| Military branches: |
South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army, South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint Operations Command, Joint Support Command, Military Intelligence, Military Health Service (2007) |
| Military service age and obligation: |
18 years of age for voluntary military service; women have a long history of military service in noncombat roles dating back to World War I (2004) |
| Manpower available for military service: |
males age 18-49: 10,354,769
females age 18-49: 10,626,550 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 18-49: 4,927,757
females age 18-49: 4,609,071 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 18-49: 512,407
females age 18-49: 506,078 (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.7% (2006) |
| Military - note: |
with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete |