The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu has welcomed input from different stakeholders to the Defence Amendment Bill currently being debated in Parliament. The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans is currently receiving submission from different interest groups.
The Minister said in the mist of the side show in relation to the interim report many South Africans have been diverted from what is the importance of the amendments before parliament. “The amendments are about improving the lives of our soldiers and those of their families, the new dispensation will allow us to care for soldiers in a dignified and special way that allows us to recognise that every day they commit to die for their country,” Minister Sisulu said.
She added that other amendments will enable the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to access scarce skills available in the reserve force for use in many programmes the SANDF is busy with. “By allowing the SANDF to call the reserve force during peace time we would be able to use many scarce skills in the reserve force to address some of our challenges as a country, we can use some of the planning, engineering, project implementation skills available to support infrastructure projects in municipalities,” she added.
She highlighted that many young people from the Military Skills Development Programme (MSDS) are sitting at home with vast skills waiting for a war under the current legislation. “The amendment will allow us to bring them in to assist us, and also share them with other law enforcement agencies and other institutions of Government that need assistance,” she said.
The Reserve Force members will also be able to assist with many trainers for the National Youth Service to start in the next financial year. “The implementation of the National Youth Service which is one of our main priorities will also benefit from the reserve force being available,” Minister added.
Today the Interim National Defence Force Service Commission as the original drafter of the Bill responded and clarified to the Committee on a number of issues and also shared their reasons why a permanent Commission must be established as a matter of urgency. In his presentation the Acting Chairperson of the Commission Bishop Mpumlwana said that in their research they found that the SANDF has been trying to establish a new dispensation that allows them to care for soldiers since 2004. “It is clear that since 2004 the SANDF has been in search of a solution to their problem, they have always believed that they need a separate dispensation to deal with their challenges, the Minister on July 3, 2009 when she announced that this is one of her priorities, she answered their long delayed prayer. We support the new dispensation,” the acting Chair said.
Clarifying the interim report confusion, the Chairperson said they take responsibility for the confusion. “We gave the Minister an interim report to bring to her attention our first impression of the situation. We have since done a lot of work, and our understanding of the environment is better. We will submit a Final report to the Minister which she will then take to Cabinet,” the acting Chair said.
The Minister said all South Africans who are participating in the process through submissions would be proud of themselves when the process is completed as they would have laid the foundation for a better SANDF loved by all.
She also clarified that the current amendments have nothing to do with the presence of unions in the SANDF but the creation of a systems to manage the implementation of a new dispensation.
“A number of stakeholders have said we must also use this amendments to remove the Unions from the SANDF as the Commander in Chief and the ruling part have already said, we want to reassure them that we are attending to the matter of the Unions and we will deal with it as instructed by the Commander in Chief as soon as possible,” she said.
The Minister also welcomed the legal advice from the State Law Advisors who reconfirmed her position that she cannot submit an interim report to parliament, as it has no status. “The State Law Advisors as the custodians of all legislations agrees with us, we have always seen this as a simple matter and there is many precedents, we do not understand why would a Parliament ask a Minister to submit a draft report that has no status that has not even been approved by Cabinet, I am happy that all is clarified and we are all at one,” she concluded.
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