Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, Members of Parliament, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, according to our Constitution, the primary object of the Defence Force is to defend and protect the Republic of South Africa, its territorial integrity and its people. The SA National Defence Force is further mandated, in terms of the Defence Act of 2002, to be deployed on the borders and should therefore be the primary agency to secure our air, sea and land-line borders.
The recent much-needed and welcomed oversight visit by the portfolio committee to the Zimbabwean and Mozambican borders further strengthened the belief that the Defence Force should protect our land-line borders not just because this is a constitutionally mandated responsibility, but also because we believe that it is the best suited and trained for this crucial task.
Border control is a contentious issue in South Africa in light of the eminent kick-off of the 2010 Fifa - Fdration Internationale de Football Association - Soccer World Cup, the increasing number of people illegally entering our country and specifically the criminal elements who exploit our porous borders for illegal gain. This is unacceptable and should be tackled with the necessary commitment and associated resources to ensure that especially cross-border criminal activities are rooted out.
One needs to draw a distinction between controlling access at the ports of entry - which is mainly a function that resides with the SA Police Service, Home Affairs, customs and other departments - and patrolling and protecting the borders, which are mainly military functions. This distinction is important, as it not only indicates the respective mandates, but also the specific spheres of responsibility.
This distinction is present because of the apparent lack of a unified policy and a clear-cut management directive to guide our border control responsibility. The Border Control Operational Co-ordinating Committee and the Border Management Agency should urgently clarify their roles and responsibilities, as there is confusion regarding their exact roles.
It needs, however, to be stressed that the co-operation on the borders at ground level between the SANDF and the SAPS is excellent, as they have liaison committees, share intelligence, and are able to conduct joint operations. This is why the dithering at micro level should be cleared up as a matter of agency, as it causes confusion and frustration at the operational and tactical levels.
In the same vein, it is also imperative for departments such as Home Affairs to play their respective roles. It serves no purpose for soldiers to apprehend illegal border crossers, just for them to be issued with year- long work permits by Home Affairs. Alternative arrangements that maintain respect for human rights need to be made to prevent such a situation. Similarly, the SAPS needs to be readily available and willing to assist with their powers of arrest and investigation once soldiers have apprehended illegal border crossers.
Protecting our borders should not be viewed as solely South Africa's responsibility. The importance of liaising with our immediate neighbours for co-operation and co-ordination purposes cannot be stressed enough. We therefore salute the role of the Defence Force in establishing these interactions with our neighbours to further enhance the effectiveness of our border protection. This once again proves that we are a responsible state that strives to live in peace with its neighbours, and that we are cognisant of their socioeconomic conditions and the challenges these bring.
The oversight visit by the portfolio committee was utilised to augment the committee's understanding of the situation on the ground, and the challenges and requirements to effectively control our borders. There are several challenges facing the department in taking over the land-line border protection responsibilities from the SAPS. This is, however, an opportunity for the military to once again display their expertise and professionalism as one of the best armed forces on the continent.
The financial and human resources challenges are key to successfully executing an effective border mandate. We are therefore of the opinion that this should be prioritised, and will assist the department in persuading National Treasury to appropriately fund Operation Corona. This is not only the right thing to do, but is needed owing to the wide-ranging negative impact that poorly guarded borders can have.
Besides the cross-border smuggling of cigarettes, maritime products, drugs and vehicles, human trafficking is great cause for concern as poor rural people are often the victims of unscrupulous cross-border syndicates. We therefore need the Defence Force to deal effectively with these armed syndicates when they attempt to illegally cross our land-line borders to carry out their heinous activities.
Operation Corona, which directs the phased return by the military to our borders, has indicated what the challenges are and what resources will be required for the roll-out over the next four years in order to ensure a successful return to the borders. From repairing fences and purchasing new generation vehicles, to establishing observation posts and foot patrols, it is clear that the Defence Force has planned accordingly and that they have the task in hand. They, however, need the support of this portfolio committee to be allocated sufficient funding for this crucial task.
The provisional costs, as indicated by Operation Corona, for returning to the Zimbabwean border totals R105 million, while that for the Mozambique- Swaziland borders totals R194 million. A large percentage of this amount will be utilised to return the equipment, facilities and infrastructure to the pre-withdrawal period of the SA National Defence Force from the borders. The magnitude of this task was chillingly brought home to us during our border visit, as the condition of the equipment, facilities and infrastructure leaves much to be desired. We therefore urge all relevant role-players to support the Defence Force to effectively execute this constitutional mandate.
In conclusion, we extend our gratitude to Minister Sisulu, the Chief of the National Defence Force Gen Ngwenya, and their personnel for inviting us to experience first-hand the border realities and what is required of the Defence Force.
We support you and your committed personnel in securing our borders, and urge that this budget not only be approved, but also that an additional allocation be granted for this critical border control responsibility. This is not only imperative to protect our economic interests, but also to safeguard the people of South Africa. The ANC supports the Budget Vote. I thank you. [Applause.]