SANDF sent soldiers to Cuba for medical training that was 136% more expensive than local

Medical training for South African troops in Cuba was 136% more expensive when compared to an equivalent tertiary course in South Africa, and the Department of Defence could have saved over R122 million if soldiers studied locally in SA.

These were the findings of the Auditor-General (AG), who placed the Department of Defence (DOD) contract with the Cubans under the magnifying glass as it scrutinised the department’s 2022/23 annual report in Parliament.

According to the AG, the DOD continues to incur irregular expenditure relating to Project Thusano, the official name of the Cuban deal, and disclosed R308 million irregular expenditure for the project in 2022-23 financial statements.