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Defence Minister hopes defence budget will grow to 2% of GDP over time

29th May 2015

By: Keith Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

  

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South African Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has expressed the hope that the defence budget will be significantly increased over the next five years. She did so while addressing the media in her recent Budget Vote media briefing. The 2015/16 defence budget comes to R44.5-billion, which is about 1.1% of gross domestic product (GDP). “Our wish is that in, maybe, the next five years, the defence budget will be 2% of GDP, which will be in line with much of the rest of the continent.”

“It’s a wish,” she said in answer to a question from Engineering News about how likely such an increase was, given the heavy burdens on the National Treasury. “We have to dream in order for our dreams to be fulfilled. If you don’t dream, it won’t happen.” She accepted that there was a problem with resources. “But, ultimately, it has to be done. We have to have a well-resourced defence force.” This is because of the challenges and threats facing Africa.

She also cited the conclusions of the Defence Review, which advocated increased defence spending. “I’m not saying that the Defence Review is going to be the saviour of the Defence Force.” But the Defence Review had been drawn up by independent experts in the field of defence. “Government has to apply itself to the recommendations of the Defence Review,” she affirmed. She noted, for example, that the country’s landward defence (basically, the army) was in a “sorry state”. Something had to be done about it and that something had to be done by government.

In her address to the media, Mapisa-Nqakula remarked, in conclusion, that “[w]e’d be naive if we thought that South Africa was immune to some of the challenges facing Africa”. She also affirmed that the “rejuvenation” of the South African National Defence Force had started. “We have met some of the targets we have set for ourselves.”

This was despite the failure of Parliament to complete the approval process for the Defence Review. Government had expected this to have been done by now. (The Defence Review was presented to Parliament in July last year.) The Minister said that she was “concerned” that the review had not yet been approved by the legislature and noted that this was causing a delay in some programmes.

She was pleased that the country’s defence acquisitions, disposals and research and development agency, Armscor, again had a permanent CEO. The agency is headed by an acting CEO for four years. “I’m delighted that the process of appointing the CEO of Armscor has been completed,” she said. (The new CEO is Kevin Wakefield, who was appointed in April; the previous acting CEO was Sipho Mkwanazi.)

However, she also announced that Armscor board chairperson Vice-Admiral Johannes Mudimu (a former Chief of the South African Navy), was retiring, for personal reasons. The Minister noted that Mudimu had taken the Armscor post only to develop and oversee a turnaround strategy for the agency. And Armscor had indeed developed a turnaround strategy under Mudimu. “Not only that, but a strategy that has been well-received by industry,” she highlighted, congratulating the Admiral.

She had further praise which was separate but also connected with Armscor, which manages and operates the Naval Dockyard at Simon’s Town (not to be confused with the co-located Simon’s Town Naval Base). “The SAS Manthatisi (a Type 209/1400SAN submarine) was successfully overhauled here, in South Africa. This is something we should all be proud of.” The submarine is now back in operation.

On a different subject, the Minister announced that the retirement age for members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was being increased from 60 to 65. Research into the legislation had revealed that there was no law setting the retirement age at 60 and that the Minister was free to use her discretion to raise it to 65. This was being done to maintain expertise within the SANDF and to allow for the development of clear succession plans for personnel over the next five years. “This is one issue I’m very determined and committed to deal with.”

Mapisa-Nqakula also noted that the Department of Defence (DoD) had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Public Works (DPW), clearing the way for the DoD’s Works Formation to take over the maintenance and repair of some of the SANDF’s infrastructure and properties. The National Treasury has granted the DoD R900-million to fund such activities by the Works Formation.

“We’ve now taken over the renovations at 1 Military Hospital,” she reported. There remain, however, some concerns about the capacity within the Works Formation. “We have trained a number of artisans who are now in that formation.”

In response to a question from a journalist, the Minister observed that “I’m very happy with this MoU [with DPW],” as there were not necessarily enough resources within the DoD to handle the maintenance and repair of all of the SANDF’s property and infrastructure. “Half a loaf is better than no bread. That R900-million will be used; we’ll quickly renovate particularly those residential areas where our soldiers are housed.”

 

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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