Expressing concern over a Ministry of Defence and senior SA National Defence Force (SANDF) management briefing on the 2024/25 defence morale survey, co-chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) Phiroane Phala has it the survey results “do not fully reflect the lived experiences of soldiers as observed by [JSCD] members during oversight activities”.
He is quoted as saying the committee welcomed the steady improvement reflected in the 2024/25 survey compared to previous years, but “it is important to highlight that the discrepancy between what we encounter in our daily oversight process is not reflected in the report.”
Phala has it further his comment is not intended to question the legitimacy of the report (Department of Defence [DoD] Morale Results, financial year 2024/25, compiled by the Defence Inspectorate Division). He “urges” SANDF management to use the survey as a tool “to close the gap between the report and the lived experiences of soldiers”.
Availability of resources earned the lowest rating in the survey which saw 8 145 questionnaires completed by SANDF regular and reserve force as well as Public Service Act (PSA) personnel. This, the JSCD sees as critical and directly linked to what it says are “ongoing budget reductions” which, in turn, impact SANDF “operational functionality”.
Operational needs, including capability, uniforms and essential supplies must, the JSCD has it, remain a top priority. At the same time the committee urged SANDF management to develop “clear and actionable plans” to address morale challenges while taking “resource shortages” into account.
The morale of the SANDF cannot be ignored as it has a direct impact on national security, Phala is on record as saying, adding the morale report should be interrogated and used as a benchmark for future studies rather than “gather dust”.
In its morale report presentation to parliament last week, the Defence Inspectorate Division said the negative effects of low morale may include, absenteeism, low productivity and lack of commitment. “If a risk indicator such as continued low morale is present within the DOD, this may indicate that management risk might be prevalent”.
The full presentation on DoD morale can be found here.
