Hon Deputy Minister, promotion should serve as a process that rewards good work and performance. What measures will the Ministry put in place to ensure that the promotion process in the SAPS is an open and transparent process that serves as motivation and reward for good work?
MOTLATSA LETONA WA SEPOLESA: Mme Mocumi, jwalokaha ke se ke boletse hore phahamiso mosebetsing e tla dula e le teng e le phahamiso. Ebile, batho ba tshwanetseng hore ba phahamiswe mosebetsing ke batho ba tshwanelehang, ba loketsweng ke phahamiso eno. Ha ho na le motho ya tla fumantshwa hore o phahamisitswe ka hoba mohlomong a tswallana le Sotyu, ... (Translation of Sesotho paragraph follows.)
[The DEPUTY MINISTER OF POLICE: Hon Mocumi, as I have already mentioned, promotion at the workplace will always be there. Furthermore, people who are supposed to be promoted are the ones who qualify and deserve it. Should it be discovered that someone has been promoted just because he/she is related to Sotyu ...]
... we will deal with that corrupt individual. People need to be promoted ...
... ka tsela eo ba tshwanetseng ho phahamiswa ka yona. Ha e le hore batho ba sebedisa dipehelo tsena tsa rona ka tsela e fosahetseng re tla ba lokisa hobane ke bobodu bo fetelletseng ha phahamiso e etsahala ka tsela e jwalo. Ke a leboha. (Translation of Sesotho paragraph follows.)
[... in accordance with appropriate processes. If people abuse these conditions we will deal with them accordingly, because that would be corruption of the highest level if promotions were conducted in that way. Thank you.] Statutory provisions permitting public wearing of military uniforms and paraphernalia
229. Mr M G P Lekota (COPE) asked the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans:
In terms of which statutory provisions are military veterans permitted to publicly (a) wear and (b) parade in distinctly military (i) uniform and (ii) paraphernalia? NO2599E
Deputy Speaker, let me start by saying that in relation to the national uniform of the SA Defence Force, SANDF, the chiefs of services, namely the SA Army, the SA Navy, the SA Air Force, and SA Medical Service, can give permission to any person accorded honorary membership of the reserve forces to wear the uniform of the SANDF on stipulated occasions and according to regulations.
Secondly, pursuant to the policy obligation under the new legislation on military veterans, the Department of Defence and Military Veterans has commissioned the design and production of the new special uniform for military veterans, which is distinctly not military. This uniform can be worn by military veterans at functions and occasions where there is a desire to profile their presence. [Applause.]
Deputy Speaker, I must welcome the reply that has been supplied. May I therefore follow up in this way: Deputy Minister, is it correct that no one may use any uniform of their choice and parade as a private security or law enforcement agent under the pretence that they are veterans?
I am referring to the Thohoyandou incident in particular, where the President was to deliver the Nelson Mandela lecture. Some individuals who were there appeared in public in military fatigues that are not prescribed under the laws of our land. They pretended to enforce the law by assaulting and driving members of the public out of the hall where the President was to deliver the lecture. Is it correct that that is unlawful in terms of our law?
Deputy Speaker, as things stand right now there is no legislation that precludes any group of individuals from using combat fatigues of their choice as an organisation. As a matter of fact, in the private security industry many companies are using combat fatigues as their uniform. Not only that, there are paramilitary organisations that are known in South Africa, like the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging, AWB, that wear these paramilitary uniforms. It is common practice because, as we speak, there is no legislation that prohibits that kind of practice.
I'm aware that, at the commencement of the integration process, when the SANDF was formed in 1994, it was a popular view that the wearing of combat fatigues - and this was in relation to the integration of military organisations - was not considered desirable going forward. However, no legislation was put in place to make this illegal.
As to whether military veterans may act as a law enforcement agency or not, I think it's just common knowledge that no organisation except those that are recognised by law can enforce the law. [Applause.]
Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to put a question, but before I do there are three issues I would like to raise: Firstly, there is clearly a lacuna in terms of the Defence Act, which refers to former defence members who may only wear appropriate civilian dress. Secondly, there is a lacuna in terms of the SA Military Veterans' Association, Samva, which is an umbrella organisation that does not have a code of ethics governing that particular dress.
Thirdly, in terms of international best practice, there are strict rules and regulations on the wearing of any military camouflage uniform that speaks to the issue of bringing a defence force into disrepute and undermining the state.
I therefore put this question: Would the Deputy Minister consider amending the Defence Act, Act 42 of 2002, to prevent military veterans belonging to any formation from protesting and marching in military camouflage uniforms? [Applause.]
Firstly, Deputy Speaker, let me clarify that the law does not allow any South African to wear the national uniform of the SANDF, which is different from any kind of combat fatigue available commercially out there.
There are the national combat fatigues of the SANDF. No person who is not a member of the defence force is allowed to wear it. I think that is clear. As to whether there is desirability for the law to preclude the wearing of combat fatigues by any other organisation or not is a matter that we can look into.
In relation to the military uniform that is worn by the military veterans, let me also say that military veterans wearing that uniform will be expected by the department to conduct themselves in keeping with the ethos and values of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans, as constituted by the law. [Applause.]
Sekela likaSomlomo, mhlonishwa, ilungu la leNdlu lagqoka umfaniswano lingakaze liqeqeshwe nakancane nje, lingakaze libe yisosha. Ubuthini-ke, mhlonishwa? Ubuthi wayinikwa ngubani-ke imvume lowo?
ISEKELA LIKANGQONGQOSHE WEZOKUVIKELA KANYE NEZIGAGAYI ZEZEMPI: Sekela Somlomo, njengoba besengichazile ukuthi akekho umuntu onelungelo lokugqoka umfaniswano woMbutho wezokuVikela waseNingizimu Afrika. Angazi-ke ukuthi ilungu elihloniphekile lisho ukuthi lelo lungu elikhuluma ngalo laligqoke umfaniswano woMbutho wezokuVikela waseNingizimu Afrika na noma laligqoke nje umfaniswano?
Yebo. [Uhleko.]
ISEKELA LIKANGQONGQOSHE WEZOKUVIKELA KANYE NEZIGAGAYI ZEZEMPI: Uma lelo lungu ... [Ubuwelelele.] Ngingaqhubeka, Sekela Somlomo? Uma ilungu lelo laligqoke umfaniswano woMbutho wezokuVikela waseNingizimu Afrika, kusho ukuthi lelo lungu laliwugqoke lowo mfaniswano njengelungu lama-honorary reserve forces. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Mr V B NDLOVU: Deputy Speaker, the member of this House wore the uniform without having been trained, and was never a soldier. By the way, what were you saying, hon member? Who did you say granted permission to that one?
Deputy Speaker, I have explained that there is no one who has the right to wear the military uniform of South Africa. I don't know whether the hon member means that the member he or she is talking about was wearing the military uniform of the Defence Force of South Africa or was just wearing a uniform.
Yes. [Laughter.]
If that member . . . [Interjections.] May I continue, Deputy Speaker? If that member was wearing the South African National Defence Force uniform, it means that that member wore it as a member of the honorary reserve forces.]
There are civilians who are allowed and are accorded the status of honorary members of the SANDF as members of the reserve force. Under those circumstances, the regulation permits it. It is allowed. [Applause.]
Awarding of military veterans medals
218. Mr M S Motimele (ANC) asked the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans:
Whether members of all nonstatutory forces were considered for the awarding of military veterans medals on 2 August 2012 (details furnished); if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?