Army buildings fail inspection

Only 1% of all South African National Defence Force buildings are considered to have "good" living and working conditions, resulting in low morale.

Briefing parliament' s portfolio committee on defence and military veterans yesterday, SANDF secretary Sam Gulube said: "The backlog in the maintenance and repair of Department of Defence facilities was estimated in 2011 at R8-billion and the situation has not improved."

The Department of Public Works was responsible for maintaining SANDF buildings.

The Defence Department had proposed that about 50 buildings be immediately prioritised, including fighter-aircraft training schools and military bases at which troops prepared for battle, he said.