Hansard: NA: Mini-plenary 5

House: National Assembly

Date of Meeting: 18 May 2021

Summary

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Minutes

UNREVISED HANSARD

MINI PLENARY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TUESDAY, 18 MAY 2021

Watch video here: Vote No 23 and 26 – Defence and Military Veterans

 

PROCEEDINGS OF MINI-PLENARY SESSION OF NATIONAL ASSLEMBLY

 

 

 

 

 

Members of the mini-plenary session met on the virtual platform at 14:00.

 

 

The House Chairperson Ms M G Boroto, took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayer or meditation.

 

 

The Chairperson announced that the virtual mini-plenary sitting constituted a meeting of the National Assembly.

 

 

APPROPRIATION BILL

 

 

Debate on Vote No 23 - Defence, including Vote No 26 –

 

Military Veterans:

 

 

The MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS: Speaker of the

 

National Assembly, Madam Chair of the National Assembly,

 

Deputy Minister, hon Makwetla, Cabinet colleagues and Deputy Ministers, Chairperson and members of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, Co-Chairs and Members of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence and  hon members, Secretary for Defence, the Chief of the SA Defence Force and the Acting Director-General, DG, of the DMV, chairpersons, chief executive officers, CEOs and heads of all entities which report to the Department of Defence and Military Veterans, distinguished guests, friends and fellow South Africans, we are honoured to present the Budget Vote 23 for Defence and Budget Vote 26 for the Military Veterans against the theme of “Defence in an era of the pandemic” respectively. I also wish to take this opportunity to wish my Deputy Minister, hon Thabang Makwetla, a hearty happy birthday today. The Deputy Minister will elaborate at length on Vote 26 and other areas.

 

 

I have chosen this theme in recognition of the enormous difficulties our country and our people have had to face over the past year. I also pay tribute to our men and women in uniform for their unwavering commitment to duty during this time.

 

Our uniform members and civilian counterparts were asked to put their lives on the line to support the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. The tragedy and heartbreak endured by our citizens in general and by the members of the Department of Defence in particular, has tampered our resolve as a nation and as the defence community to overcome this pandemic.

 

 

The pandemic has completely changed the future security landscape of our region by negatively impacting on human security, economic growth, trade and development. Even though the Southern African Development Community, SADC, region is relatively stable, this pandemic has served to amplify the existing conflict drivers especially those fuelled by human security issues.

 

 

There will have to be careful and deliberate coordination of security efforts between member states to claw back the losses to human security throughout the region. We continue to be concerned by the security developments in the region, in particular the upsurge of insurgency in our neighbouring country Mozambique. This has a potential of spilling over to the entire region. The SADC regional leadership is seized with the matter and we hope for a speedy resolution.

 

Hon members, as the executive authority for the entire Defence function, and in keep with my responsibilities, it is incumbent upon me to provide policy and strategic direction ensuring that the constitutional obligations set out are complied with. This Budget Vote speech provides me with the opportunity to share some critical aspects on where we find ourselves in the quest to defend and protect the Republic of South Africa and its people.

 

 

Before I do that, I must recognise recent changes in the senior appointments of this department.

 

 

Hon Chair and hon members, we will bid farewell to General Solly Shoke at the end of this month. General Shoke has been the longest serving Defence Chief in the history of the armed forces of the Republic of South Africa. He has served for 10 years with honour and has been indispensable to me as the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans. On behalf of this house, I would like to thank him for his outstanding contribution and his unwavering commitment to upholding the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Indeed, we owe him our profound gratitude.

 

We also bid farewell to Lt Gen Zimpande Msimang, the former Chief of the Air Force, who retired last year; Lt Gen Jeremiah Nyembe, the Chief of Defence Intelligence and Lt Gen Zola Dabula, the Surgeon General. These members of the military command have served with distinction and we thank them for their invaluable contribution.

 

 

It gives me great pleasure to welcome Ambassador Gladys Sonto Kudjoe as our new Secretary for Defence. Ambassador Kudjoe was appointed with effect from 1st August 2020 and in that position, she assumes the role of the Head of Department, Accounting Officer and the Head of the Defence Secretariat. In addition, Ambassador Kudjoe has also had the responsibility to ensure the efficient management and function of the National Covid Command Centre during this time of national disaster.

 

 

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Lt Gen Rudzani Maphwanya on his appointment and promotion as Chief of the SA National Defence Force with effect from 1st June this year. Lt Gen Maphwanya has an impressive track record and extensive successful operational experience. We wish him well and look forward to working with him.

 

It also gives me great pleasure to congratulate Maj Gen Thalita Mxakato on her promotion and appointment as Chief of Defence Intelligence with effect from the1st June 2021.

Honourable members, Maj Gen Mxakato is the first female appointment to the rank of Lt Gen in the history of the armed forces of the Republic of South Africa and the first female member of the Military Command. This appointment truly advances the position of women in the SA National Defence Force.

 

 

We also welcome the appointment and promotion of Lt Gen Wiseman Mbambo as the new Chief of the Air Force. In addition, in addition, we also congratulate Major General Siphiwe Sangweni on his promotion to Lt Gen and appointment as Chief Joint Operations with effect from 1st June 2021. We congratulate Major Gen Ntshaveni Maphaha on his appointment and promotion to Lt Gen in the post as Surgeon General with effect from the 1st November 2021.

 

 

Chairperson and hon members, we appreciate that we appear before this house under conditions of a severely constrained fiscus. Nonetheless, we must inform this house of the negative impact our declining allocation has had and will continue to

 

have on the Department of Defence in general - our military capabilities in particular and our ability to meet our operational responsibilities assigned to us as well as our international obligations.

 

 

The reduction of over 15 billion rand over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, has placed us in a very difficult position. Our capital budget has effectively been reduced to a trickling and the operating budget is under extreme pressure. Under these conditions, we are finding it very difficult to improve the serviceability of our Prime Mission Equipment.

 

 

Whilst we are fully aware of the fiscal challenges that South Africa has, the reduction to our allocation has a devastating impact, not only on the Defence Force, but also our Defence Industry and Defence Related Industry and the many Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises, SMMEs in the supply chain. I am at great pain to remind this House that this is a matter which I raised in my 2019 Budget Vote speech.

 

 

Chairperson and hon members, if we are honest with ourselves, we now face the reality that if we do not intervene in a decisive manner, we will lose our state-owned defence

 

industrial base and the ability to repair, maintain and overhaul most of our defence systems. This not only compromises our ability to maintain our current equipment in service, but also fundamentally impacts our longer-term ability to remain relevant and ready to conduct effective operations in the future. Should this happen, we may as well find ourselves reliant on foreign powers for our main equipment and this will come at great strategic expense.

 

 

The knock-on effect of this has had dire consequences for the contribution that the defence industry makes to science and technology development, manufacturing, export earnings, education and artisan training, jobs for our people and the economy in general.

 

 

We will recall the Public Private Growth Initiative of the President, to boost the economy and rapidly improve job prospects for our people. The Defence Industry was identified as an economic sector with significant potential to catalyse economic growth in South Africa.

 

 

Chairperson, our Defence capabilities are under extreme stress. Our ability to equip and train our force appropriately

 

has become progressively more difficult. The current threat manifestations require more ‘boots on the ground’ which is contrary to the imposed funding ceiling on personnel.

 

 

In addition, the ability to maintain main equipment for operations has declined to the point where we need to ask if it is in fact viable to continue to throw resources at them. This coupled to the demise of the defence industry and in particular Denel has placed us in a very precarious position. Our Defence capabilities are heavily reliant on Defence industry and in particular Denel.

 

 

Our maritime defence is in the same situation. Whilst we commend the efforts of Armaments Corporation of SA, Armscor to turnaround the dockyard, we are nonetheless finding it difficult to maintain our fleet against the float, sail and fight concept of combat readiness.

