The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) has welcomed what it says were fruitful round-table discussions with academic experts from the University of Stellenbosch’s Faculty of Military Science, including the Security Institute for Governance and Leadership in Africa and the Centre for Military Studies, on measures to improve defence oversight.
The presentations from academia focused on defence policy development after 1994, measures to improve the critical state of decline of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the need for military discipline, and the maintenance of sound democratic civil-military relations.
The submissions also provided an overview of post-1994 parliamentary defence oversight, a vital contributor to strong civil-military relations, the PCDMV said in a statement last month. The submissions also highlighted several pitfalls to be avoided during the 7th Parliament: the committee expressed alarm that some previous Parliaments had allowed ministers to avoid answering questions posed by Members of Parliament, with Defence Committees often permitting the department to ignore questions during committee meetings.
The committee voiced serious concerns about the deteriorating state of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), noting that the Defence Force’s mandate is misaligned with its budget, leading to its potential collapse. The committee also noted observations by the academics around the increasing domestic use of the SANDF, stating that while it can be used for good effect in some instances, prolonged deployments may become problematic.
Committee Chairperson Dakota Legoete said, “For Defence committees to be effective, they must clearly define their expectations from the department and ensure that those are met.” The committee also noted that while the shrinking budget contributes to a declining force, further interventions and corrective measures in the SANDF are also required.
Another concern was that the Secretary for Defence has no operational authority over the SANDF yet remains accountable for its assets under the Public Finance Management Act. This has implications for consequence management.
The committee resolved that new legislation must be introduced to strengthen and empower the Office of the Military Ombud and cement its authority and capabilities. The committee concluded that it envisages regular engagements with sector specialists from academia to inform oversight in the 7th Parliament.
