The Military Ombud’s Office managed to resolve the vast majority of complaints it received in the 2023/24 financial year, demonstrating “consistent complaint resolution efficiency.”
Briefing Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) on 7 February on its annual activity report, Military Ombud Lieutenant General (Ret) Vusumuzi Masondo revealed that against a target of 75%, the ombud managed to resolve “fairly, economically and expeditiously” 79% of written complaints during the year under review.
In 2023/24, the Office had a caseload of 349 complaints, comprising 276 new complaints received and 73 complaints from the previous financial year. A total of 278 complaints were finalised, representing a 79.66% resolution rate.
By far, the majority of complaints logged in 2022/24 concerned members’ service conditions (245 complaints). The Office continued to see a relatively low number (24) of complaints lodged by members of the public relating to the official conduct of members of the SANDF.
The category of “Other Complaints” – with a total of six – relates to those complaints that fell outside the mandate of the Office, which includes Military Veterans benefits, domestic disputes and intimidation (not in an official capacity).
New complaints covered a broad variety of categories, including official conduct of a member of the SANDF; appointments; placement or utilisation; remuneration; service termination; education, training and development; grievance and disciplinary procedures; pomotion and demotion; service benefits; and working environment.
Complaints from current members of the SANDF made up the largest portion of cases submitted to the Office during 2023/24: there were 137 complaints from current members, representing 49% of the total new complaints received. Complaints from former members ranked second, totalling 115, which accounted for approximately 42% of the complaints lodged. Additionally, the Office received 24 complaints from members of the public, constituting 9% of the overall 276 complaints recorded.
As the largest service, the South African Army unsurprisingly logged the most complaints per service or division at 145, accounting for 53% of complaints lodged in 2023/24. In second place was the South African Air Force (40), followed by the SA Military Health Service (32).
Of the 211 cases resolved in 2023/24, the majority (103) were dismissed “in terms of Section 7(2)(d) – Failed to exhaust SANDF Individual Grievance Regulations, 2016.” Another 29 were “dismissed on merit” while 44 complaints were referred to the “appropriate public institution.”
Regarding its budget, the Ombud’s Office in 2023/24 received an appropriation of R67 million and during the year it spent a total of R58 million.
“In conclusion, the Office’s performance in FY2023/24 demonstrates significant progress in resolving a wide range of complaints, underscoring our commitment to efficiency and effectiveness. With a notable 79.6% resolution rate, the Office has made tangible strides in delivering timely solutions,” it said.
“Looking ahead, the Office will continue to leverage this momentum to refine processes, further enhancing outcomes. By doing so, the Office reinforces its pivotal role in promoting fairness, accountability and trust. This ultimately benefits SANDF members and the broader community and ensures the integrity of operations.”
