Chairperson, the ANC hereby declares that the Department of Defence is on track in connection with building peace and security on the continent, and also building the country's skills base through the Managing the Service Delivery System programme. Therefore, we want to declare that it is also important to allocate more funds through Jipsa to ensure that the momentum on the MSDS is sustained and the UN should also fund the AU for the hybrid force that has recently been deployed to Sudan.
We also declare a need to allocate more funds through the Special Defence Account to allow the department to furnish its fleet from the strategic defence packages by purchasing a landing ship. We further request the assistance of the National Treasury to ensure the speedy implementation of the financial management system and that they should continue to revamp our battalions, including the 21st battalion, to maintain the high morale of our troops.
We also noted the qualifications that the Auditor-General has presented against the department; however, it is important to set the record straight, that indeed the department has improved and that this fact should be appreciated and we as the portfolio committee will continue to support the department in its endeavours.
It is simplistic for the DA to raise the issue of the VIP fleet as this matter is sub judice. The hon member from the ACDP again drew a comparison between South Africa and Denmark on the issue of our expenditure, yet he knows that the population size of the two countries is not the same, including their economies. So, it is premature for you to draw such comparisons.
We had an intensive discussion during the budget ... [Time expired.] The ANC supports this budget.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Freedom Front Plus and Independent Democrats dissenting).
Vote No 21 - Independent Complaints Directorate - put.
Declarations of vote: