South African National Defence Force (SANDF): South African Army (includes Reserve Force), South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), South African Military Health Services (2021)
Armed Defense Forces of Mozambique (Forcas Armadas de Defesa de Mocambique, FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique Navy (Marinha de Guerra de Mocambique, MGM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM)
Ministry of Interior: National Police (PRM), the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC), Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR; police special forces), Border Security Force (2020)
note: the FADM and Ministry of Interior forces are referred to collectively as the Defense and Security Forces (DFS)
Military service age and obligation
18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women are eligible to serve in noncombat roles; 2-year service obligation (2021)
registration for military service is mandatory for all males and females at 18 years of age; 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service; 2-year service obligation; women may serve as officers or enlisted (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
1% of GDP (2020 est.)
1% of GDP (2019)
1% of GDP (2018)
1% of GDP (2017)
0.9% of GDP (2019)
1% of GDP (2018)
1% of GDP (2017)
1% of GDP (2016)
0.8% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is comprised of approximately 75,000 personnel (40,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force; 8,000 Military Health Service; 10,000 other, including administrative, logistics, military police) (2020)
information varies; approximately 11,000 personnel (10,000 Army; 200 Navy; 1,000 Air Force) (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the SANDF's inventory consists of a mix of domestically-produced and foreign-supplied equipment; South Africa's domestic defense industry produced most of the Army's major weapons systems (some were jointly-produced with foreign companies), while the Air Force and Navy inventories include a mix of European, Israeli, and US-origin weapons systems; since 2010, Sweden is the largest supplier of weapons to the SANDF (2020)
the FADM's inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although since 2010 it has received limited quantities of more modern equipment from a variety of countries, mostly as aid/donations (2020)
