The Department of Defense (DoD) comprises the Ministry of Defense, the Defense Secretariat, the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) which in turn comprises the South African Army (SA Army), South Africa Air Force (SAAF), South African Navy (SA Navy) and the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS).

As a young army in a newly democratic country, the SANDF seeks to overcome gender inequality, as well as racial disparity, within its ranks.

The South African Defense Review (2015) solemnly declares that: ‘The future soldier will be a skilled, healthy, fit and highly disciplined military professional imbued with a high level of morale and sense of duty. The Defense Force will be an equitable, broadly representative and gender-aligned national asset.’