Adjunkspeaker, ek wil net vir die agb Maynier s dat Owen Horwood presies geweet het wat hy geteken het. Hy het net gelieg toe hy ges het dat hy nie geweet het nie.
Ek is bly baie lede van die Kabinet is vanmiddag hier. Die Kabinet gee opdragte aan die SA Nasionale Weermag. Hulle verwag van die SANW om 'n sekere mandaat uit te voer, maar die Kabinet gee nie die geld daarvoor nie. Wat tans in die weermag gebeur is dat die hoofde nou geld van hul operasionele begrotings neem om die salarisse van die soldate te betaal.
As jy die operasionele gelde begin aanwend daarvoor, dan is jou gevegsgereedheid besig om tot niet te gaan. Daar is nie eers genoeg geld om ammunisie aan te koop om die Material Safety Data Sheet, MSDS, program opleiding te gee in skietwerk nie. Daar is nie eers genoeg geld dat die vliniers van die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag in die nag operasioneel kan wees nie.
Ons moet besluit of ons 'n weermag wil h of nie. As u as 'n Kabinet besluit dat u 'n weermag wil h, moet u toesien dat die geld daar is. Die VF Plus wil dit ook op rekord stel dat daar nou nie eers genoeg geld is om die bestaande weermag aan die gang te hou nie; daar sal nog minder geld wees om 'n nasionale dienspligstelsel aan die gang te hou.
Ons kan nie werk skep in die weermag nie. Die weermag is 'n professionele, konstitusionele instelling wat die integriteit van die land moet beskerm. Dit hang van u af. Ten spyte van die tekort aan geld, sal die VF Plus steeds die begrotingspos ondersteun. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD: Deputy Speaker, I just want to tell the hon Maynier that Owen Horwood knew exactly what he was signing. He was simply lying when he said that he did not know.
I am glad that many Cabinet members are present here this afternoon. Cabinet issues instructions to the SA National Defence Force. Cabinet expects the SANDF to fulfil a particular mandate, but fails to provide the necessary funds. What currently happens in the Defence Force is that those in charge take funds out of their operational budgets to pay soldiers' wages.
Once you start using operational funds for that purpose, your battle preparedness goes downhill. There is not even enough money to buy ammunition for marksmanship training in respect of the Material Safety Data Sheet, MSDS, programme. There is not even enough money to allow South African Airforce pilots to be operational at night.
We have to decide whether we want a defence force or not. If you as Cabinet decide that you want a defence force, you must see to it that the money is available. The FF Plus also wishes to place it on record that at present there is not even enough money to keep the existing Defence Force going; there will be even less money to maintain a system based on compulsory military service.
We cannot generate employment in the Defence Force. The Defence Force is a professional, constitutional institution mandated to protect the integrity of the country. It is up to you. Despite the financial shortfall, the FF Plus supports the Budget Vote. Thank you.]