The SA National Defence Union is demanding urgent action from the Department of Defence over alleged inhumane living conditions facing SANDF troops at Fort iKapa Military Base in Cape Town.

The union says 146 soldiers deployed to the Western Cape to assist with gang violence are being housed in a leaking hangar with poor sanitation, limited toilets and no warm water.

The troops are deployed under Operation Prosper, which places SANDF members in the Western Cape and four other provinces to help SAPS combat violent crime and gangsterism until March 2027.

The concerns come as the Department of Defence received R57.6 billion for the 2026/2027 financial year. About R823 million has reportedly been allocated nationally for SANDF support to SAPS with priority internal tasks.

According to a letter drafted by lawyers for SANDU, soldiers are being exposed to “deplorable, inhumane, and unsafe conditions”.

The union says the hangar roof leaks, wind enters through the vents, and soldiers sleep in tents on a concrete floor with iron-rod beds placed close together.

SANDU also says only three toilets have been allocated to 146 members, with one already needing repairs.

The letter further claims there is no toilet paper, no warm water for showers and no cleaning material for the base and hangar.

The union warned it may approach the Gauteng High Court if demands are not met. These include better accommodation, more ablution facilities, repairs to leaks, increased food rations, warm water and assurances that soldiers will not be victimised.

Calls for urgent inspection

SANDU said it would also escalate the matter to the Department of Employment and Labour for an urgent inspection over possible occupational health and safety breaches.

DA NCOP member on Security and Justice Nicholas Gotsell said he visited the base and found troops packed into a leaking hangar during a severe storm.

He said the conditions contradicted the Defence Department’s stated priority of “Putting the Soldier First”.

GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron said labour guidelines require workplaces with more than 100 employees to provide at least five toilets per gender.

“This is not just a logistical oversight. It is a direct infringement on constitutional rights to dignity, health, and safety,” Herron said.

Cape Argus reported that it had contacted Defence Minister Angie Motshekga’s office, Lieutenant General Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha and SANDU, but had not yet received a response.