Hansard: NA: Unrevised Hansard
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 25 May 2017
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Minutes
THURSDAY, 25 MAY 2017
PROCEEDINGS OF MINI PLENARY SESSION OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
The mini plenary session met in the National Assembly Chamber at 14:01.
Mr M R Mdakane, as Chairperson, took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayer or meditation.
APPROPRIATION BILL
Debate on Vote No 19 — Defence and Military Veterans:
The MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS: Thank you very much Chairperson. Chairpersons, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Deputy Minister K B Maphatsoe, fellow Cabinet colleagues and Deputy Ministers, co-chairperson and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, members of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, hon members, commanders and senior officials of both the Departments of Defence and Military Veterans
led by the Secretary for Defence and Military Veterans and the Chief of the SA National Defence Force, SANDF, chairpersons, chief executive officer, CEO, and heads of all entities of the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans, our distinguished guests, officers, warrant officers, noncommissioned officers, our soldiers in the units and fellow South Africans, today I feel great to be a South African and even greater to be an African. Today is Africa Day, one of the greatest indicators of the advances made by the African continent. Today marks the 23rd anniversary of South Africa‘s membership of the Organisation of African Unity, OAU, and its successor, the African Union, AU.
It was in May 1994 that South Africa was admitted into the ranks of the OAU to become that body‘s 53rd member. I want to assert, without any fear of contradiction, that the birth of the OAU in 1963 was directly connected to the argument made by our own Pixley ka Seme in his seminal article in 1906, when he argued in his thesis of the regeneration of our continent that Africa was in the process of being reborn.
At this point we lift up the memory of the former president of the ANC Oliver Tambo as one of Africa‘s leaders who contributed greatly to the regeneration of Africa by leading the masses of our
country for many years in the struggle to liberate South Africa and her people.
For me it is also with great pride and humility that I recognise two leaders who worked under Oliver Tambo as the ANC led forces of revolution to topple the apartheid regime and to bring about the freedom that we enjoy today.
The first person I want to recognise is a woman who was a mother to many of us, a teacher, a protector and a woman whose valour in the struggle earned her the highest honour in the ANC, Isitwalandwe-Seaparankoe, Mme Gertie Shope ... [Applause.] ... who was also awarded the OR Tambo Lifetime Achievement award.
We also want to recognise a veteran of our struggle, Ntate Ike Makopo, a trailblazer in the formation of uMkhonto weSizwe. [Applause.] He served the country and its people with distinction and was honoured with the Order of Luthuli by our government.
For our part in the Department of Defence, I have directed the Chief of the SANDF to appoint Mama Gertrude Shope and Ntate Makopo as honorary colonels in the SANDF. [Applause.] Even in your last days Mme Gertie and Ntate Makopo, you deserve to wear that uniform which you fought for. Thank you, thank you, thank you to you.
[Applause.] I don‘t see Ntate Makopo but he is here. I don‘t see Ntate Makopo. [Applause.] Thank you, Ntate Makopo. Thank you for everything. We would not be here were it not for your bravery and your courage. Thank you.
I invite you to support us as we link the celebration of Africa Day to the significant role played by our men and women in uniform in support of efforts to bring about and consolidate much-needed peace, stability and conditions of safety for all the people of the continent.
As a country, we have much to celebrate given the role that South Africa continues to play and the successes we score to bring about peace and stability in support of the continent‘s collective efforts to create the necessary conditions for human development and the betterment of all our people. As part of the Africa agenda, the role of the SANDF, recognised as a midwife for peace in the continent, has been integral in these efforts. We are deeply encouraged by the levels of support and appreciation shown by our people towards the work of the SANDF. Testimony to this is the enthusiasm shown towards events such as Armed Forces Day and the various exhibitions we hold annually.
As we mark Africa Day, I wish to introduce to Parliament some of the young men and women who served in the UN Force Intervention Brigade in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC. They are led by Col Monwabisi Dyakopu, who was their national contingent commander. Where are they? [Applause.] Thank you, thank you. The UN Force Intervention Brigade was mandated to protect civilians, women and children, and to remove all negative forces in the DRC. The UN Force Intervention Brigade play an important role in neutralising the March 23 Movement, M23, one of the negative forces in eastern DRC.
As part of our appreciation for the commitment and sacrifices by our soldiers deployed in operations, we have introduced a compensation policy in respect of those members who lose their lives, in line with the UN policy.
I am pleased to report that the Department of Defence, having completed the relevant plans, has started implementing milestone one of the Defence Review 2015, intended to mitigate the decline of the capabilities of the SANDF. The plans are our foundation to engage with the National Planning Commission, the Department of Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation, and the National Treasury in a comprehensive and robust manner. The primary focus is to address the serious mismatch between the current funding
allocation to, and the expectations placed on the Department of Defence. We should also appreciate that this is being done within the following five work packages:
The first is the focus on critical organisational and efficiency interventions that can be executed within the current resource allocation to Defence.
The second is to revisit the functional policies, strategies and plans that will ensure the implementation of the Defence Review 2015. This can be done within the current allocation.
The third is critical interventions that are focused on operational support systems that are required to sustain current operations. This requires additional funding in the form of an increase to the baseline of R10,67 billion allocation to the force.
The fourth addresses specific capital interventions to improve and renew priority capabilities required to execute current operational commitments. These interventions require additional funding in the form of a baseline increase of R8,96 billion.
The fifth is the interventions to maintain comprehensive defence
capabilities in line with the constitutional mandate of the Defence Force. These interventions require an additional baseline increase of R35,4 billion.
As indicated in the Defence Review, the full implementation would imply a doubling of the current allocation from the fiscus over the long term. In reality, the Defence allocation has been declining by five per cent per annum in real terms over the last
20 years to a mere one per cent of the gross domestic product, GDP. Meanwhile, the appropriate funding level as articulated in the Defence Review 2015 would require a steady increase to at least two per cent of GDP over time.
Whilst there is great appreciation for the competing pressures on the fiscus, the persistent and continued dramatic downward trend in real terms of the funding allocation to Defence has reached a point where the Department of Defence runs the risk of losing more of its essential capabilities in addition to those already lost.
It is clear that a closer relationship between the Department of Defence and National Treasury is required to take the implementation of the Defence Review forward. To this end, the Minister of Finance and I agreed that an interdepartmental budget task team should be established. The importance of this process is
that we are endeavouring to develop a common Department of Defence and National Treasury proposal, endorsed by both Ministries that will inform our engagement on the Ministerial Technical Advisory Body, MinTech and the Ministers' Committee on the Budget, Mincommbud, processes and the development of the next Medium-Term Strategic Framework, MTSF, and mandate paper.
One of our important projects is the development of an integrated Department of Defence budgeting and costing tool with which we intend to strengthen Defence financial management in the future.
The task team is working towards achieving a long-term perspective on the required resources to implement the Defence Review through the following initiatives:
Firstly, developing, in conjunction with the National Treasury, specific policy options and funding trajectories from the fiscus;
Secondly, developing and driving a comprehensive Department of Defence efficiency programme in order to make the current Department of Defence allocation more efficient; and
Thirdly, leveraging alternative Defence revenue streams by the sweating of assets, developing intellectual property, ensuring
reimbursement from UN peace missions, as well as other initiatives
South Africa will continue to employ, inter alia the following principal security strategies:
Firstly, political, economic and military co-operation with other states, including the development of a common security regime, regional defence co-operation and the pursuit of confidence and security-building measures in Southern Africa;
Secondly, the prevention, management and resolution of conflict through nonviolent means, including diplomacy and conflict resolution through the Southern African Development Community, SADC, organ, the AU Peace and Security Council and the UN Security Council; and
Thirdly, the use of force or the threat of the use of force as a legitimate measure of last resort when political and other interventions have been exhausted.
The SANDF is already involved in peacetime activities with regard to matters that impact on the lives of South Africans on a daily basis.
Firstly, we have trained several members of the reserve force in a collaborative effort with some of South Africa‘s provinces in courses on water purification and fire extinguishing;
Secondly, the reserve force members are working hard in the North West province as community development practitioners in order to assist provincial programmes in their rural development initiatives;
Thirdly, a total of 13 youth entrepreneurship service camps that trained 2 600 learners were presented in the North West province; and
Fourthly, the order was given in 2016 for military messes in the Defence Force to procure commodities produced by local communities. That process has already started as part of the plans for the 2017-18 financial year. I made reference to one province and we are planning on having our footprint in all nine provinces.
The implementation of the Defence Review 2015 is now fully embedded into the established planning processes of the department and will drive the Defence business unusual agenda over the next two MTSF periods. Similarly, reporting on the implementation of the Defence Review 2015 is also part of the reporting processes in
the department. In other words, we have now institutionalised the Defence business unusual agenda within the Department of Defence.
The Defence Works Formation capacitation is currently at 83%, indicating a strength of 2 078 currently. Continuous training and skilling of artisans is taking place. To date, a total of 988 members have been trained and qualified as artisans, technicians, site supervisors and project managers in various fields. The Defence Works Formation is conducting 168 projects throughout the nine provinces of the Republic of South Africa out of its own resource allocations.
Last year I signed a memorandum of understanding, MOU, with the Department of Public Works. In the spirit of that MOU, the Defence Works Formation has taken over the maintenance and refurbishment of 1 Military Hospital. Nonetheless, the complexities of the project remain a concern. I will be monitoring this process closely.
The capacity of the Defence Works Formation remains limited in effecting maintenance and repairs. An example hereof is the situation at the borderline. Therefore, we are seeking the support of Parliament to fully re-establish this maintenance and repair capability within the Department of Defence.
With regard to Operation Thusano, during the 2016-17 period, 1 871 vehicles were repaired in collaboration with the Cuban armed forces at a cost saving of R108,334 million. Cuba has deployed an additional 41 technical specialists across the country to assist us in resuscitating the technical service corps capability. In addition, the Cuban specialists were able to repair the following equipment: the biomedical workshop, vehicle diagnostic machinery, medical technology equipment and a magnetic particle test bench, amongst others.
In June 2017, 40 SANDF members will be graduating in the Republic of Cuba in air-traffic control, technical air and mechanical engineering, as well as ground-school training. [Applause.] This is made up of 27 cadets and 13 officers. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the Cuban team responsible for the project. They are led by Brigadier General Ortega. [Applause.] Thank you. Indeed, as taught by the late El Commandante Fidel Castro, the spirit of solidarity should continue to live amongst the Cuban and South African people. [Applause.]
As recommended by the Defence Review 2015, the transfer of the dockyard to the SA Navy is underway. The multilateral agreement between the Department of Defence, Denel and the Armaments Corporation of SA, Armscor, has been signed and Denel is awaiting
National Treasury approval. Consultations with the employees of the dockyard are continuing to ensure that all labour matters are attended to.
The SA Navy has continued to deploy vessels in support of the maritime security strategy. Over the past year, the SA Navy has conducted three protracted patrols in the Mozambique Channel utilising a frigate, an offshore patrol vessel and the SAS Drakensberg respectively. Furthermore, the SAS Amatola was one of the frigates that successfully participated in the SS Mendi centenary commemoration in the UK and Exercise Good Hope in Germany.
Since the sod-turning ceremony in December 2015, significant progress has been made in terms of converting the naval station in Durban to a fully fledged naval base.
Notwithstanding challenges in border safeguarding, the SANDF continues to register substantial operational achievements, particularly in the areas of stock theft, the recovery of stolen vehicles and the prevention of cross-border crime. During this year, the Department of Defence will submit a border safeguarding strategy to the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security, JCPS, Cluster of Ministers for approval. It is still my intention that
the required number of companies deployed must increase from 15 to
22 as per plan and to make our borders more secure. This however is impeded by the continuous reductions in the Defence budget. We need the support of Parliament to deal with this matter.
The SANDF continues to help during disasters in South Africa and elsewhere on the continent. During the current period, units of the Defence Force participated in rescue missions of one kind or the other, including aircraft accidents and fire disasters.
This year, the Department of Defence will provide a comprehensive departmental cyber-warfare strategy and sensor strategy to the JCPS Cluster of Ministers for approval. We are seized with this matter of cybersecurity in our country.
The new human resources strategy has been completed and maps out the rejuvenation of the Defence Force. However, due to the reduced human resources budget allocation the new recruits‘ intake is expected to decrease in size, thus negatively affecting force rejuvenation. This is exacerbated by the high rate of natural attrition which is about 3 500 persons per annum. Following the reduction in the aggregate expenditure ceiling, the department‘s budget for compensation of employees was reduced by R1,9 billion in the 2017-18 financial year.
The Department of Defence has kept true to its approach of a layered defence through a substantial footprint of Defence attachés. The SANDF has, and will continue to deploy over the current Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, a complement of
44 Defence attachés, 10 of which cover 12 SADC countries on a residential and nonresidential basis, 13 in the rest of the continent and 21 in the rest of the world.
By the end of January 2017, the department had a total of 40 female uniform members in command positions out of a total of 225. This is 17%. The percentage of female generals is gradually increasing, from 16% in 2013 to 19% in 2017. [Applause.] Over this financial period it is envisaged that a total of 11 female Defence Force members will be deployed as Defence attachés. We will continue to make a steady progress in this regard.
The current regulations for the reserve force have been revised and are aligned to meet new Department of Defence requirements, and will shortly be promulgated in the Government Gazette. In addition, we commit ourselves to overseeing name changes in certain reserve force units.
The SANDF Education Trust, based on voluntary contributions from members of the public, was established in October 2013 and since
then has awarded bursaries to 90 beneficiaries. We seek the support of Parliament to translate this fund into a formal fund of the department supported from the Defence allocation. It is unfortunate and embarrassing that we do not have an institutionalised system where orphaned children of Defence Force members rely on the state to provide for educational support.
Armscor‘s turnaround strategy has resulted in a number of African countries showing interest in using Armscor‘s services.
Furthermore, Armscor is registered as a strategic supplier with UN Procurement to ensure the increased participation of the South African defence industry in the supply of their requirements.
Armscor remains committed to providing military veterans support in various areas such as, economic empowerment, corporate social investment, skills development, as well as employment.
The NDIC has already developed the Defence Industry Strategy and
the Defence Industry Charter, providing pathways for the transformation and growth of the defence industry and paving the way for women, youth, and military veterans to participate in this
industry. The charter has been submitted to the Minister of Trade and Industry to initiate the process towards publication and comment. It is our intention to officially launch the charter in
To enhance the landward defence programme, a partnership of the Department of Defence, Armscor, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR, and Denel has taken the initiative to locally build a multipurpose support vehicle called Truck Africa. Apart from creating jobs, this initiative will help develop skills led by the local defence industry. A prototype of Truck Africa has been produced, with production planned to begin in the mid-term.
The Africa Aerospace and Defence, AAD, 2016 was the most successful to date and for the very first time the AAD promoted Africa‘s defence capabilities through the African Unity Pavilion, showcasing the technological products and services of the continent. The total impact of AAD 2016 to the economic output is in the region of R1,1 billion with a R146 million contribution to South Africa‘s tax revenue. More than 2 400 jobs were created during this period.
During 2016, the office of the Military Ombud received 276 new complaints. A further 118 were carried over from the previous
financial year. A total of 198 of those were finalised. The office of the ombud will host the 10th International Conference of Ombuds Institutions for the Armed Forces in June this year. We also announce the appointment of the Deputy Military Ombud, Ms P R Masutha. [Applause.]
I wish to congratulate the Defence Force Service Commission, DFSC, on the successful hosting of the recent civil military relations seminar. Since 2014, the DFSC undertook 23 consultative visits to SANDF units to interact with SANDF members across all rank levels on their conditions of service. During 2016, a number of recommendations to improve their conditions were processed. Such recommendations include: the decoupling of salary from rank; the review of the military skills development programme; and pronouncements on the improvements to living quarters for our soldiers.
yield concrete positive results.
Furthermore, the Department of Military Veterans managed to spend 85% of its allocated budget in the 2016-17 financial year, as
opposed to almost 60% expenditure during the 2015-16 year. The Department of Military Veterans‘ management team is now hard at work to put in place the necessary systems, processes as well as policies to ensure that all of the R622 million allocated is spent
prudently.
The long-overdue process of amending the Military Veterans Act is
now firmly on course and will be put before Parliament during the course of this financial year.
The budget allocation for the entire Vote in the financial year
2016-17 is R48 billion, which is approximately 1% of the GDP. The MTEF allocations indicate that for the financial year 2018-19 our
budget will decline to less than 0,98% of the GDP. These figures
indicate a persistent decline of the Defence budget.
Given the planning that has gone in embedding our change programmes into our normal annual performance plans, APPs, for
both departments, we have deemed this the Year of change. Despite the challenges we have outlined here, we are not planning to fail. We need your support in this regard. [Applause.]
The CHAIRPERSON (Mr M R Mdakane): Thank you very much hon Minister. Let me also inform our invited guests and distinguished
visitors that they can participate fully in the Chamber by listening only. By listening only, and with no clapping of hands or booing, but just by listening attentively to what the debate is all about. Please distinguished guests, assist us by doing so.
Hon Minister, we would have requested you to also ask our mother, Mme Shope, to also rise for us to see her. Mme Shope, if you are around please rise just so that we can see you. [Applause.] Thank you very much. Hon Stan Motimele?
Mr M S MOTIMELE: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister of Defence and Military Veterans; hon Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and Deputy Minister; Kebby Maphatsoe. Minister, let me join you in saluting the military veterans up there, especially the Sipolilo and Hwange Battle hero brother Isaac Maphoto.
Halala brother Ike halala!
... and to the Cuban Team I would like to say hamista compañero!
... and all the guests. The ANC supports this Budget Vote. This year‗s Budget Vote Debate takes place against the back ground of profound challenges in the global arena; on the African continent and domestically. With the world wide slowing down of economic growth; the increase in global insecurity; the disruptions caused
by cyber attacks; our world is becoming more complicated and challenging. This do not only calls for us to be prudent and cost effective with the utilisation of our ever decreasing resources, but also to be innovative and to and to show necessary leadership required.
As the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans we have the responsibility to oversee the Department of Defence; the Department of Military Veterans; Armscor; the Castle Control Board and the Military Ombudsman. We ensure that they are being held accountable and are complying with the relevant prescripts through regular reporting and committee oversight visits. We value their co-operation and compliance with their respective legislative mandates. We commend them for overall achieving their respective objectives and encourage them to continue on this positive trajectory despite the resource constraints.
