What Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga says are “key vacancies” in the departments of Defence (DoD) and Military Veterans have been advertised with appointments expected “soon”.
This was the gist of her reply to Parliamentary questioner Mazwikayise Blose, National Assembly (NA) Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) public representative. He asked Motshekga about poor audit outcomes, late submission of annual reports and financial statements and what is being done to improve financial management and accountability.
She informed Blose the defence establishment, comprising the DoD and Department of Military Veterans (DMV), as well as its entities (Armscor, the Castle Control Board, Defence Force Service Commission [DFSC], Military Ombud, Military Veterans Advisory Council and Military Veterans Appeals Board, but leaving out Denel) submitted annual reports and financial statements “within legislative dates in recent years”.
Motshekga’s response indicates efforts to improve, among others, asset and procurement management will improve when the senior vacancies at defence and military veterans are filled.
“The audit reports issued by the Auditor General South Africa to the DoD and DMV highlighted a few control weaknesses especially relating to procurement management as well as asset management by both departments. The Executive Authority has instructed both departments to develop action plans to improve the control weaknesses and implement the recommendations made by the AGSA to reduce the number of audit findings and implement consequence management for the recurrence of irregularities,” Motshekga stated.
Thobekile Gamede has been acting Secretary for Defence since previous incumbent Sonto Kudjoe exited in December 2022. Both Motshekga and her predecessor Thandi Modise previously told Parliamentary questioners the process to replace her was underway but never gave timelines. Answering Blose, Motshekga also gave no timeline for the DoD and DMV senior civilian posts.
At the DMV Nontobeko Mafu has been acting Director-General since “about December [2023]” this publication was informed in response to an inquiry on May that year. Mafu took over from Irene Mpolweni who resigned following her suspension in March 2023. As with the Secretary for Defence post, the position has reportedly been advertised with no appointment finalised according to the Motshekga response dated 8 January.
The DoD has also advertised a post for a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in the Department of Defence. The new appointments “will give an impetus to efforts to improve audit,” Motshekga stated.
