Mohlomphegi Modulasetulo, mohl Tona ya t?a T?hirelet?o le Bagale ba Se?ole, Maloko a Palamente kamoka ao a hlomphegago, baeng kamoka, ke a le dumedi?a. Ke tla thoma ka go gopot?a set?haba gore Molaotheo wa naga ye ya ge?o ya Afrika-Borwa o fa se?ole maatla a go t?hirelet?a naga ye ya ge?o - Repabliki ya Afrika-Borwa - seriti sa mellwane ya naga le badudi ba naga. (Translation of Sepedi paragraph follows.)
[Mr M S MOTIMELE: Greetings, hon Chairperson, hon Minister of Defence and Military Veterans and distinguished guests. I will start by reminding the nation that the Constitution of South Africa gives the Defence Force the power to protect our country - the Republic of South Africa - the dignity of the borders of this country and the citizens of this country.]
Therefore, the South African Army, as the main landward defence component, is uniquely positioned to be the mainstay intervention internally as well as externally, for South Africa. Regarding the nature of the democratic dispensation security institutions, the 1992 ANC "Ready to Govern" document pointed out that: South Africa shall pursue peaceful and co-operative relations with neighbouring states; the security institutions shall be bound by the principle of civil supremacy and subject to public scrutiny and open debate; the security institutions shall reflect the national and gender composition of the South African society ... security institutions shall respect human rights, nonracialism and democracy, and act in a nondiscriminatory manner towards the citizenry.
We have, since the dawn of democracy, observed the evolution of the SA National Defence Force from a narrow protectionist army whose core function was to defend a discredited minority regime against the downtrodden majority, to a legitimate protector of the people. However, this process has not been without its challenges, some of which continue to pose a threat to transformation. The integration of statutory and nonstatutory forces into one amalgam has brought with it tensions emanating from suspicion and discomfort. However, today we can say proudly that the SANDF gains strength and credibility with each passing day.
One of the foibles attributed to our society has been the manner in which it has treated its military veterans, most of whom have sacrificed life and limb for the liberation of our people from racial discrimination and apartheid brutality. These heroes of our struggle were relegated to the peripheral margins of socioeconomic activity.
Indeed, they remained but forgotten heroes. All gratitude is due to the ANC 2007 Polokwane national conference, which reminded us that as a nation we can ill afford to treat as pariahs those whose blood and sweat watered the tree of freedom, those who struggle to fit into the mainstream. Today we make history because we have not only successfully launched the Military Veterans department, but have also allocated a budget to it. This is an expression of how much we treasure our combatants. [Applause.]
As mentioned earlier, securing territorial integrity is at the centre of the mandate of our Defence Force. We therefore welcome the return of the SANDF to the borderline areas. However, to welcome this positive development without accepting the responsibility to sustain this initiative would be inept. Evidence at our disposal compels us to conclude that meaningful safeguarding involves not only the deployment of soldiers, but border-fence construction and maintenance across the perimeter of the Republic. It is our belief that this task alone warrants convincing financial commitment.
We are, therefore, not encouraged by the contraction of the department's budget by R272,7 million from R30,7 billion in 2010-11 to R30,4 billion in 2011-12. Notwithstanding notable lapses in pecuniary considerations, it is our conviction that the department's financial irregularities were born out of necessity and are thus justifiable in a society founded on the values of human dignity, equality and freedom. The budget reduction, in our view, is not commensurate with the escalating responsibilities of the department.
However, we support the 33% of the budget going towards landward defence as a signal of capacity-building in borderline control and management. We also deem it appropriate to allocate 49% of the budget towards employee compensation in light of our commitment to creating decent jobs and sustainable livelihoods.
We commend the department for effecting cost-containment measures without compromising frontline defence services. According to the Estimate of Expenditure, savings of R506,6 million in 2011-12, R568,1 million in 2012- 13 and R549,2 million in 2013-14 have been identified across all programmes in spending on goods and services, mainly on contractors.
Cost-cutting measures include limiting overseas visits and travel; limiting the replacement of sedan vehicles; reducing the procurement of books, pamphlets, magazines and office furniture; and curtailing work sessions and catering. It was our conviction that these savings would be gainfully utilised to advance the collective development of our people.
Once again we wish to urge the department to improve its stewardship mechanisms. The internal audit function should be strengthened to ensure that internal financial systems are in place and that compliance with such systems is realised at all material times.
We are fully cognisant of the challenges facing the department in terms of concluding a reliable asset registry that includes all its fixed and nonfixed assets. However, we are confident that challenging though this task may be, it is not impossible to conclude.
We also urge the department to ensure compliance with the Public Finance Management Act and Treasury regulations which regulate budget management.
What should guide every government department in the current financial year is the President's declaration that this year should be a year of job creation. This call follows on the heels of a global economic meltdown that has elicited jitters in the financial markets, leading to massive job- shedding. In South Africa more than a million jobs have been wiped out. It is therefore key that government departments are seen to be creating and retaining decent jobs.
In response to this initiative, the department intends to do the following: Fill 1 401 vacant funded positions in the department; recruit 5 700 young South Africans per year into the Military Skills Development System; have a call-up of 16 400 defence reserve members per year to undertake specific tasks over a specific period of time; and strengthen the department's works capacity to create opportunities within the SANDF for people with technical skills.
We more especially welcome the initiative to strengthen the department's works capacity as this will not only absorb skills, but also be a conduit for skills transfer within the SANDF. Of even more benefit is that the department will increase its capacity to maintain its infrastructure and, where possible, construct it by itself without having to rely for such services on Public Works. This we welcome as it will facilitate the renovation of departmental subsidiaries, like the Castle of Good Hope, the renovation of which has been put on hold because of waiting for the Department of Public Works.
The focus of our government's engagement on the African continent is to promote development, contribute to the resolution of conflicts, and build an environment in which socioeconomic development can take place. Our view is that socioeconomic development cannot take place in the absence of peace and stability, as these constitute the necessary conditions for sustainable economic development. Similarly, socioeconomic development is critical to addressing the root causes of conflict and instability. Testament to the aforementioned is the respect the South African Army has earned from the United Nations, the African Union and the Southern African Development Community as a formidable player in peace-supporting operations.
In this regard, we support the army's continued participation in peace- supporting operations, inter alia, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Sudan and Uganda, averaging a total of 2 894 members being deployed in various external missions.
However, these external missions need focused resourcing to ensure their success. The invitation to South Africa to join the Bric - Brazil, Russia, India and China - economic bloc, its nonpermanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, and its role in the African Union Security Council require, among other things, that we strengthen our capacity for intervention. We need to continue contributing to the promotion of peace, security and stability through, among other things, engaging in preventive diplomacy and sustaining our involvement in peacekeeping operations in Africa.
In conclusion, our soldiers are the most important resource available to us. If one looks at the various tasks and responsibilities they have to perform, sometimes under very severe and challenging circumstances, it is clear that we need to look after them in a manner that befits their sacrifices.
From the unique nature of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans, it is evident that it is the only department where men and women can be expected, if needs be or called upon, to lay down their lives in defence of our Constitution, our people and our country. It is only right and just that we should capacitate them accordingly for this tremendous responsibility. One way of doing that is to accord them the necessary funding.
The ANC pledges its support to the department and supports the Budget Vote. We are proud of our past and confident of our future. Thank you. [Applause.]