The committee has expressed its concern around the continuous decrease in the defence budget. This year it equates to a decrease of 3,17% in real terms and adjusted for inflation. If one adds what is required to fund only Milestone One of the 2015 Defence Review, which is around R15 billion to arrest the decline of defence capabilities, we need to acknowledge the financial constraints under which the Department of Defence is operating.
For this reason we urge the department to speed up the development of the funding model to allow our committee to engage with it and assist where possible.
The fact that the department is required to shed around roughly
9 000 personnel in this financial year, is concerning. While it was indicated that this will not be possible and that it will likely result in overspending on this item, we encouraged the department to enhance its interactions with National Treasury and the Department of Public Service and Administration to alleviate this challenge. In the same vein, we would like to encourage the department to up its game with border safeguarding to further enhance its fight against cross border crime and protecting our landline borders. We further implore the department to pay more attention to the health support of regular force members and in particular to military veterans. These military veterans deserved to be looked after in a proper manner given their sacrifices for our hard fought democracy.
If one has regard to the various activities of the Department of Military Veterans and especially the delivery of benefits to military veterans, we commend the department for the progress it has been making over the last few months. The sterling work done by the Turnaround Strategic Initiative team as well as the acting
director-general is of particular relevance in this case. While dismayed by the slow progress with housing in the past financial year, the non delivery on subsidised public transport, we believe that this is being turned around. We are encouraged by the progress with bursaries, health provision and especially the Social Relief of Distress grants.
Further, the numerous planned events to honour and memorialise fallen heroes, such as the 35th anniversary of the Maseru massacre; 50th anniversary of the Hwange and Sipolilo battles and the 30th anniversary of the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale, are welcomed as it is indeed incumbent on us to pay homage to our fallen heroes who made this democracy possible. We need however, also express our concern on issues such as last year‘s spending patterns, the Intermediate Care Technician, ICT, challenges, slow progress with Management Performance Assessment Tool, MPAT, assessments and the filling of vacancies as well as the finalisation of the Skills Audit.
The Committee appreciate the hard work by the Armaments Corporation of South Africa, Armscor, to achieve a clean audit in the last financial year and urges the corporation to maintain this audit outcome going forward. [Applause.] We would like to encourage it to further enhance its efforts to develop alternative
revenue options for itself as well as the Department of Defence. The management of the Dockyard is a concern as the maintenance and repairs of the Navy‘s vessels should be one of the highest priorities to support inter alia Operation Phakisa and safeguard our territorial waters. The Castle Control Board has improved its support to military veterans, as well increasing its image through positive coverage world wide. Concerning, however, is the lack of positive results of the Revenue Optimisation Plan against the background of a request for additional funding from the Department of Defence.
Our concern with the Office of the Military Ombudsman revolves mainly around its institutional independence and challenges around the implementation of its recommendations. We hope that with the processing of the legislative amendments, many of these issues will be addressed.
In conclusion, let me state that our committee takes its responsibilities to support the two department‘s the three entities, very seriously. The development of dashboards and the regular reporting on it, as well as the request to reprioritise their activities, form part of our committee‘s oversight over the Department of Defence and Military Veterans.
In addition, the reprioritisation of defence activities also forms part of the issues we are targeting to ensure even more effectiveness and efficiencies.
Finally, our well wishes to all those soldiers, men and women in uniform who protect and safeguard our beautiful country. Thank you very much.
Mr S J F MARAIS: Chairperson, our Constitution confirms in article 200(2) and I quote: ‖The primary object of the defence force is to defend and protect the Republic, its territorial integrity and its people, in accordance with the Constitution and the principles of international law regulating the use of force.‖
In the light of the constant budget decrease, especially in defence real terms, which is about 12%, it is becoming evermore difficult to simply maintain the Defence Force we have, let alone to support the Defence Force envisaged in the 2015 Defence review.
Similar to last year, we will still not be able to fund milestone 1, which is only to arrest the decline. In order to maintain a reasonable Defence Force, a year-on-year budget of at least 2% of GDP must be maintained. This has not happened and is not foreseen over the medium term, although it did not deter the Minister,
Cabinet or the Defence Force from retaining their unrealistic and ideological objectives, operational plans, and international commitments.
Our GDP of below 1% and the national priorities of government do not provide for their ideal Defence Force. There is a disjunction between what the Defence Force government wants on paper, what we can afford, and what we actually need to comply with our constitutional obligations.
Keep in mind; we have no warfare threat at our borders or against our integrity. The Defence Force has confirmed that we have a window period of between three to five years to address the decline in the Defence Force‘s capacities, before the capabilities will be depleted.
Some of the current shocking national deployable capacity statistics that they have shared with us are: we have only two C130 aircraft at 28 squadron, of which one is mostly out of service and those are for the transport of troops, equipment and paratroopers; we have zero aircraft at 35 squadron, which is responsible for maritime patrols, protection, and sea search-and- rescue missions; we have only five medium-transport helicopters; we have only two Rooivalk helicopters; we have only one Naval
Vessel; we have two battalions for peacekeeping missions; 1 level-
1 medical capacity and we need more than R1 billion for one military hospital alone to bring that up to standard; we have only
15 subunits for border patrols, while we actually require at least 21.
National Treasury has indicated the funds requested will not be approved, that the Defence Force must cut their cloth to size, and operate within the means of our economy. They made no secret that it appears the department do not intend to comply with their recommended austerity measures. Most notable was the directive that the human resource spending must be reduced from 57% to 40%.
The current funding requirements are unaffordable. The budget allocation of R48 billion will only fund the first two of the five phases to complete milestone 1, for which the Defence Force requires a further R55,07 billion for this year. We know the economy cannot afford this.
Let‘s be honest, Minister, we must reprioritise and restructure the Defence Force to balance what we can afford with what we need. Both you, Cabinet and the Defence Force must realise that your signed-off and idealistic plans are unaffordable, unrealistic and
unachievable. Nonessential costs and commitments must be eliminated as soon as possible.
One avoidable expense is the constant leasing of private aircraft, both for the President‘s and your comfort, and to transport our troops and equipment to the DRC. How many more flying hours and funds must be wasted this way?
A nonessential expense and requirement is our favourite aircraft, lnkwazi. Contrary to the arguments, this luxury jet has been fully operational, while neither the President, nor the Deputy President, nor has the Minister, used Inkwazi since at least the end of June last year. At least 50 flights were however undertaken to Langebaan, East London, Overberg, Bloemfontein, Hoedspruit, Durban, etc. Who is using it? The argument that this is for pilot training cannot be justified. If there is no VIP use for this aircraft, why train pilots to fly it?
An unused fully operational presidential jet is a luxury, a show piece, and a sign to keep up with the Joneses. We cannot afford that, Minister.
At the same time, you have express the appetite for yet another new regional VIP jet, which begs the question, why not rather sell
Inkwazi or utilise it for the regional flight requirements? We cannot afford both, as it will equate to reckless trading.
Minister, the DA wants to recommend the following which will support a sustainable and optimally funded defence force.
One, reorganise, reprioritise and restructure the Defence Force based on the approved budget, the projected GDP, and the constitutional mandate.
Two, focus on border protection for land, sea and air.
Three, support economic development, and secure our ocean economy‘s potential, thus contributing to helping the nine million unemployed.
Four, comply with international obligations and treaties, with regard to maritime patrol and protection.
Five, re-establish discipline as non-negotiable.
Six, reduce the human resource component to 40% of the budget, so that at least, 80% of the soldiers are younger than 40 years. The
current scenario of the majority being older than 45 years compares badly. An exit mechanism must be developed.
Seven, rationalise the Defence Force in support of our primary constitutional responsibilities, with the focus on secured infantry capacity.
Eight, when supporting UN peacekeeping missions, we must use fully serviceable assets and ring-fence the refunds for Defence Force purposes only.
Afrikaans:
Gebruik Krygkor en verkoop onderbenutte bates en toerusting, insluitend die meeste van ons Hawk en Gripen vegvliegtuie, die duikbote, en veral Inkwazi.
Die President en ander leiers behoort met die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens te vlieg.
Skaf toerusting en bates aan ter nakoming van ons primêre grondwetlike verpligtinge, byvoorbeeld skepe vir die vloot vir die effektiewe bediening van ons oseane; patrollievliegtuie vir 35- Eskader wat nodig is vir see soek-en-reddings operasies en ter ondersteuning van ons see ekonomie; vliegtuie vir 28-Eskader vir die vervoer van soldate en toerusting, en skakel so koste vir
gehuurde vliegtuie uit; verseker diensbare toerusting en voertuie vir ons vredesoperasies, en die bewaking en patrolering van ons landsgrense; ...
English:
Improve our cyber warfare capabilities, specifically the use of drones for land border patrol and protection.
Afrikaans:
Benut die kundigheid van Krygkor meer om ons verdediginsgbedryf te laat groei en ontwikkel, sodat die nege miljoen werkloses volhoubare werk kan kry.
English:
While we require a budget closer to 2% of the GDP, these budget proposals however do not represent value for money and are not in the best interest of our citizens.
Afrikaans:
Voorsitter, op ‘n positiewe noot, almal moet nog net vir twee jaar vasbyt. Daarna sal ‘n DA-geleide regering die Weermag op ‘n positiewe trajek plaas, in die beste belange van die Weermag en al ons inwoners. Ek dank u. [Applous.]
