Chairperson, please allow me first to congratulate the newly appointed Deputy Minister of Defence. It is ironic that in the absence of the Minister of Defence, I have to put this question to him because it is based on concerns that we often shared in the committee under his stewardship as a chairperson.
However, hon Deputy Minister, you are aware that there exists a critical technical skills shortage within the SA National Defence Force, SANDF, which resulted in, among other things, the maintenance and repair of our expensive arms deals acquisitions falling behind schedule. People with experienced skills and expertise are leaving the SANDF. Last year alone, more than 6 700 people left the SANDF and amongst them 1 660 people were from critical occupations. I read Minister Nqakula's statement on 13 October 2008, where he outlined his department's retention strategy. He said that the strategy included drawing on retired SANDF personnel and an arrangement with tertiary institutions to produce certain critical specialists. But, with due respect, this can't be called a retention strategy. However, it is a mitigating action, which is only part of the solution.
Based on the fact that this adjusted appropriation does not address the issue of critical skills because most of the money is going towards servicing strategic defence packages and their cost, what exactly, in coherent or well-defined terms, is going to be the department's critical skills retention strategy? Thank you. USEKELA-MPHATHISWA WEZOKHUSELO: Mhlekazi uShah, ujonge endenxe kodwa ugqiba kubuza umbuzo - iyandoyisa into yokuba umcaphule uMphathiswa ekuxelela ezimpondweni ukuba wenza ntoni na, kwanokuba zinto zini na ezizezinye esizenzayo ukusombulula ingxaki esinayo.
Unyanisile, besiyithetha sisentanganye, nkosi, siyibhekisa phaya kwisebe loo nto. Kodwa ke kamnandi, besinika iingcebiso kwisebe, ngcebiso ezo elizamkeleyo isebe nelizimiliselayo ndithetha nawe nje. I-Occupation Specific Dispensation yenye yemicimbi esiyishukuxayo ukusombulula loo ngxaki.
Masikhumbuzane, mntakaShah, ukuba le ngxaki esinayo yingxaki esizama ukuyilungisa ngoba amazwe la onke afuna aba bantu sibaqeqeshileyo apha eMzantsi. Aba baqhubi beenqwelo-moya esibaqeqeshayo kunye nabaqhubi beenkwili, njalo njalo, bayafunwa ziinkampani, ezalapha nezaphesheya. Uya kukhumbula ukuba besiyithethile ke loo nto. Ke senza ntoni ngayo?
Yiyo loo nto sinale nkqubo phaya kwisebe, yokuzama ukubaqokelela. Andiqondi ukuba leli sebe lethu kuphela elinaloo ngxaki, koko uMzantsi Afrika uphela unale ngxaki. Siyaqeqesha apha, ngoko ingxaki yethu kukuba siza kubagcina njani na aba bantu. Kodwa ke uze ubakhumbuze naba ubakhuthazayo ukuba bahambe, ukuba ukuzingca ngelizwe lakho yeyona nto isebenzayo.
Kunyanzelekile ukuba abanye bakhe bazidine. Sililwele eli lizwe, asina kuphinda sithengise ngezakhono zethu. Ngoko ke kufuneka sibacenge, sibabuyise aba bantu, ukuze sisebenze nabo. Mandibulele, Mhlalingaphambili. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[The DEPUTY MINISTER OF DEFENCE: Hon Shah, you are not even looking at me but you have just asked a question. What I do not understand is the fact that you are even quoting the Minister as he was talking directly to you telling you what he is doing and what other programmes we are busy with in resolving this problem.
It is true; we used to talk about this while we were at the same level, Chief, and referred that to the department. Fortunately, we were giving advice to the department which are being implemented as I speak. We are still discussing the Occupation Specific Dispensation as one of the strategies to resolve that problem.
Let us remind one another, hon Shah, that we are still trying to resolve the problem, because other countries are recruiting people we have trained in South Africa. The aircraft pilots and the submarine pilots etc, whom we are training, are in demand at companies here and abroad. Remember we spoke about that. So, what are we doing about it?
That is why, as a department, we have the programme of retaining them. I do not think it is only our department that has this problem, but the whole of South Africa. We train them here, but our main problem is the retention strategy. But, please do remind even those whom you are encouraging to leave that patriotism is very important.
It is imperative that some should sacrifice. We fought for this country; we cannot afford to lose our skilled people. Therefore we should plead, and persuade them to come back so that we can work together. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]]
Vote No 22 - Safety and Security: