Military branches:

South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army, South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint Operations Command, Military Intelligence, Military Health Service (2008)

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 16-49: 11,622,507
females age 16-49: 11,501,537 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,042,498
females age 16-49: 5,471,103 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

males age 16-49: 496,337
females age 16-49: 492,024 (2008 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