Ms N V MENTE: Chairperson, Minister earlier on you cited that you are a very proud African today and you are a proud South African too. I am standing here not being a proud South African, because today, we wake up everyday to a woman raped, abused or killed.
Today the EFF is sending out a message through the commander-in- chief to all men out there, stop killing, stop abusing and stop raping women and children. [Applause.]
The EFF reject Budget Vote 19 on Defence and Military Veterans. The reason why we reject this budget, it is because of the lack of vision, lack of commitment and the corruption with these two departments. The Department of Defence is currently being defunded, indirectly because the funds are being stolen and misused, and directly because this government is cutting spending. As a result, the budget allocated to general training capability has been decreased by 23,8% and the budget allocated to operational intelligence decreased by 11,81%. This will have a negative impact on the quality of training of our soldiers that are getting meaning out there, and they are less prepared for battles thus putting their lives in danger.
Cutting costs on intelligence will also have a negative impact on the SA National Defence Force, SANDF‘s, ability to carry out operations. While cutting costs on things that are vital for the
SANDF to carry out its mandate, the department has increased the amount of money allocated to consultants and used for administration purposes. The Department of Military Veterans is even more of a mess than the Department of Defence, and is in strong contention to be the worst-run department in the Cabinet.
By the end of the third quarter of the financial year, that just ended the department had only spent 49% of its budget. Despite their being military veterans, who helped liberate this country, but they go to bed hungry, cold and without shelter. Some of the other failures from the previous financial year, include only 40% of legitimate invoices being paid against the 90% planned; 34 houses were supplied to veterans by the end of the third quarter, although 250 had been the target set; and the Department of Military Veterans was able to establish a partner with only one private sector company or state organ, while the target set was
14. I wonder who sits there and does what, but getting paid at the end of the month.
On top of this, there is an issue of credibility of the Military Veteran‘s database which can and has been attributed to incompetence and mismanagement of the database. This is why in the last report to the committee, the department informed the committee that there were 3 900 military veterans on the database
aged 35 – I wonder who‘s 35 was an Mkhonto wesizwe, MK veteran. [Laughter.] Either the liberation movements were recruiting child soldiers. Or more likely the database is being used to dispense assistance to those who don‘t qualify at the expense of those who actually need it.
Of the 1 000 houses which were meant to be allocated in the previous financial year, only 130 were allocated. And, while training and skills development is vital to uplifting the lives of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for the people of this country, the department is cutting the budget allocated to training and skills development by 7,3%. Perhaps this is because the Deputy Minister isn‘t interested in the livelihood of veterans, as he was never really one, but more interested in enriching himself and his comrades. The other reason is - this is a department where a chief executive financial officer had to leave against his own will, fearing for his life because of officials that are hell bent on issuing tenders to friends and maladministration.
Ms D R TSOTETSI: The member knows that in terms of Rule 85(2) the allegation she is making should be applied through a substantive motion. Could you please rule on that?
The CHAIRPERSON (Ms N Gina): Hon member, what allegation did the member say?
Ms N V MENTE: I don‘t know, she must say it – what allegations? [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON (Ms N Gina): No, hon member, I have requested you to take your seat. Hon Mente, can you take your seat, please.
Ms D R TSOTETSI: She alleges the Deputy Minister that certain amount of money was spent on the members of the MK.
The CHAIRPERSON (Ms N Gina): Okay, hon member Mente, you have just made allegations towards the Deputy Minister. [Interjections.]
Ms N V MENTE: That is not true. She must listen carefully and she must listen attentively. There is no amount of money allocated to my speech that is referring to the Deputy Minister.
The CHAIRPERSON (Ms N Gina): Okay, you may continue.
Ms N V MENTE: The chief executive financial officer of the Military Veterans had to leave the department against his own will fearing for his life, because he had blown a whistle on
maladministration, corruption, and tenders being issued against his own will to friends –and that under the watch of the Minister and the Deputy Minister has never been solved up to date. This was the information disclosed to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Scopa, the other day when the department had visited the Scopa. You wonder why the department has never reached its target not even half of it. It is because there is no span message to officials that are corrupt in order to correct the department and save our country through the Defence. Thank you very much. [Applause.] ... [Time expired.]
Inkosi R N CEBEKHULU: Hon Chairperson, I deliver these remarks on behalf of my colleague, hon MP Mncwango. Chair, the capable and able defence of this nation, its territory, integrity, people, resources and international peace keeping rests upon the shoulders of this department.
Maintaining defence-ready capabilities in terms of our landward, air and maritime defence must be prioritised. A steady decline maintenance of military equipment does not bode us well in this respect and efforts to maintain and modernise critical defence capabilities must not be allowed to stagnate and thus adversely affect our state of military readiness.
The IFP continues to support a National Service Platform for our youth. As we stated before, this would not only inculcate a sense of patriotism for our youth but would also develop life skills, such as discipline, loyalty, respect and selfless service, which would augur well for these youth later on in life.
Chairperson, the SANDF has a proud record of peace-keeping in the region and on the continent. Currently, we remain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a training and support capacity, and in Mozambique, in support of a countermarine piracy operation. Our peacekeepers must have every logistical advantage, specifically with regard to working equipment and technology. We continue to salute their efforts.
Governments no longer own and control their country‘s critical national infrastructures. Critical infrastructure now crosses borders and may be even under foreign control in some cases.
Critical national infrastructures that in the past were owned by the government may now be privatised, while companies that may never have been under government control in the past have become critical national infrastructures.
This situation requires imminent collaboration on critical national infrastructures - defence. In order to prevent, or at
least minimise the effects of cyber warfare attacks, it is necessary to have a co-ordinated approach in dealing with cyber- crime and to have a co-ordinated cyber defence strategy in place.
The SANDF itself does not have the capacity and capability to defend and ward off a cyber-warfare attack. Interventions to address cybercrime require a co-ordinated approach and partnership between the private sector, academia, government and civil society.
Chairperson, there is one defence force in South Africa - the SANDF. Any subsidiary defence force is a private army and for a governing party to have such an army, is a cause for grave concern. We accordingly call for the full disbanding of uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association, MKMVA.
Our military veterans or more accurately, uMkhonto weSizwe, were once again in the news when they bravely defended Luthuli house from peaceful protest march against President Zuma, which was happening a kilometre away. Unfortunately, one opposition protestor and a member of the public did wonder erroneously onto their hallowed ground, and although unarmed, he was mercilessly stoned and beaten up by the brave veterans.
IsiZulu:
Uma sineqiniso kufuneka ukuba izwe libe yizwe, akufanele ukuba sibe nemibutho eminingi ezwe. Akuhlonishwe isakhiwo sombuso.
Ngiyathokoza Sihlalo. [Ihlombe.]
English:
Mr S C MNCWABE: House Chairperson, Speaker of the National Assembly, the Minister and Deputy Ministers, hon members, the leadership of the defence force and all struggle veterans present.
The stated primary mandate of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans is to defend and protect the country, its territorial integrity and its people, in accordance with the Constitution and the principles of the international law. In addition, the department has the task of aligning its operations with several of the key objectives of the NDP, amongst others to: contribute to youth unemployment reduction, providing assistance in disaster aid and disaster relief, combating piracy, and strengthening South Africa‘s research and development capacity.
To execute its mandate, the Department of Defence and Military Veterans received a total allocation of R48,619 billion for the 2017-18 financial year, increasing marginally from the
R47,237 billion allocated in 2016-17. Noteworthy, is that the
spending in the different programs show that the majority of the programmes have a reduced allocation in real terms, with the exceptions being the Maritime and Landward Defence programmes.
Chairperson, the NFP accepts that budgetary constraints have to be taken into consideration, but we are concerned about the effect of the 10,56% decrease in the allocation for the Air Defence Programme, and its effect on our air defence capacity. We are however encouraged by the reduction in the administration program, which at R5,38 billion accounts for close to 11% of the department‘s budget yet, at the same time we believe that the allocation for this programme remains disproportionally high. We would also like to have seen an increase in the Defence Intelligence Programme, particularly so since this program is tasked with developing cyber-safety and security related matters which will become increasingly important as technology advances.
The report of the portfolio committee contains several observations and recommendations which we support. We share in the concerns about the overspending on employee salaries, the urgent need to facilitate finances for the much delayed Defence Review, and a call for clarity on the numerous problems related to Military Health Programme, and in particular, the seeming lack of capacity to provide many of the health services.
The NFP is disappointed that ARMSCOR, despite being nominally
self-efficient is expected to make a net loss of R25,5 million for the current financial year, largely as a result of the
R39,6 million loss expected of its Dockyard Programme. The sooner this program is transferred to Denel the better. The NFP supports Budget Vote 19. I thank you.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS: Hon Chair,
the Speaker of the National Assembly, hon Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, hon members, the Secretary of Defence, Chief of the South African National Defence Force, SANDF, Acting Director-General of the Department of Military Veterans, Members of the Plenary Defence Staff Council, officials of the Department of Military Veterans and guests.
Today I stand before you to support the budget of the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, hon Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. My task is also to illustrate the budget of the Department of Military Veterans, and give Parliament a brief on the achievements, challenges and how we plan to resolve them.
Immensely challenges of those who fought and sacrificed for the democracy we all enjoy today.
