The R20 million plus spent on travel by Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga and her deputies in their first 13 months in office, while appearing “considerable”, covered “essential working visits”.
Motshekga was replying to a second question on the travel costs run up by herself, Bantu Holomisa and Richard Mkhungo, aka Hlophe, posed by National Assembly (NA) whip Lerato Ngobeni. The ActionSA public representative wanted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet choice as head of the defence and military veterans’ portfolio to justify using scarce resources with the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) “in a state of collapse so dire that it struggles to feed the soldiers, maintain basic equipment and/or fulfil its constitutional mandate”.
The written ministerial response reads, in part: “While the figure of R20 185 410 may appear considerable in isolation, it is vital to understand that these trips are not of a ceremonial or leisurely nature, but essential working visits aimed at safeguarding national security interests, strengthening defence co-operation and mitigating the severe underfunding that has constrained the operational capabilities of the SANDF. There are similarly reciprocal visits into the RSA by counterparts from time to time.”
Motshekga’s almost 900 word explanation and justification has it further that defence diplomacy remains a cornerstone of South Africa’s foreign and security policy with Department of Defence and Military Veterans (DoDMV) Ministry travel “indispensable role in sustaining these ties”.
“Our representation in regional and global defence forums, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU), and the United Nations (UN), ensures that South Africa maintains influence over the evolving security architecture of the continent and beyond.”
“Tangible dividends” ranging from expanded access to international command and staff courses for SANDF officers to strengthen professional military education and leadership pipelines; enhanced intelligence sharing arrangements to counter cross-border threats, terrorism and maritime piracy in Southern Africa; as well as joint operations and exercises contributing to regional stability and building operational interoperability between the SANDF and allied forces are given as examples.
“Some of these trips were in service and support to the Commander in Chief, the President of the Republic. It is also a fact that the defence establishment is an integral tool to the pursuit of foreign policy,” Motshekga stated.
“The majority of international travel undertaken by the Ministry has been directed towards enhanced defence cooperation, strategic partnerships, and the pursuit of foreign-assisted programmes. Through bilateral and multilateral defence diplomacy, we have been able to negotiate for improved access to equipment, facilities, and training opportunities, thereby offsetting the financial limitations of the Department.
“Our engagements with the United States and European partners have advanced cooperation on airlift capability, including technical updates on the C-130 Hercules aircraft currently being refitted abroad, ensuring that the SANDF’s strategic air mobility is restored. Discussions with India, Brazil, and other BRICS defence partners have facilitated opportunities for joint training, technology sharing, and research collaboration at no direct cost to the South African fiscus.”
DoDMV Ministry travel in South Africa, Ngobeni was informed, is equally critical in ensuring accountability, oversight and operational visibility.
“Regular visits to military bases, command centres, and border deployments allow the Minister and Deputy Ministers to evaluate the living and working conditions of soldiers, inspect operational equipment and readiness, engage with commanders and personnel on issues of morale, logistics, and discipline, and verify progress on the implementation of key policies including the Defence Review 2015 and the Reconfiguration of the Force Design. Such oversight ensures that policy decisions are informed by on-the-ground realities, and that issues raised by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee and the Joint Standing Committee on Defence are followed through with evidence-based reporting,” Motshekga’s reply stated.
Similarly ministerial attendance at Parliamentary, Cabinet and inter-ministerial forums strengthens co-ordination across departments and “ensures the defence mandate remains integrated within the broader national security framework”.
Promoting the South African defence industry (SADI) is also given as a reason for travel expenditure. In this regard, the Motshekga response has it targeted engagements abroad allow the Ministry to showcase South African defence products and technologies at international exhibitions and forums, secure foreign partnerships and markets for local defence manufacturers and advance discussions with global partners on technology transfer and offset arrangements which help reduce SANDF procurement costs. Defence industrial diplomacy of this type not only strengthens the country’s self-reliance in defence production – it generates broader economic benefits, the Minister said.
Motshekga has it her ministry is “acutely aware” of the fiscal constraints South Africa faces, stating every effort is made to rationalise travel and minimise expenditure by consolidating multiple engagements per trip and limiting delegations to those essential to mission objectives.
All travel expenditure is subject to internal audit and National Treasury scrutiny and is conducted in full compliance with the Public Finance Management Act and other financial management regulations, according to the Minister.
Addressing Ngobeni, Motshekga said she shared her concerns regarding challenges faced by the SANDF. “However, the suggestion that these trips detract from the Department’s priorities does not reflect the broader strategy being pursued. On the contrary, these engagements are instrumental in addressing the very constraints that have contributed to the Defence Force’s difficulties. Through military diplomacy and sustained partnership-building, we are progressively bridging capability gaps through donations, training support, and shared resources, strengthening institutional capacity without additional strain on the fiscus, and positioning the SANDF as a credible and respected actor in regional and global security affairs.”
“The dividends of these engagements are evident in the increased external support for training, logistics, and infrastructure development now flowing into the Department. The expenditure incurred on official travel by the Minister and Deputy Ministers is both prudent and defensible. These engagements are not peripheral to the Department’s mission but they are central to its recovery and sustainability,” Motshekga concluded.
