The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans has today resolved to continue processing the Defence Amendment Bill following a protracted dispute with the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu, over the submission of reports from the Interim National Defence Force Service Commission (INDFSC).
Today’s decision follows deliberations regarding a letter written to the committee by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Max Sisulu, which highlighted that “it is speculative on the part of the committee to suggest that the reports of the INDFSC will inform the bill.”
“As a committee we go along with the contents of the letter of the speaker and feel that we should continue with the Bill. We will restructure the programme of the committee to restart the process,” said Committee Chairperson Mnyamezeli Booi adding that the committee would work with the legal advice team to communicate today’s resolution to the Speaker.
Last month the committee resolved to shelve the bill until it had received the reports on the service conditions of members of the army compiled by the INDFSC.
In his letter to the Committee, Mr Sisulu states that “Parliament has accepted the undertaking of the Leader of Government Business (Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe) and the minister to make the reports available to members of the committee as soon as the remaining processes have been concluded.”
Enquiries:
Modise Kabeli
Tel: 021 403 3403
Cell: 082 077 4682
E-mail: mkabeli@parliament.gov.za
