President Cyril Ramaphosa witnessed Shoke’s farewell during a Change of Command parade at the Pretoria Military Sports Ground in Thaba Tshwane on Friday.

General Shoke will retire on Monday after more than two-and-a-half decades of service and hand over the command of the SANDF to Maphwanya.

Earlier, President Ramaphosa praised General Shoke saying the SANDF had achieved a lot under his leadership.

Shoke warns against budget cuts 

Meanwhile, the outgoing Chief warned of the dangers of budget cuts for the army.

Shoke delivered his farewell address last Wednesday to the army at the Young’s Field and Simon’s Town Military Bases in Cape Town.

Estimates put the budget cuts for the SANDF at over R15 billion in the medium-term expenditure framework.

Shoke says the country cannot grow its economy if there’s no security.

In a last salute for the outgoing General, he says he’s leaving behind an army with personnel who are highly committed to the protection of the country.

However, he says the dwindling resources allocation poses a serious risk to security.

“South Africans should have to begin to start to have an appreciation for security because you cannot grow the economy without an environment that is secured, and I think we need to take a step backwards and ask ourselves whether we really prioritise security because it will be too late when people start putting money when there’s already danger.”

SABC News