It gives me great pleasure today, to release the report from the Interim Military Service Commission.
The Commission, Chaired by Judge R Bosielo, was composed of the following people:
Mr A Ismail (Deputy Chair)
Lt Gen (ret) LÂ Moloi
Maj Gen (ret) BH Holomisa
Mr PJ Groenewald
Ms HC Mgabadeli
Dr A Mokgokong
Bishop MM Mpumlawana
Prof RLÂ Christie
Mr ZT Ngcakani
I would like to thank the Interim Commission as a collective and each and every individual Commissioner for the many hours of work and for the high level of professionalism they have shown. Both are reflected in this report.
In my first budget speech in 2009 I committed myself to the following two issues:
a. The establishment of a unique dispensation for the military outside the ambit of the Public Service
b. Improving the conditions of service of members of the South African Defence Force (SANDF)
Both these are executive responsibilities which fall on every Minister. These are clearly defined tasks dealing with two separate issues and are pursued independently.
I set up the Interim Commission in October 2009 with the following terms of reference:
1. To advise and make recommendations on a unique service dispensation outside the ambit of the public service
2. To advise on the regulatory framework for the unique service dispensation
3. To investigate and provide advice on remuneration and conditions of service of members of the SANDF.
The Interim Commission has fulfilled all the terms of reference.
The Interim Commission has made a number of recommendations, which I would like to briefly touch upon. Before doing so however, I would like to point out that the achievements made since 1994 with regard to the transformation of the defence function, and the integration of seven hostile armed forces provide a useful context within which we receive this report. The great successes of the SANDF in its various peacekeeping operations over the past 15 years have placed it amongst one of the most highly thought of defence forces. The report is placed within this context.
The recommendations made by the Interim Commission broadly fall into four categories:
- Those that require Cabinet approval. For example, budgetary considerations; and executive responsibilities that need to migrate from one department to another
- Those that the Minister can attend to as part of her work and responsibilities as a member of the Executive
- Those that can be addressed by either/both the Defence Secretary and the Chief of the National Defence Force
- Those that relate to the Military Service Commission
The bulk of the recommendations in the report, derive from our budget shortfall. I am referring here to the salaries, health support, transport, allowances, the general conditions of service and material provisions which would improve the quality of life of our armed forces, but which we have been unable to adequately provide. We will have to find ways of addressing these.
There are also recommendations made which relate to our defence facilities which up till now, have been the responsibility of the Public Works department, and for which we have provided the funds to that department. We are in the process of addressing this with the Minister of Public Works.
The issues relating to the military per se will be dealt with by the Military Command Council, and I will be asking for regular progress reports from them. We have been grappling for some time with the issues relating to civil military relations and the positioning, and effective functioning of the Defence Secretariat. This has been ongoing work for some time and we hope to complete this in the near future.
Related to this, although separate, the update of the Defence Review and the subsequent determination of force structure and force levels has been work in progress for the last year. On completion it will be presented to Cabinet and Parliament for approval.
This is an extremely comprehensive report and gives me invaluable assistance in providing what is needed for our Armed Forces. Following the recommendations of the Interim Commission, we will be creating aunique service dispensation for the SANDF.
I thank you.
