Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

16 September 2025

2-minute read

The SANDF is spending R28 million on training courses for their officers in Cuba when there are military training sites in SA that are vacant, and while their finances do not allow for such training. DA MP Chris Hattingh maintains that the training is an “ideological vanity project.”

According to military expert Helmoed Heitman, that while “there’s always something to learn” at foreign training expeditions, attending such courses should ideally be done in countries where trainees can learn something useful, where the people can speak English, and where training is not very equipment sensitive. He further states that there is no reason to send as many as 20 people at one time.

South Africa’s interest in Cuba is a remnant from the Cold War period when they were under the impression that Russia liked them, whereas Heitman reiterates that “they were just another tool to alloy the West”. The ANC and MK do not have a very good military track record to look back on and are desperately looking for someone who is on “their side of the fence”. Although one of the last countries claiming to be socialist, Cuba is both economically and militarily irrelevant to SA.

While overseas training does offer the opportunity to get a broader perspective, build contacts and enhance techniques, adequate training can take place locally. South African training institutions like the Defence College and the War college which are both up to standard with staff and training programmes. “There’s no reason to send people overseas because we can’t train them – we can,” Heitman emphasized.

Despite there being no real financial motive for SA behind the decision to send military officers to Cuba, Helmoed feels that the project is “certainly not practical and not particularly sensible.”

Listen to the full interview with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat and Helmoed Heitman.