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ATC200619: Report of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on letters from the President on the Employment of the South African National Defence Force in the Mozambique Channel, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to Wuhan City in the Hubei Province of the People’s Republic of China, and in support of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other State Departments dated18 June 2020

Defence

Report of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on letters from the President on the Employment of the South African National Defence Force in the Mozambique Channel, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to Wuhan City in the Hubei Province of the People’s Republic of China, and in support of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other State Departments dated18 June 2020

 

  1.       Background

Section 201 (3) of the Constitution provides that when the President employs the Defence Force in termsof section 201 (2), he must inform Parliament promptly and in appropriate detail of the reasons for employment; any place where the defence force is being employed; and the number of people employed.  In addition, section 18 (2) of the Defence Act (No.42 of 2002) provides for the President to inform Parliament of the period for which the Defence Force is expected to be employed; and the expenditure incurred or expected to be incurred.

  1.       Introduction

The Committee met on 22 April and 18 June 2020 to consider the following letters from the President:

  1.  
  2. The extension of the employment of the members of the SANDF in the Democratic Republic       of Congo (DRC).
  3.  
  4.  
  5.  

 

  1.       Summary

 

  1.  

The Committee considered a letter from the President dated 25 March 2020 informing Parliament about the extension of the employment of 200 members of the SANDF for service in fulfilment of an international obligation of the Republic of South Africa towards the Southern African Development Community (SADC) maritime security. The extension of employment is due to the fact that the maritime piracy remains a threat to all countries sharing borders with the Western Indian Ocean.  The extension is for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 and is authorised in accordance with section 201 (2) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.  The expected expenditure to be incurred towards this deployment is R154 000 000.

The Committee supported the extension of employment of members of the SANDF in the Mozambique Channel in terms of section 201 (2) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.

  1. Letter on the extension of the employment of the SANDF in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

The Committee considered the letter from the President dated 25 March 2020 informing Parliament on the extension of the employment of 1 165 members of the SANDF in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The deployment is in support of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission (MONUSCO) as part of the Force Intervention Brigade as well as the Framework Forces.The extension of the employment is from the 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021and is authorised in accordance with section 201 (2) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. The expected expenditure for this employment is R899 675 800.

The Committee supported the extension of the employment of members of the SANDF as part of the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission (MONUSCO) in the DRC as the deployment is important for regional stability.

3.3        Letter on Employment of SANDF to Wuhan City, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China

The Committee considered a letter from the President dated 28 February 2020 informing Parliament about the employment of 151 members of the SANDF, to support the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the Department of Health (DoH) in the repatriation of South African citizens from the Wuhan City, in the Hubei Province of People’s Republic of China, which is affected by the Corona Virus Diseases 2019 (Covid-19).The employment was authorised in accordance with the provisions of section 18 (1) (c) of the Defence Act (No. 42 of 2002) for the period 1 March 2020 to15 April 2020.The expected expenditure to be incurred was R25 million.

 

The Committee supported the deployment and commended the members of the SANDF who were part of an interdisciplinary team that went to evacuate the South African citizens from Wuhan.

3.4        Letter on Employment of SANDF in support of the South African Police Service (SAPS)         and other State Departments

The Committee considered a letter from the President dated 25 March 2020 informing Parliament about the employment of 2 820 members of the SANDF for service in cooperation with the SAPS; to support law and order; support other state departments and control South Africa’s borderline.  The employment was based on the decision by Cabinet to enforce a nationwide 21- days lockdown, with effect from 26 March 2020.  This was decided as a measure to save South Africans from infection and to save lives.  Members would be deployed in all nine provinces over the period 26 March 2020 to26 June 2020.The employment was authorised in terms of section 201 (2) (a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 and section 18 (1) of the Defence Act (No. 42 of 2002).  The expected expenditure for this employment is R641 200 290.

The Committee concurred with and supportedthe deployment of the SANDF members SANDF for service in cooperation with SAPS; to support law and order; support other state departments to combat the spread of COVID-19.

3.5        Letter on employment of additional SANDF members in support of South African Police Service and other State Departments

The Committee considered the letter from the President dated 21 April 2020 informing Parliament of the employment of an additional 73 180 members of the SANDF for service in cooperation with SAPS; to support law and order; support other state departments and control South Africa’s borderline.  The decision to employ additional members was due to the continuing increase of reported cases of the outbreak of COVID-19 across South Africa.  The additional members consist of the Regular Force, the Reserve Force and the Auxiliary Force.  The employment covers the period 2 April 2020 to 26 June 2020.  The revised expenditure to be incurred for this employment is R4 590 393 940.00.

The Committee welcomed and supported the deployment of the additional members of the SANDF for service in cooperation with SAPS; to support law and order; support other state departments and control South Africa’s borderlineto combat the spread of COVID-19.

The Committee was however concerned about the leak of the President’s letter to the public before it had reached Parliament. 

 

Report to be considered.

 

 

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