Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members, the Secretary for Defence, commanders, Judge Bosielo and the Defence Force Service Commission, commissioners, ladies and gentlemen, the UDM supports Budget Vote No 22. [Applause.] Taking a retrospective view from the time the Minister took charge of the department, we can all agree that the Defence Force is on its way to recapturing lost ground, the lost ground often being occasioned by a lack of leadership. [Applause.]
Indeed, the UDM believes that in order to build a strong Defence Force which South Africa can be proud of, this House, together with the Department of Defence and Military Veterans, needs to review the department's strategy. This strategy should be influenced by our internal security threats, as well as our country's foreign policy requirements. High on the agenda should be investing more resources in the training and standardisation of military equipment, especially in the field of troop carriers.
This department is fortunate to be on the verge of having its own National Defence Force Service Commission whose role, among other things, would be to increase the capacity of its leadership, together with its rank-and-file members. From time to time this body will be required to account to this House on its work and how it spends the funds that have been allocated to it.
In conclusion, the Portfolio Committee on the Defence Force and Military Veterans and the Joint Standing Committee on Defence need to develop a structural framework to ensure that the work of this commission provides maximum benefit to our country.
Reports about the state of army equipment were tabled in this House and with the National Treasury a long time ago. However, the responses to these requests have been very slow, while on the other hand, our Defence Force is expected to perform duties in line with our foreign policy. One hopes that the Joint Standing Committee on Defence will monitor the department's trends on budget allocations by the National Treasury. I thank you. [Applause.]