This year, as the hon Mapisa-Nqakula indicated, this objective has been allocated R622, 1 million. In one‘s presentation on the support of the hon Minister Mapisa-Nqakula and to illustrate the Department of Military Veterans budget, one will cast his gaze a bit on the history of our struggle and reflect on the first units of the fading lights of that generation.
One talks here of the Luthuli detachment. It was the first uMkhonto weSizwe unit that, alongside Zimbabwe People‘s Revolutionary Army, ZIPRA forces, confronted the Rhodesian colonialist regime. That campaign, led by the national liberation movement, ensured that the embers of freedom in our region were ignited to cause uproar of liberation that ultimately served to mobilise the masses, and inspired the people to free themselves.
Therefore, I dedicate this presentation to the heroes and heroines of the Luthuli Detachment of the historical glorious People‘s Army, uMkhonto weSizwe. This is the 50th anniversary of the Wankie and Sipolilo campaign, which was a beacon to the armed struggle whereby the then oppressed of our country, were able to face the oppressors toe to toe with modern weapons of war.
We recall the names of Chris Hani, Flag Boshielo, Basil February and Major General Pitso amongst those who fought and stood firm
leading that campaign. In honouring those who fought for freedom by alleviating their plight and seeing to it that they taste the fruits of freedom, we need to accelerate the benefits of military veterans.
It is our considered opinion that these benefits must accrue first to those who are at the twilight of their lives and importantly those who fought on the side of the liberation forces. This is because they never benefitted from any pensions or salaries; they were volunteers who sacrificed for our freedom.
The task of addressing the needs of military veterans is huge and complex and the money allocated could just not be enough. However, beyond the inadequacy of the allocated budget, we also have to deal with firming and streamlining our systems such that the benefits reach credible military veterans.
This means that we must prioritise their needs while ensuring that what we do fits into the National Development Plan which must be the platform for growing our economy. With this approach, we hope to make our contribution in the development of our economy without which we cannot even start to talk about the benefits of the military veterans and their beneficiaries.
Chair, the expenditure of our budget allocation has improved considerably this year in comparison to the earlier years. In 2016-17 financial year we spent 85% in comparison to 59% in 2015-
16. To this extent, the Department of Military Veterans‘ education support program has been allocated R108 million.
In 2014, the education support of the Department of Military Veterans was accessed by only about 645 beneficiaries. Today the number of beneficiaries in this program stands to benefit more than 7 212. In this number, military veterans are participants as well as their children. This benefit has created a beautiful problem for us. It challenges our systems as well as budget.
Since 2014 this program has produced 74 tertiary graduates in various disciplines from almost all provinces of our country. In the public gallery we have some of those who benefitted present. May they please stand up? There they are. Thank you. [Applause.]
The health and wellness program has been allocated R52 million. This program is difficult yet very critical given the physical, emotional and psychological condition of military veterans as people who have encountered severe stress in their occupation as soldiers.
Within the context of this program, 15 740 were impacted upon by this program. It needs creative thinking on how to optimise the budget to cover the length and breadth of our country where military veterans are located. Currently we use the budget to enable the military veterans to access military health facilities. We are still investigating various possibilities to broaden this access.
The housing benefit has been allocated R73, 2 million. Housing is a critical need for veterans, yet the Department of Military Veterans does not have a developer status. This benefit needs a combined approach with the Department of Human Settlements, provincial and local authorities.
So far, under very difficult conditions, we have delivered 130 houses nationwide. We support the Minister of Human Settlements, hon Lindiwe Sisulu, in her initiatives to accelerate military veterans housing. We have also devised bond rescue in which we save the houses of those military veterans who qualify for housing but after buying them, cannot cope with the bond payments. We rescue them only up to the amount they qualify for as the base amount of our housing cost. Since its inception in 2015, this aspect of the housing program has saved 114 military veterans‘ houses.
We have allocated R24 million to social relief of distress. This is a new program which did not exist before 2014. Its special focus is on those military veterans who are largely below the poverty datum line and in need of immediate help to at least survive on day to day basis.
In the last year, this special intervention assisted 2 243 who, on a monthly basis, received a grant to purchase the necessary groceries. This form of relief is strictly monitored and can only be accessed until benefiting military veterans have been assisted to be self sufficient.
We hold that the Department of Military Veterans in partnership with other relevant departments and the private sector, must come together to find sustainable ways to ensure that military veterans never fall through the net and find themselves in such a situation of grinding poverty.
Compensation of Injuries benefitted 161 military veterans to date. This is a benefit written into the Military Veterans‘ Act of 2011 and started to be rolled out in 2015.
With regards to the Castle Control Board, the Department of Military Veterans played a critical role in the commemoration of
the 350th year of the existence of the Cape Castle. This is an enduring symbol of our more than three centuries of our colonisation and racist apartheid oppression. The Castle is in the process of being turned into a centre of memory.
The Department of Military Veterans has started the process of amending the Military Veterans Act 18 of 2011 to ensure that it is properly aligned within the context of the Constitution of the Republic, and the deepening needs of military veterans.
May I thank the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, my party the ANC, the colleagues in my office and the Department of Military Veterans for the steadfast support they have been giving me since I was honoured by the President of the Republic, hon Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, to serve in this position of responsibility. I am truly humbled. I support the budget. Thank you. [Applause.]
Dr B H HOLOMISA: Chairperson, hon Minister and hon members ...
IsiXhosa:
... siyavusana nawe mama, ndiyabona ukuba wasinda ngoba busuku bohlengahlengiso. [Kwahlekwa.] Uqhube.
English:
The UDM supports Budget Vote No 19: Defence and Military Veterans. [Applause.] As we celebrate Africa Day, we are reminded of the important role played by our soldiers in keeping peace on our continent. I am certain that their contribution will one day make Africa a continent for all her people the world over.
In the context of my responsibility in the Defence Force Service Commission, I invite the Minister and the Joint Standing Committee on Defence to appreciate that the Defence Force Service Commission continues to express its support for the funding of the implementation of the Defence Review 2015. Although the country is not at war, the SA National Defence Force, SANDF, must be appropriately funded to fulfil its constitutional mandate.
Notwithstanding the competing societal needs of, amongst others, health and education, there is a critical need for additional funding to the SANDF in order to fulfil its regional and continental obligations as a multilateral player to advance foreign policy.
The requisite funding of the commission‘s recommendation with regard to the model to delink salary from rank will not only improve the service conditions of approximately 8 894 SANDF members stagnated at lower ranks but will serve as a fundamental
building block to eventually roll out the envisaged unique salary dispensation for the man and woman in uniform. It is of strategic value for the Minister and the Defence Force Service Commission to hold bilateral meetings regularly to create opportunities for the commission to provide progress reports in terms of its mandate and to equally receive regular feedback from the hon Minister.
The effectiveness of our soldiers in peacekeeping missions can be compromised by the quality of the equipment they are using. When the commission visited the Congo, it was exposed to equipment of extremely poor quality. The UN would, instead of compensating South Africa for its contribution, penalise it if something is not done urgently. The Minister has to intervene urgently on this matter.
The budgets of both the Military Ombud and the Defence Force Service Commission should be ring-fenced in order to ensure that they carry out their functions optimally and without being subjected to internal delays within the department. Hon Minister, will you please also brief this House on the progress made, if any, since you promised to review the powers of the Defence Force Service Commission.
Lastly, military hospitals should also be given enough of the budget to carry out their mandate both...
IsiXhosa:
... esi silapha ePitoli nesiya siseNtshona Koloni, ziphelile, mama. Enkosi. [Kwaqhwatywa.]
Afrikaans:
Dr P J GROENEWALD: Voorsitter, ek wil begin deur te sê aan daardie hardwerkende lede in die SA Nasionale Weermag wat professioneel is, wat alles gee vir hul land, wat dapper is – as ek op parade was, sou ek gesê het: Presenteer geweer! Saluut! Baie dankie.
English:
The hon Minister and some other members actually referred to cybercrime and the worries they have about cybercrime. I want to say that I am extremely worried about ordinary crime when it comes to the SA National Defence Force.
Afrikaans:
Hoekom sê ek dit? Ek het ‘n vraag aan die agb Minister gevra wat sy amptelik beantwoord het oor diefstal reeds in die 2013-14 en 2014-15 finansiële jaar in terme wat wapens wat gesteel word by
die Weermag. Haar antwoord was dat daar ongeveer 33 000 rondtes ammunisie gesteel is in daardie tydperk en 18 vuurwapens, wat gevaarlike wapens soos aanvalsgewere insluit.
Ek het verlede jaar in hierdie begrotingsposdebat verwys na die wagte in Bloemfontein waar misdadigers hulle met messe oorval het terwyl hulle met vuurwapens en lewendige ammunisie moet wagstaan, maar hulle slaap. Kom ons gaan kyk wat het nou onlangs gebeur by die vlootbasis. Agb Minister, hoe kan dit wees dat misdadigers inbreek, 72 handgranate steel, ‘n aanvalsgeweer of twee vat, en net eenvoudig wegkom daarmee? Besef u wat 72 handgranate kan veroorsaak? Ons sien wat gebeur in die wêreld as ons praat oor terrorisme en ontploffings tussen mense. Besef u die implikasies van 72 handgranate?
Kom ek gaan verder. By die ammunisie-depot in Jan Kempdorp is daar misdadigers wat vir twee weke langs die grensdraad gaan kamp.
