Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD), the third committee tasked with oversight of defence and military veterans, is constituted for the seventh administration and has co-chairs, as its predecessor did.
One is African National Congress (ANC) National Council of Province (NCOP) public representative Phiroane Phala who shares JSCD leadership with former Cabinet minister Malusi Gigaba. Before resigning from the ANC Gigaba was, among others, the Cabinet Minister responsible for Home Affairs, Public Enterprises and Transport. Subsequently, he rejoined the party and his position on the national party list saw him returned to Parliament in this year’s May election.
Party-wise Cyril Ramaphosa’s ANC has the highest representation – five from both the National Assembly (NA) and National Council of Provinces (NCOP). Next highest is the Democratic Alliance (DA) with three (two NA and one NCOP) followed by the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) and Pan African Congress (PAC) each with two representatives. Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has a lone representative as does the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).
Members include Tammy Breedt, Russel Cebekhulu, Virgill Gerick, Nicholas Gotsell, Mzimas Hala, Chris Hattingh, Tidimalo Legwase, Carl Niehaus, Pitso Noe, Edward Ntshingila, Windy Plaatjies, Mabel Rweqana, Maliyakhe Shelembe and Thokozile Sokanyile.
Other defence oversight committees are the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) drawn from NA public representatives, and the Select Committee on Security and Justice (SCSJ), an NCOP staffed committee.
Gigaba’s appointment to the JSCD has alarmed some experts as he was implicated in the Zondo Commission report. He apparently introduced Denel executives to members of the Gupta family while serving as Public Enterprises Minister in 2012.