 

 

However, we can report that the MultiMission Inshore Patrol Vessel, part of Project Biro, is progressing under a partial acquisition. The first of three vessels is nearing completion and is on track to be delivered during August this year. The second vessel will be delivered during September next year.

 

These vessels will improve our ability to protect our maritime resources and our territorial waters.

 

 

Project Hotel is also progressing well; the delivery of the Hydrographic Survey Vessel system is set for April 2023. This ship will allow us to meet our obligations to the international community according to the highest international standards.

 

 

The ability of our Military Health Capability to meet its mandate is severely strained. The health support to our deployed troops, their families which is core to maintaining combat ready personnel as well as the support to our military veterans is increasingly becoming limited.

 

 

This is due to outdated and obsolete equipment, the loss of medical professionals such as medical specialists, doctors and nurses resulting in the scaling down of certain medical services and outsourcing of others at great expense.

 

 

Chairperson and hon members, I must remind this House of section 227 of the Interim Constitution 1993 which pronounces that one of the functions of the Defence Force is and I quote,

 

“For service in the defence of the Republic, for the protection of its sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

 

 

Whilst we seek to build safer communities at home and promote greater peace, security and stability in the region and elsewhere on the continent, we are mindful of significant increases in the asymmetric threats that we face. We are not immune to fundamentalism and extremism, terrorism, cybercrimes and organised crime. All of these are significantly increasing on the continent and in the region.

 

 

Defending South Africa, protecting its people and safe- guarding our borders and the economy extends to our landward, maritime, airspace as well as our cyber domains. The Defence Force’s role in safeguarding South Africa and its people and protecting its domestic and regional interests are paramount in advancing the nation state.

 

 

Key to our national security is the delicate balance in the relationship between the government, the people and the business community all of which have a symbiotic relationship in advancing human security in South Africa. Growing the

 

economy remains the single most important objective to South Africa restoring this balance.

 

 

To this end, the National Defence Force has a pivotal and unique contribution to ensure stability and security and the confidence to invest in the future of South Africa and the region.

 

 

However, we continue to be forced to adopt a short-term view with an increasingly constrained value-proposition to South Africa and its people. Strategically, we have now transitioned from being mandate-driven to being funding-driven. I wish to remind this house that Defence can only perform to the extent that it is resourced and funded.

 

 

Against this backdrop, I once again ask of this House to apply its mind and wisdom to the question: What kind of Defence Force should South Africa have and what can it afford?

 

 

Hon members, what we need is a Defence Force that can influence widely, react swiftly, contain effectively and support efficiently wherever it is deployed.

 

In the light of the fiscal constraints we are facing South Africa, the SA National Defence Force, will have to rebalance its military capabilities towards a future force that has a wide range of utility. This must ensure future relevance and the ability to sustainably execute selected priority missions, perform its core mandated functions and provide value to South Africa as a developmental state. However, this does not come without significant risk.

 

 

Against these realities and in line with the principles and recommendations contained in the SA Defence Review 2015, I have taken the following steps towards creating stability in the Defence function: Firstly, I have issued a directive to the department in which specific measures to effect cost- savings in our personnel budget over time must be implemented. In addition, measures are to be put in place that will ensure the rejuvenation of the SANDF as we accommodate the voluntary separation of members wishing to do so. We will continue to focus on attracting young fit and healthy men and women with a passion for soldiering and service to South Africa.

 

 

Secondly, I have requested the Secretary for Defence to develop a departmental policy position on an affordable level

 

of defence ambition cognisant of our funding challenges and the emerging real and tangible threats to the national security of the Republic. I have also requested that we have insight to the defence systems and capabilities that will have to be decommissioned and the risk estimate attached thereto in the interests of achieving defence efficiency. It is my intention to approach and engage Cabinet and the parliamentary oversight committees with the outcome of this work.

 

 

Thirdly, I have requested the Chief of the SA National Defence Force to finalise the Blue Print Force Design being cognisant of our strategic circumstances. In addition, I have indicated that the command and staff structure of the Defence Force will have to change if we are to ensure improved efficiency and effectiveness in the future. To this end, we should focus on implementation as soon as is practically possible.

 

 

Fourthly, I have requested the Secretary for Defence to reposition the Defence Secretariat so as to strengthen governance of the Department and civil control over the SANDF. This repositioning must be synchronised with the changes to the command and staff arrangements and implementation thereof by the SANDF.

 

Fifthly, I have requested the CEO of Armscor to collaborate with the Chief of the SA National Defence Force and the Secretary for Defence and to develop a pragmatic recommendation on how to modernise the SANDF under the current fiscal and industry constraints. As we move forward, I have also requested advice from Armscor on the relationships that must be developed in support of the level of defence ambition and the affordable force design that supports it. In short, we are looking for a pragmatic, affordable and focused response from industry.

 

 

These interventions will allow us to ensure that the SANDF is able to carry on with its mandate of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our Republic.

 

 

Hon Chair and members, it is also incumbent on me to provide feedback on our efforts over the last year. The SANDF has been progressively asked to do more for less for several years now. This last year, however, was unprecedented, but it was a challenge that the members who make up this proud national asset accepted and met with enthusiasm.

 

We were tasked to provide the largest deployment since our democracy in support of the State of National Disaster. Not only did we focus on ensuring that citizens adhered to social distancing and the wearing of masks, but we also delivered in many other ways that were unseen.

 

 

The SANDF deployed 8 119 personnel, made up of members of the regular force, reserve force and auxiliary services, in support of other government departments to mitigate and combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The SANDF conducted 12

452 road blocks, 7 800 vehicle check points and 35 000 patrols.

 

 

We also responded urgently where needed, provided drinking water and building bridges in remote areas, and we deployed our medical professionals to areas that were buckling under the strain of the pandemic.

 

 

Notwithstanding this, the Department of Defence has also suffered its own challenges with COVID-19. We have recorded a number of COVID-19 positive cases and fatalities during this pandemic, particularly during the second wave.

 

It is important to recognise that the contribution of the Cuban medical team was enormous. They conducted just over

79 298 total procedures, significantly improving our ability to save the lives of our members in uniform.

 

 

We will continue to support the Department of Health in the roll out of the vaccine program. We have availed our air transport and airport facilities to assist in this endeavour if required to do so.

 

 

Throughout all of this, the SANDF has continued to fulfil its constitutional mandate to defend the land, sea and air sovereignty of South Africa, aiding law-enforcement agencies in their fight against crossborder crime, as well as fulfilling the country's global responsibilities to peace keeping. We continue to conduct search and rescue, disaster relief and humanitarian operations across the home front and in neighbouring countries when called upon. Thank you very much, Chairperson. [Time expired.]

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon members, we proceed. Let me remind hon members that when you see my face appearing on the screen, hon members must know that they have

 

only one minute left. I will not tell you, but I switch of my video, but once I switch it on hon members must know that they are left with one minute to finish. Thank you very much. We proceed now and call upon the hon Xaba.

 

 

Mr V C XABA: Madam House Chair, Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa- Nqakula, Deputy Minister Thabang Makwetla, Secretary for Defence and the Chief of the SA Defence Force, Chiefs of Arms of Service, hon members, I join the Minister in bidding farewell to General Shoke, the Chief of the SA Defence Force, SADF, after well over 40 years of service to the nation. To have spent so many years and buying out lawlessly deserves our own respect. We take this opportunity to salute him and thanks his family for supporting him all these years. They too deserve our praises.

 

 

Since the last budget, we have received news of the departure of the few generals who too reached their retirement age.

Equally, thank them for devoting their lives to serving and protecting the nation. Before the end of the month the nation will be welcoming a new Chief of the SA Defence Force signalling a change of guard and a new direction. We congratulate him as we thank you for accepting the nomination

 

for appointment to the highest position in the National Defence Force. Last year around this time, the commander-in- chief authorised SANDF deployment across the country to work in collaboration with other departments and to co-operate with the police in an effort to disrupt Covid-19. This deployment received mix reactions and spat outrage from doom sales.

 

 

I accept that many people were exposed to images of a soldier in boots and caring a gun in the township, villages and suburbs, an unusual experience after close to three decades. The media went above the soldiers who were out there with rifles and ordering people to stay at home. The many millions who were behind the deployment objective appreciated the participation of the SANDF in the fight against the pandemic.

 

 

While people saw of the SANDF was what the published as that was all they were deployed to do. South Africa was honoured to have many women who joined the dedicated frontlines staff and were prepared to lay down their lives to protect life. These men and women participated in decontamination procedures, Covid—19 awareness education, scanning and screening processes, water purification that saw well over 20 million litres of water purified and delivered to needy communities

 

and assisted municipalities in building bridges and solving water and sanitation problems. For example, well over 180 engineers from the SA Defence Force were deployed in teams to all nine provinces, primary healthcare teams, doctors, nurses and excelling staff. Members were also released from the SA Military Health Services to join forces with the medical teams from the Department of Health.

 

 

Those deployed with the police or on the borders seized drugs, weapons and contravenes with tens of millions of rends. Some people were taking advantage of the situation and infiltrating illegal goods and other items to the country. They were stopped in their trucks. That serves the Coronavirus out get again reminded us of the inequalities in our societies. The rollout of the vaccine continues to bring hope in the fight against the pandemic.

 

 

This budget is presented under difficult conditions of global economic recession with sky rocketing unemployment rate, high level of poverty, inequality and constrain fiscus. The constrain physical environment has forced managers to do more with less and look for measures to effects service to fund new projects.

 

The Department of Defence also too cut, the department remains intact to protection of the territorial integrity and the South African people. The department has had enhanced to programme allocation and targets to remain within the budget. The impact has been severe in other areas against the demand for more service.

 

 

Spending on personnel has been an ongoing concern for the Department of Defence in recent years. This will continue to affect the department. Over the medium term, 62,1% of the Department of Defence its total allocation is said to spread on personnel costs. This signals a regression considering the envisage spending of 40% on personnel as per the 2015 Defence Review. It also leaves very little funds available for operations and capital acquisition.

 

 

Borders safeguarding has also been raised as a concern by the Defence Committee on several occasions in the past. On each occasion the Defence Committee indicated the need for government to consider expanding beyond the current 15 subunit deployed. This need became even more apparent as a means of disrupting the spread of Covid-19, especially along the

 

borders and more so now due to security instability in one of

 

the country’s we share borders with.

 

 

Due to funding constraint this has not been achieved, however, should be grateful that Treasury allocated an additional

R225 million to the Department of Defence over the Multilateral Trading Facility, MTF, for the introduction of technological multipliers on the borders to enhance security and ensure that citizens are safe. The committee is monitoring the rollout of these technological multipliers.

 

 

The Air Defence allocation has taken a knock in recent years. Two years ago during a briefing to the Defence Committee, the then Chief of the SA Air Force indicated that the force was in distrait and operating in a survival mode. The Air Force is not out of the wood yet. The non-achievement of flying hours set as on our target remains the concern. The funding challenges have not only impacted on the flying hours but also on the ability of the Air Force to maintain aircraft procure spare parts. This has serious implications on the air force stability to maintain standards required of a flight pilot ... [Inaudible ... Thanks. [Time expired.]

 

Mr S J F MARAIS: Chairperson, in all my six years as a member of this portfolio this is the challenging and the most concerning budget consideration. Over the past year, the Minister of Defence stumbled from one embarrassment to the next, damaged the reputation and integrity of the Commander- in-Chief, her office and the SA National Defence Force, SANDF. We experienced a rude awakening with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Isis, related insurgency in Cabo Delgado.

 

 

Government had no significant response against the insurgency, and it failed to evacuate our citizens from Palma who had to rely on the Dyck Advisory Group, pilots and personnel, to get them safely to bomb Pemba. The instability in Cabo Delgado damaged the development of one of the biggest liquid natural gas production and economic development opportunities in the world, and they significantly increased the risk along our land and maritime borders. To date, we have not seen any meaningful improved land border safeguarding measures and the decay of the strategic defence capabilities in the navy and the air force have exposed us both in the air and on sea.

 

 

The lack of relevant credible and reputable intelligence was evident in the inability of government to respond effectively;

 

the perception is that our intel agencies are more involved with the ANC factional battles than assuring intel in compliance with our constitution. It is thus no surprise to see National Treasury further thrashing the defence intelligence budget, probably because it’s bad value for money. Economic opportunities have nearly been destroyed by the African National Congress. Unemployment is at the highest ever and economic growth potential the lowest ever.

 

 

The South African Defence industry has been particularly hard hit due to the inability of Denel to recover from the state capture looting, as well as their financial and management implosion. The latter is attributed to government who fail to act promptly and support them in a way to benefit the country, defence industry and our defence capabilities. The unilateral defence budget cuts by National Treasury, unwillingness by the Minister and defence leadership to comply with both National Treasury and 2015 defence review guidelines and the lack of strong political will and leadership, including the President, have collectively stripped the SANDF of its essential equipment, procurement and maintenance capacity. This will have a detrimental effect on both the SANDF and the defence industry stakeholders. Add to that the consistent frustration

 

by the National Conventional Army Controls Committee, NCACC, not considering industries export permit applications on a monthly basis and we have an ideal recipe for chaos which will destroy the once world renowned South African Defence industry, with the compliments of the ANC.

 

 

Chairperson, as mentioned, we saw the Minister and those under the executive leadership stumbling from one embarrassment, transgression and misstep to the other, and from the one irregular and wasteful expenditure to the next. We have experienced a consistent and frustrating power struggle between the Minister and her department on the one side, and the Minister of Finance and National Treasury on the other side, at the expense of our defence readiness and the integrity of our country. The defence leadership only one solution for their budget challenges and that was more money, while the National Treasury standard response was and I quote “Little scope to provide additional funding.” The impasse has contributed significantly to the deterioration of our defence readiness and strategic capabilities. It seems obvious the political will does not exist with the Commander-in-Chief and the Minister to bring a lasting solution, to restructure and

 

reprioritise the SANDF as a smaller but more responsive and affordable defence force.

 

 

There must be a refocus to the current and future threats and priorities, which requires restructuring, repositioning, reprioritising and refunding of the department and the SANDF, including the extensive use of technology as force multipliers. The Minister’s embarrassment referred above include the unwavering support the generals regarding the death of Collins Khosa and their subsequent unprofessional behaviour, blame each other with Parliament being misled at the time, her and her ANC colleagues hashtag jet gate to Zimbabwe at the expense of the defence force, the illegal transportation of Cuban medicine not once but three times, which most were called drug smuggling by either the Military Command Council with the support of the Minister of Defence, who then claim ignorance regarding the legal requirements for the importation of medicine. Bizarre and outrageous excuses of, among them, the threat of biological welfare were given.

 

 

Clearly the Military Command Council saw themselves as above the law, while hundreds of millions of rand were wasted, so far, they have restricted the investigations seemingly to

 

protect their personal interests while no one has been held responsible and accountable. The latest allegations against the Minister’s poor judgement to spend millions on overseas trips with charted a drive while the SANDF had to cut costs, was surely unfitting of this Minister. In the private sector, she would have been fired. Why has the President not acted stronger against her? Is it because her husband is security advisor? Let me turn to this budget.

 

 

The following budget anomalies will show the inappropriate and wrong priorities and that little political and operational leadership exist to secure the sustainability of our defence readiness and strategic capabilities. The defence budget was reduced by 18,08% in real terms, including the army was reduced by 16,12% of which the inventory capability decreased by 23%. Contractors will increase by nearly a billion rand.

The air force was reduced by 24% in real terms of which air combat capabilities decreased by 62; helicopter capabilities decreased by over 20%; transport and maritime capabilities decreased by 29%; fuel, oil and gas decreased by 54%. Our navy was reduced by 17,2% in real terms of which maritime combat capability is decreased by 30,8%, but Contractors increased by

 

58%. Military Health was reduced by 16,2%, and the Defence Intelligence reduced by 36,6%.

 

 

However, under programme 1, the Administration, the Ministry will receive an increase from R97,2 million to R125,5 million, which probably makes this the most expensive Ministry, including subsistence and travel allowance, S&T, will increase by 95,7%, and communication services will increase by 47,6% while Department of International Relations and Co-operations, DIRCO, is planning to reduce their foreign missions. The Minister seems adamant to retain our 44 defence ... [Inaudible] ... while both National Treasury and the 2015 defence review prescribed cost of employees not to be more than 40%. This budget reflects as 63%.

 

 

The department has already reported a projected overspent of R4,9 billion, which will bring the cost of employees effectively to 73% of this allocated budget, which will result in more irregular expenses. This leaves only 27% for operations, including training, as well as important acquisitions, maintenance, which is totally unsustainable. On this trajectory, and the department and the SANDF has become only a safety net employment service, mostly for ex Mkhonto

 

weSizwe, MK, members. This we should not allow. This secret defence account will be depleted and funding for the project, Hoefyster, Biro, of which the first Inshore Patrol vessels, IPV, has to be delivered this month and the Hotel is still not secured.

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Marais, your time is up.

 

 

Mr S J F MARAIS: Thank you very much, Chairperson, just to conclude, no one can support this budget and expect defence capabilities not to go down the drain at an alarming speed. Time for change is now! I thank you.

 

 

Mr W T I MAFANYA: House Chairperson, what we have as leadership in this department – the only thing we ought to be talking about today is her resignation. Minister, it is under your leadership that the Department of Defence and Military Veterans have deteriorated to a point whereby the department cannot fulfil its mandate optimally. The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans has recently gone on oversight on the colonial borders of Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The horrific unacceptable and intolerable conditions

 

soldiers are exposed to are deplorable. I was told that soldiers relieve themselves in the bushes because there are military posts that do not have ablution facilities along the borders of Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

 

 

On patrol along the borders, the SA National Defence Force, SANDF, is using the Toyota Hilux bakkies that are not fit for purpose. The terrain is hostile for such vehicles. They daily experience punctures because the type of tyres that are used are not fit for such a terrain and the department is aware.

However, whoever approve the purchase of such vehicles needs to be investigated. Our soldiers cannot match the criminal syndicate operations. They are weakened and they have no requisite resources to outlast the criminal syndicates.

 

 

On maritime side, we are often told that there has been a decline in maritime piracy and unlawful activities in our waters. The lack of sufficient vessels to patrol our oceans, in particular, the outdated vessel that lack the new technology that can help as a force multiplier to curb or detect irregularities on our waters leave us with no hope for the current regime to win the battle against crime on our ocean economy.

 

On the Mozambican Channel, we know now that Mozambique and Tanzania are signatories to security arrangements and joint responsibilities. The reality on the ground is that both Mozambique and Tanzania are not physically involved. In whose interest is South Africa patrolling Mozambique? Who stands to benefit? The simple answer is that the imperialists forces are continually milking Africa’s mineral resources and raw material in the name of the so-called investors.

 

 

South Africa is providing an enabling environment by continuously patrolling the Mozambique Channel. Denel has collapsed to a point where its employees are not able to receive their salaries. Some of Denel employees have had their houses repossessed as a result of their failure to pay their bonds. Some committed suicide and their family structures have been torn apart. Others are living in cars and their children’s school routine had been abruptly stopped. The cause of their miseries is corruption and the government desire to prioritise Denel at all costs. Denel cannot keep the SA Air Force operational – some of its patrols.

 

 

Mr Gordhan, the Minister of Public Enterprises, has stated in this Parliament to get a master plan to rescue Denel. But

 

because we have a weak Minister of Defence who cannot hold her colleague to account for his reckless utterances. We know then that there is no truth in what Mr Gordhan was saying. Skilled and specialists engineers have left for greener pastures locally and abroad. Some of them have manipulated the intellectual property rights of our armaments. They are currently producing the same armaments with our sovereignty capabilities and selling them to Denel’s previous clients.

That is fraud at its highest order. The Minister’s responses will always be like this, “I am not aware, we will investigate or the matter is with the command council” Yet things still remain the same.

 

 

Denel has lost credibility in the manufacturing arms industry, locally and abroad because of a lack of a dynamic leadership and the failure of both the Minister and her counterpart in Public Enterprises. The intention is clear, you all want to privatise Denel to further weaken the sovereignty of South Africa during this global armaments competition and eminent security threads. Coronavirus and budgets cuts can no longer be used as an excuse for the failure to run your department effectively. Minister, you are weak and incompetent.

 

On the issue of military veterans, particularly those from the nonstatutory forces, it has a travesty of justice on the lives of those who sacrifices their lives for this current mess we find ourselves in. No economic freedom for them because of the poor judgement on your department, Minister. The EFF rejects this budget. Thank you.

 

 

Mr M N NXUMALO: Chair, I did not want to ... [Inaudible.] ... assume and read your lips. It remains essential that our National Defence Force’s capability remains at the stage of readiness, both nationally and with regard to the peacekeeping mission in both the region and on the continent.

 

 

In order to fulfil the above mandate, certain fundamentals must be in place and fully functional. It continues to be of concern to the IFP that the following areas, if not addressed, will have detrimental effects upon the sustainability of an effective defence capability.

 

 

Despite the budget cuts, the use of civilian contractors increased from R2 billion in 2020-21 to R3 billion in 2021-22. Now, this is almost a million rand and a nearly 30% increase

 

in spending. The IFP calls for more stringent oversight to be deployed over such ...

 

 

Relating to the administrative costs of the Ministry of the Department of Defence for 2021-22, the cost of the Ministry is R125,5 million, which is significantly higher that the

R97,2 ... spent in the previous financial year.

 

 

The defence ... capacity is only good as the Defence Force’s manpower ... [Inaudible.] On both these fronts, urgent redress is required. Low morale ... [Inaudible.] ... leads to ill- discipline, criminal activity and a general ineffectiveness.

Steps must be taken to ensure that members of the SA National Defence Force, SANDF, are well trained and equipped. A sense of national pride must be instilled and not undermined.

 

 

Outdated technology and equipment that is no longer in working condition not only endangers the lives of the troops and those that they are supposed to protect but it also contributes to low morale. The acquisition of new and modern equipment to maintain a professional military force remains an urgent priority, not only for defence but also to assist in illegal fishing, which is currently plundering our fishing stocks.

 

This remains a real threat to the nation’s sustainability of

 

food security.

 

 

Any savings should be repurposed, especially towards operational expenses, specifically fuel and other operational needs that negatively affect the attaining of flying and ... [Inaudible.] ... our targets as this is directly impacting upon defence capabilities and our reediness.

 

 

The IFP agrees that border security is an urgent priority that must be allocated additional funding, budget and other resources. The continuing porosity of our borders presents the country with increased risk, not only socioeconomically but also in terms of the region and international crime.          calls

for the improvement of health care and accelerated access thereto for military veterans and their dependents in order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

 

 

We also call for the urgent prioritisation of the review of the Military Veterans Act 18 of 2011 as well as any other inadequate legislation and policy, as this will be central to addressing various other challenges to effectively deliver

 

benefits to military veterans and their dependents. The IFP will support this budget.

 

 

IsiZulu:

 

Angithokoze Sihlalo.

 

 

Dr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, if we talk about the defence as such I want to start with Denel. I had the privilege of working for 10 years at certain affiliates of the

now called Denel, then called the Armaments Corporation of SA, Armscor. It was quite disturbing having heard this morning on the news bulletins that Denel is not in a position to pay the full salaries of its employees. Denel and its affiliates were once at the forefront of new technology when it comes to armaments. It played a major role in the world as far as that was concerned, but because of the mismanagement and because of the fact that not capable, qualified managers were appointed to Denel, we have the situation that we have. Again, we have to see how affirmative action is destroying the economy and certain institutions in South Africa.