Hulle grou ‘n gat onderdeur die drade, en vir ‘n paar weke steel hulle kabels binne die ammunisie-depot – dit terwyl een van die misdadigers se pa by die ammunisie-depot werk. Wat het ons gesien gebeur nou in Khayelitsha waar misdadigers net eenvoudig kom, ‘n militêre basis eintlik aanval, en dan hul wapens steel? Dit beteken dat die Weermag geen gesag afdwing by misdadigers nie.
Misdadigers is nie meer skrikkerig vir die SA Nasionale Weermag nie.
Ek wil vir u sê, agb Minister, as dit die toestand is van jou weermag in jou land, dan het jy respek verloor. Dan het ons ‘n ernstige probleem. Ek het vir u gesê die probleem is dissipline. ‘n Weermag kan nie funksioneer sonder dissipline nie. Ek het gewaarsku dat daar opgetree moet word. Ek het gevra wat van die wagte wat aan die slaap was, geword het. Ja, hulle is aangespreek. Hulle moes ontslaan word.
Ek wil vandag vir u sê die swak dissipline, die swak bestuur in die SA Nasionale Weermag is tans van so ‘n aard dat dit bydra tot die misdaad in Suid-Afrika, iets wat ‘n klad is op die naam van die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag. Ek dank u.
Ms N B DAMBUZA: Chairperson, hon Members of Parliament, Minister Mapisa-Nqakula, Deputy Minister Maphatsoe, Ministers and Deputy Ministers present, the Chief of Defence and the Defence Secretariat, the acting Director-General of the Department of Military Veterans, distinguished guests, fellow South Africans, I would first of all like to say ...
IsiXhosa:
... uKhongolose uyaluxhasa olu Hlahlo-lwabiwo-mali lwezoKhuselo naMagqala oMkhosi kuba sikholelwa ukuba luza kwazi ukuphuhlisa izinga lezokhuseleko apha kweli lizwe lethu nakwi-Afrika iphela.
English:
In the build-up to a democratic South Africa, the ANC sought to create legitimate security institutions. This is spelled out in its Ready to Govern document.
For decades, the apartheid regime relied on its intimidating police, defence and the intelligence structures to maintain the system of apartheid and to suppress popular resistance to that system.
It is for this reason that the ANC committed itself to a new approach to security in a democratic South Africa. It further committed itself to a new defence force.
The core function of the Department of Defence is the defence and protection of the Republic of South Africa, its territorial integrity and its people, in accordance with the Constitution and the principles of international law regulating the use of force.
His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma, in his 2017-18 state of the nation address, reiterated the SA National Defence Force‘s, SANDF, role in continental peacekeeping efforts. It can therefore be expected that the SANDF peacekeeping mission in Africa will continue over the medium to long term.
Hon members, Outcome Three of South Africa‘s long term Vision 2030 directs the government that all people in South Africa are and feel safe, by ensuring that South Africa‘s borders are effectively defended, protected, secured and well managed.
The department will contribute to this outcome through its well- planned programmes, which include, among others, the Force Employment Programme. The obligation on the Defence Force to contribute to socioeconomic development invariably leads to the Defence Force being, as and when it is necessary, called upon to co-operate with the police service in times of turmoil.
The Force Employment Programme constitutes 7,58% of the Defence budget and is responsible for the provision and employment of defence capabilities to conduct operations. Given that it includes peace support and anti-piracy operations and border safeguarding duties, it is imperative that this programme be funded accordingly. It is of great concern that the budget allocation to
this program is on a decline, yet this programme contributes to Outcome 3.
There is an overall real percentage decline of 3,64%, with local operations scaled down most and an increase in Regional Security.
The deployments to the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as the Mozambique Channel will continue. A total of R4,1 billion is budgeted for these deployments in the medium term for their activities.
The Department of Defence plans to deploy 15 landward subunits instead of 22 on South Africa‘s borders with Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Lesotho, Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia. Three billion rand is budgeted for boarder safeguarding in the medium term, in support to the People Subprogram in the Force Employment Program.
Furthermore, a reduction in the Reserve Force man-hours for 2017-
18 has been observed and this may negatively affect border safeguarding operations.
The only major increase in terms of allocation relates to a 12,69% real increase for the Regional Security Subprogramme. This is of interest given that the SANDF currently has less regional
deployments following its withdrawal from the UN/AU Mission to Darfur. However, these funds will focus on existing missions.
The Landward Defence Programme. The Defence Force assumed full responsibility for land, air and maritime border safeguarding. The Landward Defence Programme is the largest of all Defence programmes, mostly due to its dependence on a large personnel configuration. This program accounts for the largest portion, being 34% of the entire budget for Defence. The ANC welcomes a substantive nominal increase in the Landward Defence Programme compared to last year's allocation. The budget allocation for the current financial year reflects a real increase of R11,8 million.
This may relate to the strategic priority of replacing the infantry combat vehicles, developing a modern command-and—control system, and procuring a mobile water-provisioning system and a new geographic system.
Efforts aiming to maintain and modernise defence capabilities are set to increase spending on departmental agencies, and accounts for R2,7 billion over the medium term. Real percentage increases that should also be noted include the Artillery Capability Subprogramme at R248 miliion, and the Infantry Capability Subprogramme at R1,9 billion over the medium term.
The only noteworthy reduction is the planned reduction on the General Training Capability standing. This likely relates to the reduced Military Skills Development Programme intake for 2017-18.
The Air Defencee program. It is important to note that, in the aviation environment, challenges continue in areas such as airport controls at landing facilities, transit management and, in general, security process regarding migration management at international airports. This program has been subjected to significant cuts in recent years. For example, in 2014-15,
R6,9 billion was allocated to the Air Defence Programme, and this has decreased to R6,6 billion 2017-18.
However, the allocation for this program will increase significantly towards 2019-20, with an additional R1,4 billion allocated for the procurement of new medium and light transport aircraft, precision-guided air force ammunition, and new generation mobile communications capability.
The SA Air Force needs to manage this reduction carefully to ensure that skilled pilots are not lost and that the planned 5 000 Forced Employment Flying Hours are achieved.
IsiXhosa:
Sihlalo, masitsho ukuba nangona kunzima kumcimbi wohlahlo-lwabiwo- mali zikhona izinto ezincomekayo ezenzekayo kweli sebe.
English:
One of highlights of this programme in the recent past is the successful deployment of the SANDF in the United Nations‘ Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Monusco, Force Intervention Brigade of the UN in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The M23 rebel group was forced to withdraw from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and the SANDF was instrumental in this.
In terms of border safeguarding, SANDF managed to deploy 13 subunits in 2014-15. These were increased to 15 in 2015-16 and will remain the same until 2019. Significant successes have been attained by these units, including confiscation of illicit goods, drugs, weapons, stolen vehicles, and serving as a deterrent to illegal immigration.
In terms of internal operations, a 100% achievement was recorded in the past five financial years. This included successful support to SA Police Service, SAPS, where requested and much-needed assistance to the public in times of disaster.
The Landward Defence has been able to provide highly trained infantry forces and other elements to both internal and external deployments. Despite significant financial challenges, this programme continues to deliver on its mandate to provide the SANDF with robust landward defence capability.
The ANC supports the Budget Vote. Thank you. [Time expired.]
Mr W M MADISHA: Through you, Hon Chairperson, I am going to ask a number of questions. Madam Minister, you, account to the National Assembly, and it is the National Assembly that maintains oversight over the exercise of national executive authority.
You Madam Minister, as you are in the National Assembly; I am asking you, here and now, to account to this House, to explain the unconstitutional and unlawful deployment of soldiers in the parliamentary precinct during state of the nation address. We don‘t need you to say that you will provide a report to the Speaker. You, account to this House. Explain yourself.
I want to say that all over throughout, we have the police, men and police women, and these are the persons who are taking charge of everything.
Now, you want money, which inter alia will be dealing with this whole thing. We therefore, cannot simple agree.
Secondly, Madam Minister, whilst South Africans face increasing unemployment and rising inequality; stagnating growth following the mismanagement of our economy by the ANC; and junk status following Mr Zuma‘s irrational mid-night Cabinet reshuffle for corrupt ends. We have a problem throughout our country. Our children cannot go to school because of that which you are doing.
Reports point to a secret project, a project Moeketsi to reward President of South Africa with a new multi-Billion Rand Presidential Aircraft, and that the deal is being kept secret because it‘s been tailored for the specific supplier.
Governance in South Africa is based on openness, transparency and accountability. You need to respond to these reports. If your intension is to proceed with this immoral purchase, you need to rationalise your intended action
Now, the other thing is the smuggling of Burundi national into South Africa. Madam Minister, your Oath requires you to be faithful to the Republic of South Africa and to obey, respect and
uphold the constitutional and all other laws of the Republic of our country.
You preside over a significant portion of our national security services – the Defence Force. Our Constitution requires that our soldiers act in accordance with the Constitution and the law.
Yet, you broke your oath of office and violated our immigration and defence laws when you smuggled into South Africa a Burundian woman who calls you ‗mommy‘ using a state-owned jet. So, you want money so that we can pay.
Now, spin it whichever way you want, obfuscate the truth, let others take the fall, but the fact remains that you no longer hold the ethical integrity to preside over our National Defence.
