Pretoria: The DA has criticised the government's decision to spend about R272 million buying 17 defence missiles, but Finance Minister Trevor Manuel says South Africa spends more on providing water than it does on defence.

Eddie Trent (DA), in a member's statement yesterday, questioned why the government saw fit to spend R16 million on each missile to arm the navy's four frigates, only for them to be used to blow up old fishing vessels.

In a navy exercise early this month, the frigates SAS Amatola and SAS Isandlwana fired surface-to-surface missiles at a derelict mine warfare vessel off Cape Point, reducing it to flotsam.

"Also, the SA National Defence Force has spent about R999 090 million on the first phase of a missile defence system that could escalate into more billions," Trent said.

He expressed concern that Thales Air Defence was one of the system's suppliers although its parent, Thales, had been implicated in the arms deal scandal.

"Please tell us how you can justify spending more and more taxpayers' money on sophisticated weapons (which) in any event we are unable adequately to service and operate?" Trent said.

"Please, Mr Minister, with whom are we at war?"

Manuel and Deputy Defence Minister Mluleki George shot down Trent's argument, calling it "ludicrous".

"We are one of a handful of countries that spend less than 2% of GDP on defence capability and we are one of four in the world that spend more on the provision of water than what we do on defence," Manuel told the National Assembly.

"The Constitution's Chapter 11 enjoins us to establish a national defence force - it doesn't create an option."

The Constitution compelled the government to have a defence force and to equip it with sophisticated weapons.

Manuel said that the strategic defence procurement package arose from the defence review that had been supported by all parties, including the Democratic Party, forerunner of the DA.

George said every country needed a defence force that was ready to do its core business.

Trent's argument that South Africa had no enemies was "ridiculous" and not worthy of a response, he said.

With acknowledgements to Boyd Webb and Cape Times.