 

 

I cannot understand why the government cannot understand that what South Africa needs is to appoint capable, well-qualified

 

people, and not people who are only loyal to the governing party. As long as you keep doing that, I can assure you that we will have more problems.

 

 

A country’s Defence Force is the pride of a nation. Or let me put it this way. It is supposed to be the pride of a nation. The reason for that is because it is the strength and the professional way that a country’s Defence Force acts, when the people feel safe because the constitutional obligation is to protect the sovereignty of the country. Citizens of a country want to know that their sovereignty is in well-disciplined people.

 

 

Now, if we look at the SANDF, we must be honest with each other, hon Minister. You have been in this ... [Inaudible.]

... for many years. I am sure that there must be times when you lower your head in shame.

 

 

Afrikaans:

 

Hoekom sê ek dat daar tye is wanneer ons ons koppe in skaamte laat hang as ons oor die SA Nasionale Weermag, SANW, praat?

Dit gebeur as die Minister self haar mag misbruik om party-

 

politieke mense met militêre vervoer na ’n buurland te

 

vervoer. En, as jy vrae in die Parlement vra, dan kry jy nie die antwoorde nie. Met ander woorde, die politieke hoof stel die voorbeeld van swak dissipline. Jy laat jou kop in skaamte hang as jy moet hoor van miljarde rande wat spandeer word en waar korrupsie ter sprake is.

 

 

Daar sou ’n ondersoek gedoen word en ’n paneel aangewys word in terme van die entstowwe wat ingevoer is van Kuba, deur die Minister van Verdediging. Ek het nog nie die verslag gesien nie. Die vraag is, het die Minister nou finaal die span saamgestel en het ons die resultaat, want die topbestuur van die weermag was teen so ’n ondersoek.

 

 

Agb Minister, u moet die voorbeeld stel. Ons sien te veel gevalle waar lede van die SANW aangekla word, selfs vir kriminele dade.

 

 

English:

 

There is an obligation on you as the hon Minister and the senior management ...

 

 

Afrikaans:

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Agb lid, u tyd is nou verstreke.

 

 

English:

 

Mr P J GROENEWALD: Chairperson, I still have 30 seconds. I have a stopwatch in front of me.

 

 

So, what I want to conclude with then is to say that the hon Minister must set the example, and if we look at what is happening in the SANDF, hon Minister, I think the time has come for you to consider retiring. I thank you.

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (MS M G BOROTO): Deputy Minister Makwetla, happy birthday, before you speak. I hope you enjoy the day.

 

 

The time is yours, hon Makwetla, Deputy Minister.

 

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS: Hon

 

House Chairperson, thank you for your kind wishes.

 

 

Allow me to recognize the hon Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Minister Nosiziwe Maphisa-Nqakula, hon members of

 

Parliament’s defence and military veterans oversight committees, colleagues, distinguished leaders of our military establishment and the defence community at large, hon members of the House.

 

 

Our budget this year comes after 14 months of an unprecedented curtailment of many activities in our normal life and the introduction of a range of new practices we never imagined could be part of our lives before; all this to ensure that life continues. [Interjections.]

 

 

Performance in many spheres of human endeavour has been subdued as we learn new ways of doing things; the same applies to the programmes of both our Department of Defence and Department of Military Veterans over the period under review.

 

 

We now know better that the threat to human life will not always emanate from outright war and conflicts. The huge threat which remains hanging over human life as a result of coronavirus tells us we may have entered an era where pandemics are likely to become part of our lives into the future. This has a direct bearing on how the security of

 

citizens and the forte of militaries are perceived and organized for globally today.

 

 

Our budget debate takes place against an important changing of the guard in the command of our defence force. This marks in part a significant signpost because it notably marks the bowing out of the last leadership team from the legendary June

16 detachment of uMkhonto weSizwe.

 

 

This, by implication, is the team which served the longest time in boots and uniform for almost four decades and half.

 

 

I, therefore, join the hon Minister Maphisa-Nqakula in giving a royal salute to the outgoing Chief of the SA National Defence Force, SANDF, General Solly Zacharia Shoke, and his team, Lieutenant-General Zimpande Msimang, Lieutenant-General Jeremiah Nyembe and Lieutenant-General Zola Dabula, for their patriotism and the dedication with which they served their country.

 

 

Similarly, I wish to join the Minister again in congratulating the team which is about to resume duties under the able command of the new Chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani

 

Maphwanya, which includes Lieutenant-General Lawrence Mbatha, Lieutenant-General Wiseman Mbambo, Lieutenant-General Ntshavheni Maphaha, Lieutenant-General Siphiwe Sangweni and Lieutenant-General Thalita Mxakato. We wish them well and we wish them all the wisdom in their new crucial responsibilities.

 

 

House Chair and hon members, to move on allow me to remind the House that our debate today struggles two votes, namely: vote 23, the Department of Defence budget; and vote 26, the Department of Military Veterans budget.

 

 

For the first time budget of Department of Military Veterans is now a separate vote with the responsibility to account for its own budget through its own accounting and budget systems. This concludes the bureaucratic process of establishing a standalone Department of Military Veterans which commenced a decade ago.

 

 

In the beginning and in the recent past, military veterans have called for a separate ministry for military veterans because their perception is that things are not happening for

 

them or their interests suffer neglect because of the absence of a separate ministry dedicated to military veterans.

 

 

In view of the successful creation of a separate vote of the Department of Military Veterans, it may assist in future for Parliament to consider separating the debates of these two votes so as to allow sufficient attention and time for the ventilation of the business of the Department of Military Veterans. This arrangement does exist in some of the ministries which oversights two departments. However, it is for Parliament to explore the logistics of such an arrangement.

 

 

The Department of Military Veterans continues to register steady progress in delivering on its mandate. However, its achievements remain modest because the project to establish the Department of Military Veterans stalled midway.

 

 

The Department of Military Veterans budget allocations platooned before a full a department could be realised. As a result, the department only exists nationally; it lacks any meaningful infrastructure in the provinces, which deprives military veterans of access to its services.

 

In addition to this objective constraint, the internal environment is characterised by several debilitating subjective weaknesses. The skills base of the department is inadequate and consequence management is not strong enough. The planning capacity of the department has improved but still remains below what the department requires. There are still policy gaps which are dealt with through ad hoc measures and benefits whose delivery modalities are still to be designed.

These challenges account for the widespread dissatisfaction among military veterans.

 

 

As the saying goes, to every crisis there is a silver lining.

 

 

The depth of dissatisfaction among military veterans escalated; over time petitions from military veterans to the president started growing. This led to a request by the President for an urgent meeting with the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans over grievances of military veterans.

 

 

This political intervention was a major relief and a shot in the arm to the mandate and mission of the Department of Military Veterans because it brought the needed executive

 

weight to resolve some of the obstacles which constrained support for military veterans.

 

 

The President appreciated the need for extraordinary measures to bring instant relief to the needs of military veterans.

 

 

This intervention rested on three pillars: Firstly, there was agreement that as a matter of urgency the provinces should be robed in to facilitate immediate accessibility of services to military veterans through provincial line function departments including metros and district councils where applicable.

 

 

Secondly, that all national departments whose mandates addresses some of the needs of the military veterans be brought into the agenda of the task team.

 

 

Thirdly, that the military pension, which is provided for in the Department of Military Veterans’ legislated policy, be introduced as a matter of urgency. And that the R350 Social Relief of Distress COVID-19 grant be paid out to all destitute military veterans with immediate effect.

