Chairperson, I stand in support of the Vote. I also wish to state that from 1994 to date, we have brought together men and women who were fighting and shooting at each other. Now, these men and women have been brought into the same barracks and sleep next to each other. They don the same uniform. They also fly the same flag and sing a common national anthem.
It is my plea that we should make sure that we do not politicise the SA National Defence Force. Having said that, I also wish to submit that we support this budget because of the integration process - the difference that the budget is going to make to the process of integration.
We are mindful of the challenges that the SANDF is facing currently, in particular with regard to transformation. That is a programme that the committee and the Ministry should be seized with because we still have to transform the various sectors of the SANDF, particularly the air force and the navy. Progress has taken place within the military, the SA Army and the SA Military Health Service, Samhs.
With respect to the point that was raised about the confidentiality of the information that is provided by the Ministry, it is true that when the Minister or the General of the SANDF has to disseminate confidential information, we, as Members of Parliament, have to ask for permission to hold this type of meeting behind closed doors. There are provisions in the Rules of Parliament that any committee that has to discuss confidential matters may apply for permission in order to get ...