If ever there was a reminder of the South African miracle, it is the concept of the country's top generals working side by side on a daily basis to plan the country's defence.

Gen Sphiwe Nyanda, who will leave his post as chief of the defence force after eight years next month, can take much of the credit for this.

He oversaw the process of integrating former foes into the new South African National Defence Force and transforming the body's racial composition. This task is not yet complete and there have been upsets along the way, but on the whole it has been carried out with surprisingly little conflict.

The incident at the Tempe military base in 1999, when a former member of the Pan Africanist Congress's Azanian People's Liberation Movement killed eight white colleagues, may well have resulted in violence in different circumstances. As chief, Nyanda had the leadership qualities needed to quell this and to take the defence force into a new era.

But there are big challenges ahead for Gen Godfrey Ngwenya, who will take over from Nyanda, particularly in respect to combat readiness, which remains low. This comes at a time when SA is increasingly being called upon to play a large role in peacekeeping. Health problems from a 22% HIV infection rate as well as the force's high age profile are affecting readiness.

Another set of problems arises from the defence force's inefficient logistics and inventory control systems, which the auditor-general has noted in a series of qualified opinions. Budgets for training and exercises are under tight constraints as the overall defence budget is heavily skewed to salaries and the multibillion-rand arms deal.

To ensure a rejuvenation, the defence force will have to continue to recruit more healthy youngsters and ensure exit packages for those who are not up to the task. As spending on the arms package declines there will be an opportunity for the funding of these packages.

Other challenges include bedding down SA's new warship, submarine and fighter aircraft at a time of technical skills shortages and ensuring the right choice of new systems for the army.

Ngwenya will thus have to focus on ensuring rejuvenation and combat readiness. The politicians can help by ensuring defence priorities, including the exit package, are properly funded. That will allow SA to play a large and effective role in the planned African standby force and peacekeeping initiatives, which lie at the core of regional security.

With acknowledgement to the Business Day.