 

This is a task which the hon Deputy President, David Mabuza, has been assigned to spearhead, supported by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Minister Maphisa-Nqakula, the Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans and the Minister in the Presidency, the late Jackson Mthembu, who was subsequently replaced by Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

 

 

To realise the above mission, since November 2020 the task team has met with all existing military veterans’ associations of both former statutory and non-statutory forces. All the grievances were processed and negotiated, barring the demand by one group of military veterans for a once-off payment of  R2 million per person for their participation in the struggle. This demand was considered virtually impossible and was set aside.

 

 

The task team has proceeded to establish work streams around each of the grievances raised by military veterans. Each work stream is composed by officials from the relevant line function departments, Department of Military Veterans and provincial sister departments’ representatives. These teams have terms of reference and milestones for their work.

 

These work streams are as follows:

 

 

Firstly, the verification and cleansing of the database work stream. A new team has been reconstituted by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans to resume the verification of

5 000-plus applicants whose files are at the Department of Military Veterans. The process is observed by all representatives of interested associations. The panel has already had several verification sessions.

 

 

It is an opportunity for bona fide military veterans who are not on the database to come forward to be verified and integrated. We should emphasise that this is the last endeavour to get bona fide military veterans who are not on the database to be included.

 

 

Following this work, the military veterans’ database will be officially and finally sealed. The process to verify dependents will follow suite.

 

 

We must underline that the building of a credible database of genuine military veterans stands between the success or failure of the Department of Military Veterans. If the

 

Department of Military Veterans fails to secure a list of credible recipients of the benefits we are providing, the department will lose credibility and respect in the eyes of the broader public and will become an object of resentment and derision.

 

 

We call on all genuine military veterans and members of the public to come forward and assist the Department of Military Veterans in exposing fraudsters and corrupt individuals during this exercise. It is about time for ethics and resentment for corruption to trend in our society; let them not pass.

 

 

The second work stream is the legislative review. The process of amending the current Military Veterans Act is in progress. Support has been sourced from the Department of Defence, Justice and Constitutional Development, the National Treasury as well. Consultations with other government departments is taking place alongside engagements with military veterans’ associations.

 

 

The scheduled presentation by the department to the portfolio committee should be followed by the presentation of the actually preliminary objects of the Bill.

 

The third work stream is the restructuring of the Department of Military Veterans. The Department of Military Veterans supported by Department of Public Service and Administration, DPSA, the Department of Defence and National Treasury are collaborating over this intervention. They’ve refined and confirmed the new service delivery model of the Department of Military Veterans, they hope to be done by end of June to submit to DPSA for ratification of their product.

 

 

The fourth work stream is the military pension. There is consultation with National Treasury and its agency, Government Employee Pension Fund, GEPF, the Department of Social Development and its agency SA Social Security Agency, SASSA, aimed at finalizing the draft policy. A workshop was held to test the efficacy of the proposed draft policy. More than 900 military veterans received a sum of R1 200 monthly over the last nine months as their Social Relief of Distress, SRD, Grant. This was possible because the Department of Military Veterans provided a complimentary amount of R850 to these recipients; an additional 614 applicants have been processed.

 

 

The fifth work stream is social services. With respect to social services, the principle is to craft protocols which

 

will govern the collaboration between the Department of Military Veterans and provincial line function departments. This includes, among others, an arrangement which obviates the need for the transfer of top-up budgets in the delivery of houses to military veterans.

 

 

The easy flow of information from the Department of Military Veterans to provinces to provide bona fide recipients of houses, health and education is important.

 

 

The sixth work stream is the presidential pardon. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has furnished the Office of the President with files of individuals who have applied for presidential pardon dating back to two administrations before. Those military veterans who were involved in the November march are called upon to submit their particulars as well.

 

 

Lastly, the heritage and memorialization work stream. This work stream is collaborating with the Department of Arts and Culture. Among its key projects is the concretization of plans for the return of human remains of those who lie buried in

 

distant lands across the globe. [Time expired.] Thank you very much, hon House Chair.

 

 

Mr S N SWART: Chairperson, may we also wish the Deputy Minister a very happy and blessed birthday. We share the deep concerns expressed by other speakers concerning the reduction in the Defence budget. One almost feels like a stuck record with the same concerns being expressed every year, yet very little seems to be done. In fact, every year the situation at the SA National Defence Force, SANDF, gets worse while billions of rand is looted and stolen elsewhere through state capture and corruption.

 

 

If the SA Airways, SAA, and other bankrupt state-owned entities can receive bailouts running into billions, then the SANDF can and must receive additional funds, given the critical role it plays. Decisive action is indeed required, hon Minister.

 

 

Questions about Denel’s ability to supply spares to keep the SA Air force aircraft operational are deeply concerning. The aircraft types most affected are the workhorses that have been operating for many years — the C-130 Hercules transport

 

aircraft, the Rooivalk attack helicopters and the Oryx medium transport helicopters. This will have a dire effect on troops stationed elsewhere on the continent as well as the country’s humanitarian capabilities, such as rescues and firefighting.

 

 

Given these financial constraints, savings must also be achieved, such as in relation to the 44 defence attaché

offices when the Department of International Relations and Co- operation, Dirco, aims to close 10 consulates, as well as the costs of the Defence Ministry of R125 million up from

R97 million last year; one of the most costly ministries in the country. I would to quote from the famous poem, Charge of the light brigade, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson:

 

 

Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.

 

 

“Forward, the Light Brigade!” Was there a man dismay’d?

Not tho’ the soldier knew Someone had blunder’d: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why,

 

Theirs but to do and die:

 

Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.

 

 

Members of the SANDF do not have the privilege of reasoning why when they are deployed with insufficient resources. Theirs is but to do or die. However, we as parliamentarians who do not intervene decisively, could well be accused of being someone who blundered in not ensuring a proper budget for the SANDF when lives are at risk.

 

 

Lastly, the ACDP would like to thank all SANDF members for their dedicated service, as well to wish SANDF Chief Gen Shoke well in his retirement on 31 May 2021. We congratulate Lt-Gen Maphwanya on his appointment as the new SANDF Chief as well as all the other new appointments. I thank you.

 

 

Ms A J BEUKES: Hon House Chair, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members, our beloved citizens, the primary task of the SA Defence Force is to protect territorial borders, to protect the sovereignty of the Republic, to avoid any illegal invasion by other states and from terrorist groups.

 

During the COVID-19 period, we have seen more soldiers deployed at the borders as part of safeguarding. We welcome the Budget Vote but strongly recommend that there be no more reductions in the Defence budget because it compromises the work of the Department of Defence.

 

 

It is important, even before we can talk about the Budget Vote of the department, to briefly reflect on the essence and importance of this department. We should reflect on the role that the Department of Defence plays in the scheme of things and how they try to do more with less. I would think that it is time that we commend our Defence Force for the important role they played in the fight against COVID-19. They formed part of the frontline workers that daily put their lives at risk, and their role is bigger and more critical than just human beings in uniform.

 

 

In this new normal of COVID-19, all of us need moral support. We need to acknowledge that these are indeed testing and trying times. Someone one said: “The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten”.

 

We have witnessed members of the Defence Force losing their lives. We want to salute all the fallen soldiers. We have seen the role that the Defence Force played in providing support to the police in ensuring that the COVID-19 regulations were respected and that has immensely contributed in the fight against COVID-19. Like other frontline workers, they have put their lives on the block to protect the people of South Africa.

 

 

Afrikaans:

 

Ek wil graag weg van die donker prentjie wat geskets is die volgende sê.

 

 

English:

 

As a member of this committee representing the ANC, I want to thank all our soldiers who, despite their circumstances, respond to the call of duty. As a nation, we are proud of you. As the ANC, we want to thank the families of those that protect us and our country. In most instances, we do not acknowledge the successes but focus more on the failures. Have we ever publicly thanked the department for the deployment during the peak of COVID-19? Have we ever acknowledged and appreciated the Cape Town deployment? Have we ever thanked

 

them for safeguarding our borders? Yes, I know some of you will say it is their duty but let us put ourselves in their shoes. In these trying times, they also need moral support and motivating messages, like all our other frontline workers.

