to post a video (below) on social media depicting the appalling conditions in a bathroom at 6 South African Infantry Battalion (6 SAI Bn) in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. This footage, sent to me by a courageous soldier stationed there, was not shared lightly.
It was a deliberate act of exposure, driven by a moral imperative to shine a light on the dehumanising realities our troops endure. In this opinion piece, I will explain why I felt it absolutely necessary to make this video public, why the incompetent, derelict, and callous SANDF leadership must be called to order and exposed, and why it is utterly unacceptable that our soldiers are subjected to such suffering and humiliation.
Our defenders deserve better—they deserve dignity, respect, and the unwavering support of a grateful nation.
The video in question arrived in my inbox as a desperate plea from a whistleblower within the ranks of 6 SAI Bn. It showed toilets in a state of utter filth: overflowing with waste, fixtures broken and unusable, walls...
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