Please, go. We can‘t accept this. Go down. [Time expired] [Applause.]
The Acting Chairperson (Ms N Gina): Hon members, I have been made aware that hon Swart is not in the House. So, I will now call upon hon N A Mnisi to come to the podium.
Ms N A MNISI: Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon Deputy Ministers present, hon Members of Parliament, our distinguished guests and
veterans in the gallery, the ANC in its Ready to Govern Document set out its four basic policy objectives. Amongst others, the ANC committed itself to encouraging the flourishing of the feeling that South Africa belongs to all who live in it in promoting a common loyalty, and pride in the country and creating a universal sense of freedom and security within its borders. The Ready to Govern Document would not be a rigid blue-print document but a basic guiding one, reflecting the position which the ANC was envisioning.
In the Election Manifesto of 1994, the ANC committed itself to reforming the security force so as to reflect the national and gender character of our country. The commitment was that the Force would be none-partisan, professional, uphold the Constitution and respect human rights. This was a radically transformative move envisioned by the ANC - a direct contrast from the Force employed by the belligerent apartheid government.
It is this ANC that envisioned the SA National Defence Force we have today, a Defence Force whose core mandate is the protection of the country, its territorial integrity and people. The primary role, of course being to defend South Africa against military aggression.
The posture of the ANC in terms of peace keeping missions is underpinned by the Freedom Charter‗s unequivocal call for South Africa to strive to maintain world peace and the settlement of all international disputes by negotiation and not war.
The Freedon1 Charter further asserts that peace and friendship amongst all our people shall be secured by upholding the equal rights, opportunities and status of all.
The SA National Defence Force, SANDF, core mandate is the protection of the country, its territorial integrity and its people. In this regard, the control of borders, air, landward and maritime is of paramount importance. Peace and stability in a country contribute to the economic development of a country.
The administration programme executes the department‘s overall management administration and policy development. The objective and measures of this programme are to develop and accountable defence administration that provides norms and standards for providing sound defence direction and advice; providing defence- related social responsibilities; developing consensus on defence; providing sound policy and administration; the provision of contingency—ready defence capabilities and systemic monitoring and evaluation.
This programme accounts for 11% of the entire budget for Defence. Despite different challenges faced over the past financial year, many of the various targets in the different sub-programmes were achieved. It must be noted that there is a decrease in budget allocation in this programme compared to the budget allocation over the last financial year and considering inflation and population growth.
The Maritime Defence programme has been allocated 9,85% of the entire Defence budget. The main objective of this programme is to defend South Africa and its maritime zones.
South Africa's national maritime interests include effective cooperation arrangements with neighbouring states and territories within and beyond the region and continent. For the management of maritime domain and interests, oceans management and good order at sea. Maritime piracy poses a serious threat to both crews and property on the high seas. Fifty percent of the country‘s GDP comes from trade and South Africa being a trading nation and with over 95% of its trade conducted by maritime trade. This programme is crucial. Incidents of unregulated and unreported fishing are also of great concern. Thus, this programme plays an instrumental role in combating piracy and other illegal operations along the coast.
This programme provides combat—ready and supported maritime defence capabilities for the defence and protection of our country. These allocations are not just given to fight crime, violence, conflict and possible threats. They have an overarching role to contribute to peace and development. The increase in budget allocation is welcome.
The effective nature of the maritime capability within our region is noticeable. In recent years, the
Maritime and Naval Power has become increasingly relevant both locally and abroad. SA Air Force and Navy capability need to be strengthened by this budget to ensure that it continues to play its vital role in the continent and the region.
IsiZulu:
Injongo nenhloso ye-health support programme ukuthi incedise futhi ilekelele amasotsha ethu ukuthi ahlale anempilo enhle alungele ukusebenza avikele iNingizimu Afrika yethu le esiyithandayo.
Sikwazi ukuba namasotsha anempilo akulungele ukuthunywa noma yikuphi nasemazweni akude. Kuyisifiso nomsebenzi woMnyango ukuba namasotsha aphilile akulungele ukusebenza nokusivikela kanjalo nawo amasotsha anomsebenzi wokuthi azigcine aphilile futhi ephephile. Njengesizwe angeke sivume ukuba nombutho wamashotsha agula nangenayo impilo enhle.
English:
In terms of the department performance, most of the targets were met. The performance indicator being the percentage availability of medical stock was not met. It is recommended that this be looked into in future.
It must be noted that the repeated budget cuts in the Defence budget may seriously hamper the SANDF‘s capability to defend our sovereignty and territory, which is a constitutional imperative in the future. We must commend the degree of loyalty and sense of patriotism of our soldiers to defend and enhance the interest of our democratic state in line with our Constitution and the goal of the National Democratic Revolution.
In conclusion, Chairperson, this is the year of our isithwalandwe Oliver Tambo.
The Acting Chairperson (Ms N Gina): Hon member, your time is up.
Ms N A MNISI: Okay, the ANC pledges its support to the department and support this Vote. We are proud of our past and confident of our future. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr S ESAU: Hon Chairperson, this department, the Department of Military Veterans, continues to fail the majority of the military veterans. Last year, this department underspent by 15% and the following year by 40%, amounting to R324,6 million loss to the military veterans. Benefits and services were lost to the military veterans. This department‘s performance was rated at 53%. Only 10 out of 19 targets reached. However the salaries were R102,7%, and underperformance of 47%, and overexpenditure on salaries on the other hand.
This is not only the case of last year, this year it was also increased, the overexpenditure on salaries increased by 13,8% and the following year by 22,3% and 31,5% in the outer year of the Medium-Term Framework, MTF, at the expense of benefits and services to the military veterans.
The vacancy rate in this department is 215; 133 of 169 post were filled. However this department employed 77 additional people, which amounts to 210 employees and it failed to deliver on its mandate.
But this is not strange because the recruitment policy and the skills audit will be done now. It will still be implemented. What has happened is also strange that one of the high risks of this
department is in adequately skilled and not dependable staff - simple put, incompetent employees lacking required skills, experience and knowledge to do the job.
This department continues on that trajectory. What happened in the last five years? Is there something strange? No, it is not.
Therefore, this department is still not an independent. There is an overexpenditure on education. Our target last year was set at
4 000. The actual bursaries that were distributed were 7 202. This year there is 4 500 and the amount allocated for bursaries will be
8 700. Is this fiscal discipline? Is this how you manage and balance a budget? If is not, at the expense or scarifies of other benefits. The department‘s answer is simple: we take it upon ourselves to reprioritise.
Health care on the one hand we say, the provision of it will have a negative influence in order for the department to fulfil its mandate to the fullest. The department also said that the budget remains insufficient to fully fund education support and health care services. It also said that the amendment of the Military Veterans Act 18 of 2011 will play a significant and critical role with regard to the inclusion of the dependants of the military veterans in all benefits. What is this balance - this balancing act. It must come at a certain price and at the expense of other
benefits. How is it possible that you can include every thing, everybody in every thing and you have limited or financial constraints?
Besides this there is also still a case which is outstanding of the zeal health which is at R200 million `case against the department - which is a third of the budget currently. The impact of the 2012-13, was disastrous. It considered this the worst performing department and now the department states in its annual performance plan, APP, that this is a new indicator. This is not a new indicator - it is an old indicator. When we look at this indicator, 37% of the budget is taken from the internal audit, 26% is taken from the strategic planning, policy development and monitoring and evaluation. Two critical subprogrammes to ensure that there are internal controls, there are checks and balances to try to minimise fraud and corruption in the department. Those specific programmes were undermined. The department admits by its own and said that monitoring and evaluation in nonexistent. It further said, no, this year we will strive to achieve level 3 , which is the second highest on the Management Performance Assessment Tool, Mpat, score. Is this realistic?
Beside this, the supply chain management director and the contract director will only be appointed this year. The strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats, Swot, analysis has contraindications. Information to the public is a strength and on the other it is a weakness, a threat and also a main concern inability to implement governance of info communication and technology. There are contradictions, poor performance. But of course we know the high impact, communication and marketing strategy continue to be elusive like the call centre.
There are contradictions in the estimates of national expenditure, ENE, estimate and also in the APP. Lots of contradictions between amounts, figures, personnel, etc that need to be resolved. The demographics of the database speak about 13 foreign people and
40 762 unknown people on the database. [Time expired.]
In conclusion, we await the impact and effects of the turnaround strategy and the improvement plan. But remember, a sound effective and efficient DA administration will ensure freedom, fairness and opportunity for all veterans. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Mr D D GAMEDE: Chairperson, first thing hon Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa Nqakula, Deputy Minister hon Kebby Maphotsoe, General Shoke and all the generals, secretary of Defence, our veterans who are our guests, especially all those from the nonstatutory forces, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, and all our guests, I am compelled
after the last speaker to read this. This is a reading from John 8 verse 32: ―You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.‖ [Applause.] We will talk about this truth because as the ANC that is why we stood for the truth from 1912 right up to1994. [Interjections.] As the ANC, we are humble in victory and also we are humble in defeat. [Interjections.] You talk about Nquthu is the democracy that we fought for – we are humble in defeat.
I did say that the ANC supports this budget vote. I will deal with some issues and then come to House cleaning. I will deal with some issues on Defence Intelligence. Those that know this craft say information, is the key, in fact, in war strategy terms they say if you have all information in a war; you have won 50% of the war.
