Branches: the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services of the former South Africa, the armed forces of the former homelands, and the ANC and PAC military components; the initial strength of the SANDF has been set at about 100,000 active duty members with plans to reduce it to about 40,000 by 1997; it is manned mostly by nonwhites, but the higher officer grades are held by whites; the South African Police (SAP) have incorporated the police forces of the former homelands since the elections of 1994; a National Peacekeeping Force (NPKF) to ensure peaceful proceedures during the 1994 elections was established briefly from the military components of the principal political factions, but was dissolved on 2 June 1994, following the elections.

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 10,557,346; fit for military service 6,437,240; reach military age (18) annually 431,832 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $2.9 billion, about 2.5% of GDP (FY93 budget)

NOTE: The information regarding South Africa on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of South Africa Defense Forces 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about South Africa Defense Forces 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.