M George: SANDF Chaplains Annual Conference

21 February 2006

Programme Director;
The Chaplain General of the South African National Defence Force;
SADC Chiefs of Chaplaincies;
Guest Speaker, Colonel (Reverend) Hoke from the European Command;
Heads of Spiritual Services of the South African Police Services & the
Department of Correctional Services;
South African Defence Force Chaplains;
Reverend Cedric Mayson, National Coordinator, Commission for Religious Affairs
of the African National Congress (ANC);
Distinguished guests

Programme Director,

Allow me to begin my address with a belated welcome, firstly, to our
international guests from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and
the broader international military community; secondly, to our colleagues from
the South African Police Services and the Department of Correctional Services;
and finally, to the African National Congress (ANC), for sending a
representative to the conference.

My immediate congratulations to the organisers for such an inspired choice
of venue here amidst the awesome beauty of the Drakensberg Mountains. This
quiet and somewhat spiritual setting will definitely stimulate your themes of
ethics and moral regeneration in the military. I note with interest that these
themes resonate strongly with the national mood of optimism and hope referred
to in South Africa President Thabo Mbeki’s recent State of the Nation
address.

South Africa currently has a buoyant economy, unprecedented investor
confidence and opinion surveys indicating a generally positive outlook from a
broad cross-section of our society.

Programme Director,

Given the current environment in South Africa, coupled with an unprecedented
rollout of peaceful democratic elections in SADC in recent years and successful
peace support efforts in the Great Lakes region and beyond. I believe the ‘Age
of Hope’ and spirit of optimism has a broader relevance throughout the
continent of Africa and peace loving nations of the world.

The Chaplains Service as we have experienced it here in South Africa has as
its core function ethical, spiritual and moral support, and guidance to members
deployed both inside and outside the country and their families.

In addition to the Chaplains Service we have the SANDF Code of Conduct which
benchmarks the discipline and professionalism of a modern soldier, complemented
by the broad Government concept of Batho Pele – putting people first – which
seeks to ensure that service delivery to the people of South Africa, including
members of the SANDF, is as ethical, professional, and humane as possible.

I raise these two points to emphasise that the concept of moral regeneration
of the military cannot happen in a vacuum. We need to unpack the fundamental
requirements of the men and women that make up our defence forces in both peace
time and war in keeping with international law and the specific circumstances
of our different nation states.

Ethics and moral regeneration must be built on a foundation of basic human
principles. This includes proper nutrition, appropriately healthy facilities,
proper uniforms and footwear, adequate healthcare, gender equity, race and
ethnic sensitivity, and a clear career dispensation. These issues impact
heavily on the morale of troops.

In addressing these issues a Chaplains Service should not only be a
counselling service after the fact, so to speak, but the service should use its
moral authority to be a proactive lobby to ensure that these fundamental issues
are attended to up front.

In this regard a Chaplains Service has the advantage of a very strong
network of stakeholders inside and outside defence. This includes other
religious bodies and support groups, which it can always call upon for
help.

It is also imperative that the constitutions of our various countries are
taken into consideration so that we do not have Chaplain Services that exclude
the requirements of other religions represented in your respective societies.
All defence force members of all races or religions should have a spiritual
home in their national defence force.

Programme Director,

The South African experience of a need for religious and spiritual support
for our members has tended to focus around a number of broad areas, most
notably:

* Support during peace support operations;
* Health challenges; and,
* Communication and information flow.

With regard to support to SANDF Peace Support Operations outside the country
we have had contrasting feedback. On the one hand we have been lauded for the
professionalism and success of our troops across the continent in support of
both the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) mandated
operations.

On the other hand, we are somewhat suspiciously named in the media with
regard to allegations of sexual misconduct in the UN’s operations, the MONUC
operation in the DRC in particular. Most of these allegations are, however, not
accompanied by official reports or supporting documentation from the UN. This
makes it very difficult for us to carry out any investigation or disciplinary
action.

In this regard we do not make any assumptions other than to recognise a
universal fact that externally deployed troops are highly vulnerable to
temptation and poor judgement. They are as a result mostly in need of spiritual
support. The inclusion of the external deployment of the Chaplains Service in
the case of the SANDF has therefore been essential in this regard.

The second issue relates to the broad health status of troops, particularly
as it relates to the global pandemic of HIV and AIDS, and its potential impact
on force preparedness. The SANDF’s focus on preparedness through prevention has
manifested itself in the Masibambisane Awareness Campaign; and, the approach to
treatment has developed through Project Phidisa, a research project focussing
on the efficacy of antiretroviral drugs in the defence force.

Although we have always had a generic counselling and guidance capacity with
regard to the potential impact of HIV and AIDS, in 2002 the Chaplains Service
felt it necessary to launch the Chaplain General’s HIV and AIDS Value-Based
Programme. This programme is aimed at empowering SANDF Chaplains to render
pastoral care and support to members infected and affected during all stages of
their illness. In this regard training has been extended to Chaplains in some
SADC countries.

With regard to communication and enhanced information flow I am pleased to
note that the SANDF has clear intentions to consolidate the essential capacity
for members and families to receive speedy information support and counselling
through a easily accessible Crisis Centre.

Programme Director,

I have painted a broad picture of the challenges and the environment. It is
a picture that is as universal as it is African. Your work here is vital in
developing and consolidating an approach to people issues in a modern defence
world.

This annual conference is, therefore, not only an opportunity for motivation
and fellowship, but is a strategic forum that clearly demonstrates how
seriously we take people issues in the military establishment in the spirit of
Batho Pele and principles of a global approach for the moral regeneration of
the military.

I thank you.

Issued by: Ministry of Defence
21 February 2006