Committee Report on oversight visit to review Operation Prosper military deployment

Defence

30 July 2021
Chairperson: Mr V Xaba (ANC) & Mr E Nchabeleng (ANC, Limpopo)
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Meeting Summary

Tabled Committee Reports

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The Committee considered and adopted the Committee Report on oversight visit to review Operation Prosper military deployment in Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) and Gauteng, from 20 July to 21 July 2021.

The Committee noted the extensive damage to critical infrastructure such as shopping malls and the N3 Highway. Due to the inability of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to contain the unrest, the national government decided to deploy South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers. After their deployment, the Committee noted that relative calm had been brought back to both provinces.

SAPS officials admitted several shortcomings to the Committee, such as poor intelligence gathering and poor crowd management training of police officers.

Noting the SANDF underfunding, the Committee will request a joint report from National Treasury and SANDF on critical equipment requirements and their funding. The Committee further recommended:
• SANDF should continue to provide support in both planning and operations to SAPS
• The Commander in Chief, President Ramaphosa, should maintain the SANDF deployment should the situation require. However, the deployment should not be protracted.
• The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans include in its upcoming Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report (BRRR) a request to National Treasury for increased funding for the recruitment and deployment of the SANDF reserve force contingent.
• SA Military Health Services prioritise the vaccinations of SANDF members.
• The N3 Highway be considered as a national key point
• Appropriate steps should be taken to ensure coherent and capable intelligence in the country.
 

Meeting report

Opening remarks
Mr V Xaba (ANC), Chairperson, announced that the Committee had received confirmation to sit on Thursday 2 August to receive the briefing on the deployment of SANDF soldiers to Mozambique.

Mr S Marais (DA) asked if the Committee should consider and deliberate on the reasons provided for the postponement of the meeting of the previous day.

Mr Xaba explained that as the meeting was organised prematurely and withdrawn almost immediately, he was unsure if they could comment on this. A document was supposed to have been presented to the relevant National Assembly committees by the Ministers of the Security Cluster. The Committee does have the report, but it can only consider it once that meeting has been scheduled.

Mr Marais said that it was important for the Committee to capture that information on record.

Committee Report on oversight visit to review Operation Prosper military deployment
Chairperson Xaba said the Committee would consider and adopt the report on the oversight visits conducted in both KZN and Gauteng, from 20 to 21 July 2021, to review military deployments as part of Operation Prosper. The Committee had noted that the damage in both provinces was extensive and that the unrest would lead to a loss of jobs, which would further contribute to the unemployment in the country and the widening of inequality.

Over 300 people died during the recent period of unrest and the Committee conveyed its condolences to the families of the deceased. Members expressed hope that such unrest would not arise again.

The Chairperson handed over to the Committee researcher to present the draft report.

Dr Wilhelm Van Rensberg, Committee Researcher, noted the key issues captured in the report:

The aim of the oversight visit, which was to review the role and participation of the SANDF in Operation Prosper and the cooperation with SAPS as all SANDF domestic operations take place in support of SAPS.

During the visit in KZN, the Committee was briefed on the measures taken by the security cluster to secure key routes such as N3 Highway and resources, which included vehicle stops and searches conducted by SAPS officials. Additionally, SAPS ensured that there was visible policing in the area. In KZN, SAPS officials were concerned by both the theft of live ammunition – which is under investigation – and the tense situation in Phoenix. Due to the unrest in the province, government deployed 5000 SANDF troops. The Committee noted that with the deployment of SANDF, the N3 Highway could operate once more. Members were pleased to hear that there was a high level of trust in SANDF within local communities.

Whilst in Gauteng, the Committee visited three malls, Naledi Mall in Vosloorus, Meadowlands Mall and Jabulani Mall, both in Soweto. Members noted extensive damage at all three malls. In its briefing, SAPS indicated that a 24 hour joint operations centre had been instituted in the province. SAPS officials admitted several shortcomings, such as poor intelligence gathering and poor crowd management training of officers. Members were pleased that operational work to return stability in the province was underway.

The Committee recommendations were:
• SANDF should continue to provide support in both planning and operations to SAPS
• The Commander in Chief, President Ramaphosa, should maintain the SANDF deployment should the situation require. However, the deployment should not be protracted.
• The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans include in its upcoming Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report (BRRR) a request to National Treasury for increased funding for the recruitment and deployment of the SANDF reserve force contingent.
• SA Military Health Services prioritise the vaccinations of SANDF members.
• The N3 Highway be considered as a national key point
• Appropriate steps should be taken to ensure coherent and capable intelligence in the country.

The Committee will request a joint report from National Treasury and SANDF on critical equipment requirements and their funding.

Discussion
The Chairperson said that the Speaker has proposed that the Parliament debate on the recent unrest take place during the first sitting of the National Assembly. The Speaker had requested that the Committees who conducted oversight visits in the two provinces finalise their reports and submit them to Parliament, as they will form the basis of the debate in the House.

Mr D Ryder (DA) welcomed the report. He referred to questions posed by the Committee during the SAPS and SANDF briefing as found on page 4 of the report. In their response, there was an acknowledgement of an initial heated exchange of ideas between the SANDF and SAPS commanders, which might have affected how the rollout took place. This answer should be reflected in the report.

Mr Ryder said that there was a remarkable difference in how the unrest played out in both provinces. Unrest in KZN was politically orchestrated with a sinister motivation, whereas in Gauteng it was motivated by opportunism and criminality.

He proposed that the Committee should suggest, to the Portfolio Committee on Defence to bring forward the BRRR process, raise the issues of substantive reliance on SANDF during times of extreme need and the decreasing ability of SANDF to meet expectations because of its budgetary constraints.

The Chairperson requested Members comment on the proposals put forward by Mr Ryder.

Mr M Shelembe (DA) supported Mr Ryder’s proposals.

Mr Shelembe noted that the Distell warehouse they visited was in Pinetown, but the report listed it as being in the Ethekwini Metro. He asked that this be corrected. He asked if the Naledi Mall was in Vosloorus.

The Chairperson clarified that the mall is indeed in Vosloorus and the Distell warehouse was in Pinetown, which is in the Ethekwini Metro.

Mr Marais welcomed the report. The Committee should look to gain support on the calls for an increased SANDF budget. He supported the proposals made by Mr Ryder. The oversight visit had provided the Committee with valuable information, and it was money worth spent.

Chairperson Xaba indicated that the proposals made by Mr Ryder would be adopted.

The Committee agreed that the deployment of SANDF soldiers had placed enormous pressure on the fiscus. Further, it agreed that there should be increased funding to SANDF. Members suggested that in the future, SANDF should continue cooperating with departments within the Security Cluster.

Mr R Cebekhulu (IFP) clarified that the area referred to was named Mbotweni, and not Mboweni.

Voting on Committee Report
Chairperson Xaba presented the report with these amendments for adoption.

Mr Marais moved for the adoption of the report. Mr T Mmutle (ANC) seconded the adoption.

Mr Ryder indicated that the oversight had been a good experience for Members, and it had strengthened their bonds.

In reply to Mr Marais asking if a report would be made why support staff failed to arrange a flight for certain Members for the Gauteng oversight visit, the Chairperson said the Committee would consider this proposal.

The Committee minutes for 9 June 2021, 14 and 18 July 2021 were adopted.

The meeting was adjourned.


 

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