Indications are South African Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga can expect a barrage of Parliamentary questions when the National Assembly (NA) and National Council of Provinces (NCOP) restart work after the Presidential State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s SONA, according to the parliamentary programme for the first term of the seventh administration, NA oversight committees sit for the first time in 2025 from 25 January to 5 February. They break for SONA on 6 February, its debate and the Presidential response before resuming on 17 February.
The 2025 stage for questions was, a Member of Parliament who preferred anonymity told defenceWeb, set by an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) document handed to the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) last October. Authored by Carl Niehaus, it warns committee adoption of “sanitised and manipulated documents” as presented in draft Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports (BRRRs) is “a grave misrepresentation”. The reports contain information on the Department of Defence (DoD), the Department of Military Veterans (DMV) and Armscor, now a Motshekga responsibility following the demise of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE).
Three Democratic Alliance public representatives – two in the NA and the third in the NCOP – will not be newcomers to Parliamentary questions for the Department of Defence and Military Veterans (DoDMV). Chris Hattingh and Maliyakhe Shelembe are NA Members of Parliament (MP) while Nicholas Gotsell sits in the NCOP.
Hattingh told defenceWeb he will “definitely” have further questions for Motshekga about the utilisation of and payment for SA National Defence Force (SANDF) equipment deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the United Nations mission (MONUSCO). He first raised this issue in November.
Similarly, his colleague Shelembe will put further military veteran related questions to the Minister. He will, among others, seek more information by way of follow-up questions on the public transport subsidy, further speeding up pension and other benefit payments and again, ask why there is no permanent director-general at the Department of Military Veterans.
Gotsell also has the DMV in his sights – particularly former director-general, Tsepe Motumi, now according to the DA, a “ministerial special advisor”. His question comes in the light of a Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) finding late last year. A DA statement issued on behalf of Gotsell has it Motumi unconstitutionally committed the DMV to a liability for use of unappropriated funds. “As the acting DG (director-general), Motumi was not privileged to deviate from the Department’s allocations of resources. Motumi issued and signed a supplier’s advice (Government Order) to facilitate payment of R60 million for the provision of healthcare and wellness services to 16 000 military veterans,” the statement reads in part.
Gotsell is further quoted as saying “the DMV has not yet recovered from poor leadership and mismanagement. It remains unable to effect its mandate and has been slow in its rollout of pension benefits, database inaccuracies and housing delays”.
“Minister Motshekga has not achieved a great deal in attempting to turn South Africa’s failing defence force around. Neither has she been able to give South Africa’s military veterans any assurance that their plight is receiving the necessary attention it deserves.
“The DA confirms its stance that Directors-General must be held fully to account for malicious and gross negligent conduct and will ensure that the Minister adheres to the request for answers through the Select Committee for Security and Justice (SCSJ). Neither the Minister nor South Africa can afford to be ill-advised,” the Gotsell statement has it.
Ahead of Parliament restarting work, Motshekga and her Deputy Ministers, Major General (Ret) Bantu Holomisa and Richard Mkhungo, convened a series of meetings on 15 January, aimed at aligning the Department of Defence and Military Veterans with the national agenda for progress and development, the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans said in a statement.
The day commenced with a briefing on all ongoing peacekeeping missions and the overall health and wellbeing of South African troops actively serving in these operations. “The leadership reaffirmed their commitment to supporting and safeguarding the welfare of all deployed personnel, emphasizing the importance of maintaining operational excellence and care for those who serve the nation,” the statement read.
“A significant engagement followed with the newly appointed Armscor Board Members, who have been entrusted with the critical task of steering the entity towards achieving the ‘Journey to Greatness,’”. The Minister expressed confidence in the new board’s ability to drive innovation, efficiency, and enhanced defence capabilities while ensuring prudent financial management.
Another meeting was held to discuss the South African National Service Institute programme, an initiative designed to equip young South Africans with vital skills and career opportunities.
“The day wrapped up with a productive meeting with the Defence Sector Charter Council. This meeting was a great opportunity for the Minister to connect with the Council, whose crucial role is to oversee the implementation of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) in the South African Defence Industry,” the Ministry said.
The statement concluded by saying “the department remains steadfast in its commitment to national security, operational readiness and socio-economic development…With these strategic engagements setting the pace, the ‘Journey to Greatness’ has officially begun.”