Defence intelligence is a critical function that is used to support the planning, preparation and execution of military operations. This assists in taking well-informed military decisions. This means that each of the combat services should be provided for in intelligence functions namely, intelligence collection, processing and dissemination. Chairperson and Minister, we are happy that in this division there is some stability. Gen Nyembe and Gen Shoke are standing their ground on this issue.
Chairperson, if our country were to maintain the stability we enjoy and seek, we need to review the budget allocation of this department. That is why we say we need to have facts when we speak. Let‘s look at the global picture on the budgets per country, USA the budget for defence is R611 billion US dollars that is 3,3% of Growth Domestic Product, GDP. That is why the US is always at war, mostly, in Africa; China is R215 billion US dollars and Russia is R69 billion, Saudi Arabia is R63 billion and India is R55 billion. If you come closer to home Angola has got 4,4% of the GDP; Morocco has got 3,3% of the GDP; Mauritania has 3%; Namibia 2,9% of the GDP; and Botswana 2,8% of the GDP. What is important is that our own country South Africa is at number 20 with 1,4% of the GDP. However, at some stage, just before 1994, from 1985 to 1989, the allocation budget of the Defence was 28% because it had to oil the apartheid machinery. In short, we need to engage Treasury so that this allocation is improved. Now these are facts. [Applause.]
The Department of Military Veterans, DMV, my colleague has just spoken on DMV. There is one distinctive factor with the DMV is one department that is not an implementing agent that relies on other departments for service delivery – just like Housing. Hence they would have the challenges like that. Whilst we appreciate the existence of this department and the benefits it must roll out to
our veterans, the mere fact that it depends on other departments to roll out services creates a challenge. It has done its best on education, health and other social benefits, but there is a huge challenge on the provision of decent houses. Hence, the proposal of the committee is that the department must be given powers to implement so that they can roll out these services.
Chairperson, the other challenge is the issue of the data base and the finalisation of it, more especially for veterans from nonstatutory forces. We engaged the department even just yesterday on this issue and we raised some proposals. As it has been said, we can‘t believe that we would have veterans that are in the data base that are between the ages of 28 and 35. [Laughter.] So, the concrete proposals we made to the department yesterday was finalise the data base of the nonstatutory forces because it is standard - it won‘t grow. So, we hope to have progress.
Under entities of this department, Chairperson, we pride ourselves with the excellent performance of the three entities; Castle Control Board, Office of the Military Ombudsman and Armaments Corporation of South Africa, Armscor. The Castle of Good Hope is now becoming one of the big tourist attraction in the area. The Ombud now has a deputy and a female to achieve the 50-50% and both these entities are doing very well with a little that they have.
On the other hand, Armscor is the only government entity that is doing well in many spheres, be it on radical economic transformation, or on opportunities for our military veterans or on education, or provision of bursaries and community involvement activities. Armscor is no longer an entity that it was prior to 1994.
Chairperson, hon Minister, the department needs to move with turbo speed on transformation both economic and structural, the Human Development Index, particularly the black people are not benefiting much from the department. We will be watching the space. We have been talking about other issues. One other issue in 1980s there were certain projects of Defence that the past government undertook. There was a project that was called project kerktoring, church tower, which had to deal with the nuclear weapons. Now today when you want to talk of nuclear, some people in this House want us to believe that they know nothing about nuclear. There was a project kinky, which was war games for Defence – that was used to terrorise the townships.
There were major corporate funders of apartheid regime from 1979 to 1993. There was insurance giant — Sanlam. There was mining giant — Gencor. There was Volkas, now Absa and Saambou Bank.
Whilst we talk of Absa, at one stage, we heard even the EFF would
march to Armscor and close it, but they were quiet after receiving about R9 million. We never heard any thing about that. [Laughter.]
A number of foundations have been formed since 1959, even in 1959
... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M R Mdakane): Hon Gamede.
IsiZulu:
Nk M S Khawula): Bengisafuna ukwazi lezigidigidi zamarandi eziyi-9 akhuluma ngazo athi sazithola ngezani? Zikuphi lezigidigidi zamarandi ezi-9. [ Ubuwelewele.] Kumanje thina sinenkinga asiwuboni umsebenzi waloMnyango.
USIHLALO WENDLU (Mnu M R Mdakane): Siyabonga kakhulu mam‘uKhawula.
English:
The point of order is a procedural matter. It is not for explanation. Please members, just ensure that Rule 92(1-6) you all understand because you can disturb the flow of debate on point of orders that are not point of orders. Hon Gamede, please also conclude.
Mr D D GAMEDE: Chair, there are a number of issues I wanted to touch on, more especially that they have asked about the
R9 million we will provide proof. The less said about the EFF the better. It is one party you would say they are radical; they are far on the left. They are against monopoly capital, but at the same time they‘ll give their votes to the very same parties that they claim are monopoly capital. [Interjections.]
Chair, we are always ready to comply with any other order given by any commander-in-chief. When Commander Oliver Tambo said, ―let us make South Africa ungovernable.‖ we complied. When Comrade Madiba said, ―let us throw all our weapons into the sea.‖ we complied. [Interjections.] There are things ... issue about Nquthu ...
There are things, for instance, we can‘t have parties like DA saying the people must vote in their conscience, but when their own councillor votes in his own conscience, they dismiss that councillor. [Applause.] We can‘t have members in this House who would say ... [Time expired.]
The MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS: Hon House
Chairperson and hon members, let me start by expressing a word of appreciation to all members who participated in this debate. Thank you for your constructive criticism and thank you for the valuable
inputs you have made. I want to express a word of appreciation to the committee members led by Comrade Stan and thank you very much colleagues for your leadership. Thank you to the chief of the South African National Defence Force, SANDF, to the SANDF and the Plenary Defence Staff Council, PDSC, staff, to the Department of Military Veterans led by the acting Director-General, Max Ozinsky
- thank you for your support.
Thank you Defence Force Service Commission, DFSC, this is a very unique dispensation, it is a new dispensation to the Republic of South Africa which you have to deal with and I am sure you appreciate that sometimes it can be very strenuous, you put forward recommendations and at times you feel that we are not moving fast enough, but we are trying our best. We are listening to you and we really value your immense input. Thank you, general. I do want to say that general, as we talk about the powers of the DFSC, the DFSC should assist us to draft so that we understand the exact areas - just help me with that.
Mr Groenewald - hon member, you are right to raise issues of discipline. The truth of the matter is that we have a Military Discipline Bill which is still with Parliament, we wish you could speed up that process, so that we can empower the chief of the South African National Defence Force to deal with issues of
indiscipline, thereby enhance command and control in the Defence Force.
Hon Madisha, I just want to say that prepare a speech which is relevant to the Budget Vote next time because for now I am unable
... I could respond to the issues you have raised, however, this has nothing to do with the debate. But this is just to say, House Chair, one time I did say that we should close the bar ... [Laughter.] ... because the biggest problem is that there are very high levels of intoxication in this House at times. [Interjections.]
Hon Mente, thank you very much for raising the issue and we should all continue in our little corners to raise the issues of abuse against women. I believe that this should not be tolerated, but it doesn‘t make us less of South Africans and Africans. I think that those women and children who are continuing to be abused by their partners, and at times by strangers - but most of the time by people close to them - people they know. It doesn‘t make them less of human beings. We still say that they should be proud of being who they are, however, they have been let down by our society.
Hon Esau, I understood the issues you have raised, however, I have a question which I would like to raise with you, which is, ―What
will you do in situations we find ourselves - the Deputy Minister and I? For example, when you have 4 500 which is what we provided for in 2016 in the case of educational support beneficiaries or dependants who come forward for educational support and in 2017 the numbers increase to approximately 8 000 . Will you turn them back and say that there is no money and there is no education support? It is very difficult. It is true that we shouldn‘t use money which we do not have in terms of Public Finance Management Act. However, on the other hand ... [Interjections.] ... Huh? You think we are not planning. It is about that matter I have just raised - that matter which I have just raised; that corner at the back there. [Interjections.]
Now, hon Esau, thank you very much. I am just saying that there is an issue. The issue is what do you do when young children - when the beneficiaries who are the dependants of military veterans literally threaten to toyi-toyi at the head office because they expect you ... and by the way you did not anticipate the numbers to increase from 400 to 800 . In other words, it is almost a 100% rise in the numbers beneficiaries. Those are some of the challenges which we have. [Interjections.]
You have raised ... They are not threatening because they have no reason not to do so. [Interjections.] We were stuck with you for
past 15 years in this Parliament, [Interjections.] ... all you do is to scream at the corner there.
Thank you very much hon Gamede, we have taken note of the comments you have made and I want to say that I am sure you are aware that as part of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence one of the decisions which we have taken now is that we have identified a sites for the building of the head office of defence intelligence which is the matter that has been concerning you for a long time and we are happy to report that to you. Hon members, thank you very much for your support.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M R Mdakane): Thank you very much hon members for your participation in this debate and we thank our honoured guests for coming. Members are reminded that the debate on Economic Development Budget Vote will take place at 16:15 in the National Assembly Chamber. The Debate on Social Development Budget Vote will take place at 16:15 in the Old Assembly Chamber and the debate on Environmental Affairs Budget Vote will take place at 16:15 in Committee Room E249.
The Mini-Plenary sitting rose at 16:07.
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