Dire living conditions for SANDF troops at Fort iKapa: No toilet paper, no warm water, only 3 toilets
Troops are housed in a leaking hangar at Fort iKapa in Goodwood, facing inadequate living conditions.
Image: Bheki Radebe
The SA National Defence Union (SANDU) is demanding urgent action from the Department of Defence (DOD), describing inhumane conditions including a leaking hangar, no warm water for showers, and unsanitary toilets for 146 members who have been deployed to the province to assist in gang violence.
This is occurring while R823 million has been allocated nationally for the SANDF to support the SAPS with priority internal tasks, focusing on a government-wide approach to stabilise crime.
Photographs seen by the Cape Argus show a grim and horrifying image of conditions inside the hangar, which appears to be in an appalling state, with tents mounted on the concrete floor and iron-rod beds crammed together.
SANDU has since threatened legal action, with the Gauteng High Court being in sight, should the demands for better accommodation, more ablution facilities, no leaks, increased food rations, warm water, and assurances that members would not be victimised not be met.
This comes just as Minister for Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, carried out a debate for the 2026/2027 budget, which revealed that the DOD received a total of R57.6 billion for the year 2026/2027.
Under Operation Prosper, SANDF troops were deployed across the Western Cape and four other provinces to combat violent crime and gangsterism, operating until March 2027.
Conditions inside Fort iKapa.
Image: supplied
The alarm has been raised over inhumane conditions at Fort iKapa Military Base in Acacia Park in Cape Town, where 146 soldiers are being housed, following a letter drafted by lawyers on behalf of SANDU as seen by the Cape Argus: "Although our clients, members accept their responsibility towards the Department of Defence (the "DOD") and have rendered their services to the DOD, the members are actively being exposed to the following deplorable, inhumane, and unsafe conditions that are unlawful and unacceptable.
“They are currently being accommodated in a hangar, the vents of which allow wind to enter the building, and the roof is leaking extensively. The toilets are dilapidated and unsanitary, in that only three toilets have been allocated for a total of 146 members to utilise, one toilet of which already requires repairs.
"There is also no toilet paper for the deployed soldiers; there is no warm water to utilise in the showers. Even more shocking is the issue of hygiene and germs, as soldiers have been left without cleaning materials in the base and hangar, which is home to insects and pests. This has resulted in soldiers being unable to clean their living area properly, leaving a breeding ground for pests and diseases.
"Food rations are also scarce, with images used to illustrate the portions inside plastic lunch boxes.
“The DOD personnel at Fort iKapa are aware of the inhumane and unsafe conditions, despite having had time to properly prepare before the deployment, and the DOD has nevertheless required its members to remain in the conditions as they are.”
SANDU said it would escalate the concerns to the Department of Employment and Labour for an urgent inspection relating to breaches of Occupational Health and Safety.
Food rations.
Image: supplied
Their plight has reached the attention of Nicholas Gotsell MP, DA NCOP Member on Security & Justice, who carried out an oversight visit to the base recently, citing that soldiers had to sleep in barracks with leaking roofs.
Gotsell escalated his findings nationally to the DOD: “I found our troops packed into a leaking hangar during a severe storm. This stands in direct contradiction to the lofty promises made in the 2026/27 Defence Budget Vote, where the Department claimed it had embraced the Ministerial Priority of “Putting the Soldier First," including ensuring “habitable facilities," “well-maintained bases," and priority support for soldiers on deployment.
"The contradiction becomes even more glaring when one considers that approximately R823 million has reportedly been allocated to Operation Prosper.
"The SANDF leadership cannot continue hiding behind public relations exercises and ceremonial rhetoric while these conditions persist. Particularly troubling is the continued obsession with SANDF golf days and fundraising events, which are routinely marketed as being for “charity” or “communities in need," while members of the Defence Force themselves are apparently living under conditions that require charity at home first," he said.
In an emailed letter to Lieutenant General Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha, Gotsell questioned who was responsible for the wellbeing, accommodation, and daily living conditions of the troops.
Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General, said according to Department of Employment and Labour guidelines, workplaces with more than 100 employees must 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," he said.
Cape Argus has since reached out to Motshekga’s office, including Mbatha, and SANDU and has yet to receive a response.