 

 

Hon Minister, we acknowledge and appreciate what the department is doing with the little resources they have. There is a need for improvement, especially in monitoring and co- ordination, whilst continuing to implement our resolutions. We want to see the change in the department and witness the impact of the oversight committee.

 

 

We have respect for the Defence Force of South Africa ... their levels of commitment, even in the current conditions. They indeed show that they are capable. They have demonstrated a high level of discipline that is required in the Defence Force and indeed, through their commitment to the work they do, even under difficult conditions. I have witnessed the human element and patriotism of soldiers during our oversight

— driving programmes at schools, where they bought school shoes for some learners from their own personal pockets, helping in painting community houses. This is beyond their

 

scope of work. They are involved in the community outreach programmes.

 

 

These are the stories we want to hear that no-one talks about

 

— the display of ubuntu. Thomas Sankara once said, in trying to characterise the enemies of our people, “The enemies of a people are those who keep them in ignorance”. With that being said, I salute you. We support the Budget Vote. I thank you.

 

 

Ms M MODISE: Hon House Chair, we meet here today, just a week

 

before we celebrate Africa day, which will provide us with an opportunity to reflect and remember on the work done by the

liberation struggle veterans who made it possible for us to be liberated, today. The department of Military Veterans, like

any other department, has its own mandate, and it derives it from the Military Act no 18 eighteen of 2011, which requires

it to provide national policy and standards on socioeconomic

 

support to military veterans and their dependants, including benefits and entitlements, to help realise a dignified, unified, empowered and self-sufficient community of military veterans. Primarily, it is to provide modalities for the integration process of the military veterans in the new democratic South Africa.

 

House Chairperson, the defence department is instead faced with a situation of diminishing budget. The reduction will impact the work of the department. This mandate is established exactly because we are here dealing with the department that deals with former war veterans, as we have explained above,

the coronavirus outbreak has negatively impacted the lives of the military veterans and some have died in the process. We

acknowledge that the budget constraints will have an impact in a fulfilment of this mandate.

 

 

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the target number of houses that were supposed to be built was not reached because of the

lockdown period. This, then creates a backlog because the number of veterans is increasing in the database due to

various reasons. It is important that we note that some of the military veterans are old and the need for housing is a basic

need, and they have support or medical support is a basic need

 

as well, especially during the coronavirus time. The department has responded to the call of creating access for military veterans to the military was because hospitals and sick bays, as part of the response to the challenges faced by the department. The support that is provided to the veterans

 

is as a result of their contribution to the fight for liberation.

 

 

We have witnessed the protests by the military veterans where they have raised their demands, which include improving the

living conditions, jobs, housing and medical support from the government. And these are within their rights, as stipulated

in the Military Veterans Act. They further demanded that the government must intensify the integration process of the ex-

commandant in the different departments for the purpose of

 

employment.

 

 

 

In response to these challenges faced by the department, the President task team was appointed by the President of the

Republic in the process of addressing the challenges. The task team was convened by the Deputy President. The President’s

task team, among other things, will finalise the review of the

 

Military Veterans Act, that has been long overdue, and speed up the empowerment programme of the military veterans, also pay more attention to the cleansing of the military veterans database.

 

The other challenges faced in the department is the shortage of human resource and there is work being done and some of the posts are being filled and others advertised to enforce the work of the department.

 

 

There are investigations conducted within the department in trying to address the financial expenditures and other cases

within the department. There is progress in bringing stability in the department to ensure that the mandate is fulfilled.

 

 

We therefore strongly recommend that they be no budget reduction in the Defence, in particular the budget allocated

to the military veterans so that the department can provide sufficient support for the military veterans. And the

responsibilities of providing for the military veterans will require sufficient funding. We therefore, as the ANC supports

the budget. Thank you.

 

 

 

Mr M L SHELEMBE: House Chairperson, the DA notes the budget allocation of R654 million, the Department of Military Veterans. This budget is allocated to military veteran, MV to ensure that administrative socioeconomic support, empowerment and stakeholder management programmes are implemented. These

 

programmes are meant to ensure that the Department of Military Veterans is efficiently administered, and military veterans have access to assistance benefits such as houses, education, health services, pension, transport and employment opportunities. It is very disappointing that the department,

under Minister Mapisa Nqakula, has yet to employ a director general, a post that has not been filled since 2015. Director

generals are critical in ensuring the implementation of the programmes, I have mentioned.

 

 

Supply chain management is a mess in 2015, the Penetration Testing Execution Standard, PTES company was appointed to do a

skills audit in a Department of Military Veterans, DMV. The company was paid R478 000 within three months. But the

department has yet to receive the skills audit report six years later. The ANC must be ashamed of that.

 

 

The AD is deeply concerned that the DMV has only set its sights on receiving an unqualified audit, instead of aiming to obtain a clean audit. The DA is here to ensure that taxpayers money is protected from the corrupt officials. We want the clean audit.

 

The Department of Military Veterans derives its mandate from the Military Veterans no 18 of 2011, and eleven, which requires the department to ensure that the members of the defence force who risk physical, psychological whilst in service of their country, may depend on a dedicated health

service that is guaranteed comprehensive and available at all times.

 

 

Despite having the Act in place, military veterans are still

 

struggling to access health services in rural areas, in some

 

provinces where there are no offices to assist them when they need it. It is totally unacceptable that the DMV has failed to

comply with the military Veterans Act, no 18, and its regulations, since its inception in 2011.

 

 

Due to the failure of the DMV to execute its mandate, the

 

presidential task team had to take over. This is an indication

 

that this department is in the verge of collapse.

 

 

 

Rule 21 of the Military Veterans Benefits Regulations, stipulates that:

 

The DMV must, within 30 days from the date of applying for benefits, notify the applicant in writing of the outcome of the application. A notification of the outcome must be delivered by hand at a physical address furnished by the applicants, or buy prepaid registered post

furnished by the applicant.

 

 

 

House Chairperson, this is yet to happen in the DMV. There are a number of instances where military veterans apply for

assistant benefits, but are not informed whether their

 

applications were approved. When the DA followed up on some of these applications, we were to find many of them older than a

year. House Chairperson assistant benefits are not a favour for military veterans. It is a requirement by law. South

Africa has been under lockdown for more than a year and a number of military veterans have suffered... [Interjection.]

 

 

The ACTING HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr F D XASA): Your time has

 

expired, hon member. Your time is up.

 

 

Mr M L SHELEMBE: Should the DA be charged every single military veteran would have been ... [Interjection.] [Time expired.]

 

The ACTING HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr F D XASA): No, hon member,

 

your time up. Can call hon Mmutle from the ANC.

 

 

MR T N MMUTLE: Thank you hon Chair. It goes without saying that, the ANC supports this Budget Vote 23 and 26 respectively. We made the strongest recommendation that the declining budget should be arrested. We acknowledge the economic strains the COVID-19 pandemic brought and the global instability to our fiscal. This led to the reduction of funds in various departments. However, beyond this challenge, the work must continue. We are encouraged by the commitment of men and women in uniform, to carry the constitutional mandate to protect our territory and serve the people of the Republic of South Africa to the best of their ability, as we have witnessed during the period of lockdown.

 

 

Hon Chair, we also take this opportunity and join the chorus to congratulate a newly appointed command council in particular General Maphwanya, who will have to come in and provide leadership to the SA Defence Force under difficult conditions when the department is faced with budgetary constraints. It is now the sixth year since the Defence Review of 2015 has been adopted. Meaning that the call to arrest the

 

decline has been made six years ago but the budget continues to decline.

 

 

Hon Chair, the ANC as a visionary movement has long anticipated this challenge and resolved in its conference that, the Security Cluster should be funded adequately. We are making a clarion call to the commander in chief to get on with this resolution and put an end to this uncertainty about the future of the defence force. The constraints pose a risk and loss of capabilities in the defence environment. We can’t continue to make noise rear in and year out while we are guided by the resolution as to what should happen.

