An SA National Defence Force (SANDF) major, discharged in May 2018 for posting hate speech on social media, was reinstated less than a year later, the answer to a Parliamentary question brought to light.
Freedom Front Plus (FF+) Chief Whip, Wouter Wessels, following up on information that Vincent Mohlala, reportedly an officer in the SA Air Force (SAAF), is back in uniform sought confirmation from Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga. He issued a statement on 9 December to the effect she confirmed Mohlala was taken back onto SAAF personnel strength on 14 May 2019 – just short of a year after he was found to be in breach of military discipline as per the Code of Conduct for uniformed members of the SANDF.
A 17 May 2018 letter signed by then SANDF Chief, now retired general Solly Shoke, and quoted by Wessels, has it Mohlala “uttered words on social media that contained severe racial slurs. The words uttered showed hostility and aversion on the grounds of race”.
“This behaviour constituted a grave breach of military discipline and the Code of Conduct for SANDF members. It is furthermore contrary to the behaviour expected of a senior officer of the SANDF. The words uttered by you have brought the SANDF into disrepute, therefore as a result thereof your services within the SANDF has been terminated with immediate effect.”
After the murder of Islamic Studies emeritus professor Cobus Naudé (76) in his Randburg home in March 2018, Mohlala used social media to say “[They] Should actually have poked out his eyes and tongue so that the last people he would ever see, were the killers … Now it is the white people’s turn.”
The matter was raised in Parliament at the time and was seen to be the reason for his discharge.
Replying to Wessels, Motshekga – as per the FF+ statement – confirmed Mohlala was “indeed reinstated, but provided no background or reasons for the decision, despite being requested to do so”.
Neither the Wessels statement nor the ministerial response indicate whether Mohlala was reinstated at the same rank he held when discharged. Wessels added he will again ask Motshekga to supply the reasons for allowing Mohlala’s return to the officer ranks.
