The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) wants the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to focus its efforts on border security as the country’s borders are becoming increasingly porous and a persistent challenge.
The IFP’s Inkosi Russel Nsikayezwe Cebekhulu – a member of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans – outlined these priorities during the defence budget vote debate in Parliament on 15 July.
Cebekhulu said it is no secret the national stability of South Africa, especially in times of crisis, is heavily reliant on a strong, well organised and capable defence force.
“Defence plays a peacekeeping role on the continent and safeguards our porous borders from the ever-increasing threat of cross border insurgency by criminal trafficking syndicates. The first line of defence for any country should be its borders and unfortunately this has been a persistent challenge our country has faced over the years. We have seen the effects of the ever-increasing influx of illegal miners in local mining communities and the impact of the influx of counterfeit goods on our economy.
“The [Defence] Department’s increasing budget does not inspire confidence that these issues will be addressed with the necessary urgency it requires. The Department has been consistent in honouring agreements with sending our soldiers to protect the peace in other countries while neglecting the importance of the change those soldiers can affect on their home soil,” Cebekhulu told Parliamentarians.
“As we stated during the international relations and cooperation budget vote last week, as the IFP we are proudly Africans but first and foremost we are unwaveringly proudly South Africans. We need this ministry to prioritise the safety and stability within our borders first before looking to do so for other countries.”
With regard to military veterans, Cebekhulu said the IFP “have also been truly disappointed to note that the Department has not established a database of military veterans. This will give endless claims for culprits claiming to be former military veterans to access benefits which could cause a negative ripple for those who are actually military veterans to not gain access to their benefits they rightfully deserve. This administration neglect is not just an oversight but the deliberate failure to honour military veterans. It mocks their sacrifice and raises serious concerns about the department’s commitment to the welfare of our veterans.”
Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga hit back by saying there is indeed a military veterans database, but the problem is the verification process has been slower than desired and efforts are being made to improve service delivery at the Department.
