South Africa: 'Hands Off Soldiers' Pay' Union Tells Army

What the report says

The South African National Defence Union is calling for an official inquiry into allegations that South African soldiers stationed in Cuba were asked to contribute money from their own allowances. According to the report published by Scrolla and distributed by AllAfrica, the union says investigators should determine who requested the funds, who collected them, who handled the money and where it ultimately went.

Union national secretary Pikkie Greeff said the Defence Act provides for a board of inquiry and argued that soldiers’ pay should not be treated as a pool for unrelated projects. He said the reported contributions were tied to a non-military purpose and should be examined to establish whether the collection was lawful and properly authorised.

The article places the dispute against South Africa’s broader military training relationship with Cuba, which has involved South African National Defence Force members for more than a decade. It notes that Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga previously reported 350 SANDF members had completed training at Cuban military institutions, with substantial spending on tuition, stipends, accommodation, travel and other costs between 2021 and 2025. The report also recalls that the Auditor-General has raised earlier concerns about the cost of parts of the Cuban programme.

If an inquiry proceeds, the union says it should clarify whether any misconduct occurred and, if so, ensure accountability.