She was named Acting South African President on Tuesday 17 March, deputising for number one, but that didn’t deter Angie Motshekga from her defence duties.
The Defence and Military Veterans Minister on 17 June called on the Department of Defence (DoD) Logistics Division, headed by Vice Admiral David Mkhonto, before heading to Centurion’s EcoPark where the SA Military Police Division is headquartered. In addition to housing the Provost Marshal Brigadier General Mluleki Mbusi and his staff, the business park is home to the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Joint Operations Division as well its Command and Management Information Systems (CMIS) Division.
The DoD Logistics Division call was to the department’s main ordnance depot where, according to Corporal Khumo Segano, all division officers commanding and regimental sergeants major were present. Among the senior officers on hand to welcome and brief the ministerial party were Deputy Chief Logistics, Major General TE Mulaudzi, and General Officer Commanding DoD Logistics Support Formation, Major General BM Feni, General Officer Commanding Defence Works Formation, Major General LC Kekana, and facilitator Brigadier General NR Mongo.
At the Military Police Division’s EcoPark address Motshekga, with both her deputies Bantu Holomisa and Richard Mkhungo, also present she heard what the policing capability of the military police encompasses. It includes strategic direction; policing; detention barracks; military police intelligence; force preparation; being a nodal point on anti-criminality, protection and providing security guidance, inclusive of VIP close protection.
MP Division Corporate Communication Staff Officer, Major Bap-son Bapela, reports the Ministerial party were “taken through” the status of cases including high profile ones and crime trends. A tour of static functional and operational equipment wrapped up the visit.
Motshekga is deputising for President Cyril Ramaphosa who is in Canada until Thursday 19 June with Deputy President Paul Mashatile also out of the country in Russia on a “working visit” according to The Presidency.
The defence and military veterans minister has a busy week which started with the first South African soldiers returning from Tanzania after early termination of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She was subsequently on hand to welcome home more returning soldiers at Bram Fisher International Airport in Bloemfontein and Air Force Base (AFB) Waterkloof in Centurion.