 

 

Hon Chair, the allocation on the Budget Vote 23 and 26 of the programme of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans will ensure performance on all programmes and not leaving any programme behind, hence it is critical that we accept the vote and continue with the work of the department. The overall budget allocation decreased with just more about R7 billion from R57 billion in 2020-21 financial year to R46 billion in 2021-22 financial year. The Budget Vote will provide the department with a base. If these patterns of it indicating a decrease are not giving us a picture of the consistent decline

 

of the budget, it means that those who still can’t see this

 

must consult optometrists.

 

 

This bears a clear need to arrest this decline and fund in the defence adequately and salvage the special defence accounts.

As the ANC we are resolute on calling for more funding for the SA National Defence Force and we will continue to ask for the budget increase so that, the department can continue to fulfil its mandate.

 

 

The budget allocation will ensure that the primary objective which is to provide a safe place for all South Africans. The approval of the budget is indeed a clear indication of our appreciation and recognition of the efforts of the SA National Defence Force. It is further confirming the role that the SA National Defence Force plays in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and that, it will ensure that it will continue to ensure that the people of South Africa further assist the nationalist state in the region to pursue forth a better South Africa, a better Africa in a better world.

 

 

The ANC notes with concerns the matters of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans constantly having unspent funds.

 

We wish to implore on the department to ensure that they spend those funds and assist the military veterans and identify the areas of focus in spending their allocated funds and bring more human resource to the department to ensure that the work is done in the department. We will not be impressed with a presentation that will not translate to improving the lives of military veterans.

 

 

Hon Marais has made some assertion. I must indicate that hon Marais was disingenuous because, he is well aware of the economic situation facing our country, as a result all departments are impacted negatively. He is well aware that, the SA National Defence Force has deployed five companies to protect our land border. We know, according to them it is not enough, opposed to the 22 companies that they wish to have but due to budgetary constraints, it is not possible. He is well aware of that.

 

 

The SA National Defence Force is working tirelessly to cover those kilometres and kilometres on our border lines with minimum resources. I don’t see how he dragged the ANC internal politics as he refers to them as ... [Ianudible] ... how those affect the budget and how he got that to the debate, except to

 

deceive the nation and defocus the nation from the fact that the DA leaders are lazy to study and they forge qualifications.

 

 

I think the EFF must also stop confusing the SA National Defence Force with the SA Police Service. I will offer them a free lecture about the mandate of the SA National Defence Force and I think hon Beukes has tried to clarify the mandate of the SA National Defence Force. Hon Groenewald, first and foremost, Denel is under the Department of Public Enterprises and we are concerned about the dire situation at Denel. The problem we are dealing with here is a member who is indoctrain... [Time Expired.] We support the work done by the Minister. She must not be shaken. We support the Budget Vote. Thank you very much.

 

 

The MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS: Thank you very

 

much, Chairperson, and thank you, hon members for your contributions to this debate. But allow me Chair to just respond to two or three issues. Firstly, the situation in Mozambique, where it was said that South Africa has not bothered to even evacuate or rescue some of our people who

 

were caught up in that situation, I am sorry to say this, but it is not true.

 

 

Unfortunately, the person who raises it, is a person who I had a thorough conversation with prior to deployment and post deployment. You would recall hon Marais, that you called me frantic, because South Africans were trapped in an area called Pemba. We sent C130 to Pemba to go and collect the remains of the deceased and his family. The rest of the people who did not board that aircraft, and were being rescued, were there at the time, did not do so out of their own free will, because they decided that they wouldn’t leave before their companies allowed them to do so. So just on that one, let us just set the record straight.

 

 

On the second matter raised by the FF Plus with regard to the budget of the ministry, which has escalated, I wish to draw your attention to the fact that issues related to the South African Military Health Services support to all the principals, starting with the commander-in-chief, right up to those who are retired, are handled in the office of the Minister. In fact, I do want to say that in the past year, R13,8 million of the budget of the ministry was spent on

 

paying for the expenses of the South African Military Health Services, those who are supporting the principals.

 

 

The last matter I would like to respond to; I do not think I should talk about Denel because we all know that there is the symbiotic relationship between Denel and the Department of Defence. It is not our wish that Denel should collapse. It is not collapsing in our hands. However, I do want to say this; we have made several interventions. In fact, even this morning, if I may say this, the Cabinet committee was discussing the issue of Denel. It is not the Defence Force which is responsible for the collapse of Denel. If anything, the Defence Force has tried over the years to help sustain Denel. So if we could just be truthful in the manner in which we present facts.

 

 

The other matter which I would like to respond to, hon Groenewald, is that of affirmative action, and that it’s about time we do away with affirmative action. May I just remind you that when you established the Republic of South Africa in 1961, one of the things which you did was that of deployment, which in the course of that as time went on, people were empowered to run different entities and infrastructure. If you

 

go back to the history books, you will see that you could appoint anyone from the street, even if a person had a standard six, to go and drive a train or to go and manage a station. That’s what you did. That’s what any country does to impart skills on its personnel; to make sure that the citizens run things properly. And of course, this is the 27th year of our democracy.

 

 

I am not defending inefficiency or even mediocre, but I do want to say this; remember the history of South Africa does not start in 1994. It started way back. In fact, you should understand it better. When I mention 1961, and what the Afrikaner and the apartheid regime did to put people who are not skilled at the time, to run the different entities in the Republic of South Africa, just as a reminder.

 

 

Lastly, I need to say that we commissioned a ministerial task team to investigate allegations and trends of sexual misconduct, both internal and in peace support operations where members of the SA National Defence Force were deployed. Against the report which came out of that process, we have created a specialised sexual offences unit within the military

 

police structure to investigate offences for prosecution in the military justice system.

 

 

We have created a ministerial hotline and sexual misconduct office within the department to co-ordinate the misconduct centre. We have created a central electronic registry that will accurately monitor and report monthly on the statistics submitted by service and divisions. We have created a Sexual Harassment Policy and Ethics Policy against which departmental punitive actions can be taken on offenders. We have established strict confidentiality measures to protect whistle blowers.

 

 

Lastly, we are updating our training curriculum to mainstream gender, as well as awareness and consequences of sexual misconduct. We will now be establishing what is called a sexual misconduct centre. It is the first that is being done in the continent. It is the first that the SA Defence Force, including that of old, is establishing this kind of centre in order for us to deal with issues of vulnerabilities of women within the SA National Defence Force.

 

I do want to point out that during the 2018-19 financial year, the department had six audit qualifications, which were brought down to two in 2019-20 financial year. It is not desirable that we should even have to, but there has been a drastic reduction from six down to two.

 

 

The Auditor-General has raised numerous deficiencies in our control system, and we acknowledge that as a department, we have weaknesses in our governance and control systems, as well as challenges within the supply chain management. The recurrence of irregular expenditure based on previous contracts awarded irregularly continues to increase. The bulk of our recorded irregular expenditure relates to underfunding of our compensation of employees, as we all know, colleagues. But of course, there is a plan which has been presented to Parliament on how we think we can reduce our deficit related to the compensation of employees.

 

 

The Secretary of Defence and the Chief SA National Defence Forde, will ensure consequence management is implemented and controls are put in place to reduce the recurrence of irregularities and fast track the investigations into these.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr F D Xasa): ... [Inaudible.] ...

 

 

The MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS: Thank you,

 

Chair. Lastly, just to inform the hon members, on a sombre note, that a member of the Defence Force Service Commission by the name of Joe Jongile, who was serving his second term in the commission passed on, and may his soul rest in peace. He will be buried in the Eastern Cape on Saturday, there will be a Requiem Mass on Friday in his honour.

 

 

I thank you Chair, and I thank you all hon members for your positive inputs. Even where there is criticism, it is taken very well because that’s the only way in which we can improve, I thank you.

 

 

Debate concluded.

 

 

The mini-plenary session rose at 15:49

 

 

 

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