Hon Chairperson, I wish to commend the Minister in allowing for the deployment of the SA National
Defence Force, SANDF, to gang areas around Cape Town. But I also believe that should this intervention work, we need to emulate this model across the board as we arrest crimes in other parts of the country.
The use of military in this manner is a workable solution to assist the police in maintaining public order. We cannot have funerals every weekend in our communities.
Our ports of entry in our country must be strengthened to arrest cross- border crime, syndicates, hijackings, human trafficking and the poaching of rhino horn.
IsiZulu:
Kuyathokozisa nokho ukuzwa umhlonishwa uNgqongqoshe esuka lapha eqinisekisa ukuthi umbutho uphakiwe ukuba uphume uyosiza futhi uyolekelela nokulwa nezinhlelo zobugebengu ezithanda ukuhlasela izwe lakithi. Ngeshwa inkinga isekhona emngceleni weNingizimu Afrika neMozambique kulengxenye engezansi kwe-Kosi Bay neNgwavuma, lapho khona namanje kuseqa khona izimoto imingcele kuthi uma sezingaphakathi eMozambique zingakwazi ukulandeka
ngenxa yokungabibikho kokusebenzisana phakathi kwalamazwe omabili ukunqanda lobu bugebengu obenzakalayo. Ngale amasosha akhona ayingxenye yokwelekelela izigilamkhuba lezi uma kwenziwa lomkhuba wokwebiwa kwezimoto.
English:
We believe that our men and women in uniform is best placed to assist in combating crime as they are not actively busy in combat but we understand that our troops in peace keeping have an important role to play in ensuring that our human rights foreign policy is maintained. Where we can best use our resources, we need to maximise on that.
Furthermore, it is worrying that our Military Veterans continue to be ill- treated and some are not receiving their benefits as was agreed to by the government administration.
We must address this issue swiftly. It is important that all veterans are treated equally across the country. The private MK Military Veterans of the ANC must be assisted by their mother organisation.
In terms of alleged corrupt activities within the ranks of the SANDF is of grave concern to the IFP. Discipline within our defence force and overall image of the SANDF is essential.
We cannot have a situation whereby anyone within the ranks of our armed forces is becoming involved in criminal activities, corrupt activities and doing business with family members, friends and comrades. This must be reined in. Military discipline is foundational and key in any successful Defence Force. It is a culture that must be bred and enforced with zero tolerance.
Our SANDF has been in the news quite a lot over the past few months, from the very first female fighter jet pilot - which we congratulate on her achievement, to some less congratulatory reports.
These reports include cases of discrimination of dress codes against some soldiers, bribes being paid to place individuals in the voluntary service of the Defence Force and shootouts with foreign government border officials.
Further to this, we have seen military exercises take place in the protected waters of False Bay along the Cape Coast which endanger marine wildlife.
We need to make use of the Budget presented in not only managing the SANDF but managing the reputation of our Defence Force.
We need to restore trust, integrity and confidence that our men and women who serve in the duty of our country do so in a manner which all South Africans can be proud of.
In line with constructive governance, the IFP will support this Budget. Thank you.
English:
Chairperson, the hon President quoted and I don't think I have heard it incorrectly from the interim Constitution on the constitutional obligation on the SA National Defence Force and that is to defence our integrity.
Well, we know section 200 of our Constitution is quite clear to ensure that our integrity is protected. But everybody knows, Chair, that there is no international threat and external threat against South Africa.
But, hon Minister, there is an internal threat in the National Defence Force. The reason why I say that is that the hon Minister will know, since 2004, in every Budget Vote in this House, I have mentioned inadequate funds in the Budget for the National Defence Force because that's when it started. I still think that we have inadequate funds in our Budget. But I am rethinking because I can't understand that if I read newspapers that a senior officer can spend hundred of million rands in corruption on tenders were referred to have an affair with another men's wife and married here at the end using taxpayer money to enrich himself. That is internal threat of corruption. That's the most expensive lobola ever paid with taxpayer money.
But, hon Minister, that is the threat and we cannot go to the taxpayer and say we want more money because we have inadequate
Budget for Defence Force whilst the corruption of hundred of millions is actually taking place in the National Defence Force.
Afrikaans:
Ek wil ook na die ontplooiing van die weermag saam met die polisie in die Wes-Kaap verwys. Dit is so. Artikel 201 van die Grondwet s dat die President van die land dit kan magtig, maar dit s ook dat die President vir die Parlement in kennis moet stel. Ons het vanmiddag die Presidensile Begrotingsdebat en ek glo hy gaan dan vir ons s hoeveel soldate ontplooi gaan word, waar hulle ontplooi gaan word, die rede hoekom hulle ontplooi gaan word en vir hoe lank hulle ontplooi gaan word.
Ek is op rekord waar ek s dat ja, die weermag kan aangewend word, maar dis nie wenslik nie. Die blote feit dat dit nou gebeur is eindelik 'n erkenning van die ANC-regering dat misdaad, spesifiek in die Wes-Kaap, buite beheer is en dat die polisie dit nie meer kan beheer nie.
Ek het egter 'n groot bekommernis. Is ons soldate behoorlik opgelei om te verseker dat hulle weet hoe om sulke situasies te
handteer. Is die polisie van Suid-Afrika ook behoorlik opgelei om te weet hoe om met die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag saam te werk? Ek dink nie so nie. Op die oomblik het jy 'n botsiong van egos binne-in die polisie self. Ons sien, dat as ons gaan kyk na die teenbende-eenheid, dan is daar afgunstigheid by die bevelstruktuur van die eenheid ten opsigte van die uitvoer van operasies teen die bendes en dan misluk sulke operasies en polisielede word doodgeskiet. My vraag is: Gaan ons nog daardie stryd van egos h in die weermag, want dis 'n oeroue probleem dat sodra die weermag saam met die polisie moet begin funksioneer en opereer, dan is daar meningsverskille oor wie bevel het oor wie en wie beheer het oor wie.
Sit is so. Dit is eintlik baie duidelik. Daardie interne spanning bekommer my en die vraag, op die einde van die dag, is: Gaan ons hierdie bendegeweld wen. Ek is bekommerd dat ons dit nie gaan regkry nie. Ek dank u.