Speaker of the National Assembly,
Deputy Speaker, House Chairpersons of the National Assembly,
Deputy Ministers of Defence and Military Veterans,
Cabinet Colleagues and Deputy Ministers,
Chairpersons and Members of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans and the
Joint Standing Committee on Defence,
Honourable Members,
Acting Secretary for Defence, the Chief of the National Defence Force and the Acting DirectorGeneral of the DMV and members of the Military Command (MC) and Secretariat Council (SC),
Chairpersons, CEOs and Heads of all Defence Entities,
Distinguished Guests.

Honourable Speaker, I stand before you today, humbled by the honour of presenting my first-ever budget vote to this House within the context of a Government of National Unity as the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.

I wish that we recognise those brave men and women who have paid the ultimate price in the service of our country. “From the going down of the sun to the rising of the sun, we will remember them” We will remember them.
For our tomorrows, they gave their today.

Honourable Speaker, these are dangerous times! These are difficult times! We live in a World where the only constant is change itself. This is a World of increasing volatility, exacerbated by its ambiguity and complexity, characterised by a state of “troubled peace”.

The role of the people’s National Defence Force has never been more important than it is right now, both here at home and on the continent. The demand upon this Defence Force is unceasing, and its members serve loyally and faithfully across all Arms of Service. 

Some have paid the ultimate price in the defence of our country’s sovereignty and our responsibility as peacekeepers and peace-builders in Africa. Our country must acknowledge and appreciate the patriotic role played by these members.

We come before this House today with a plan and proposal which needs the support of this house. As stated in the Defence Act’s founding documents, the primary functions of the SANDF includes deterrence, defence of the territorial integrity and national sovereignty, and the protection of key national interests. 

The Department of Defence includes the Defence Secretariat for Civil Control and oversight, the South African National Defence Force as the only lawful Military Force of the Republic in accordance with the constitution.

Honourable Speaker, the Ministry previously indicated to this House that there is a need to review certain key chapters of the Defence Review 2015. I am reliably informed that during discussions by my predecessor with the Commander-in-Chief in January this year, the Department is hard at work finalising this task. In all of this, we have agreed with the Military Command upon a soldierfirst principle in this work.

This will also include a Military Strategy and an Interim Force Design aligned to government funding and objectives. I will be engaging with Cabinet and the parliamentary defence committees on this work.

Honourable Speaker, our Defence Force has provided great service to this country across multiple theatres in many different guises since the House last sat to consider its funding. The Department and the SANDF plays a pivotal role in many of this government’s Medium Term Strategy Frameworks. 

This is guided by the following key military values:

Safeguarding of the Nation through border safeguarding, maritime security, support to the SAPS and other ordered internal operations.

Securing Regional Development, through the deployment of robust forces and support of the African Union Peace and Security Architecture.

Ensuring Hard Power through the maintenance of a Core Combat Capability to protect the sovereignty of South Africa.

Protecting South Africa’s intangible sovereignty through support to the National Cyber Resilience Initiative and ensuring Defence Digital Protection.

Nation Building through contributions to South Africa’s National Development Imperative through high-impact projects.

Guided by the aforementioned pillars and military values, the SANDF is involved in five provinces, namely Mpumalanga; Limpopo; KZN; Free State; North West in ongoing various operations. These include the safeguarding of our land borders and maritime security along the east coast.

Furthermore, the SANDF is involved in ad hoc support to the South African Police Service, such as combatting illegal mining; safeguarding of critical infrastructure; crime prevention. Contributing meaningfully to Social Cohesion and Safer Communities in the realisation of the pillaron nation-building. 

The ongoing Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme and our disaster management response, are tangible examples of the humanitarian support and emergency relief that we bring to our country’s most vulnerable communities. I look forward to shortly updating the defence committees of Parliament on the number of bridges built by the Welisizwe Rural Bridges Campaign.

On disaster management, the Department has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with COGTA to cooperate in disaster management. I must reassure the House of the SANDF’s continued willingness to assist with disaster relief and humanitarian operations for the people of this country, when tasked.

As we approach the Women’s Month in August, I wish to assure the house that we are committed to the eradication of Gender Based Violence wherever it occurs in the Department, while providing the necessary support to victims of GBV through our medical, psychological and legal services.

These steps are guided by social cohesion and the eradication of this scourge of violence against women and children. 

Madame Speaker, as recently announced by the Deputy President the SANDF-led National Youth Service will contribute to dealing with youth unemployment in the country. In this regard, the Military Command Council is currently assessing the required capabilities and funding to launch this project. I eagerly await this report.

Turning towards our contribution to build A Better Africa and a Better World, we continue to participate in United Nations, African Union and Southern African Development Community peace operations. 

The SANDF is currently involved in:

Operation MISTRAL and Operation THIBA in the Democratic Republic of Congo;

Operation VIKELA in Mozambique, which is coming to an end; and

 Operation COPPER through offshore patrols in the Mozambique Channel.

Honourable members, I am pleased to report that, in relation to our external deployments, Government has assisted the Department with funding for our operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique. I wish to thank my colleague Minister of Finance Godongwana in this regard.

On the strength of ensuring clean governance and a capable state, the Ministry is being briefed on audit findings and different financial challenges facing the department’s finances. I will shortly be engaging on this matter with the Secretary for Defence and Chief of the SANDF to strengthen our financial systems.

Honourable Speaker as we focus on the budget allocated to the Department of Defence, we have been allocated R51.8 billion for the 2024/25 financial year. Of this total budget, approximately R5,5 billion is earmarked to the following costs:

R2,6 billion for obligations to Department of Public Works and Infrastructure for lease payments, assessment rates, refurbishment, maintenance and repairs and municipal services, which the DOD is managing on their own.

R1,4 billion to Armscor,

Honourable Speaker Armscor, (SOC) (LTD) is entrusted with the vital tasks of managing the acquisition of defence prime mission equipment, the development and maintenance of critical defence technologies and the management of strategic defence facilities.

There is an increasing requirement for the rapid modification or application of commercial technologies for military-use; which implies a reconceptualization of the role that Armscor plays in Research and Technology Development.

Initiatives must also be embarked upon to reposition some aspects of the defence industry as a foundation for a different and better future. In terms of the Soldier-First principle, our soldiers must be better off. The need for practical solutions has now become operationally urgent, including the need to adjust appropriately to the changing nature of the battlefield, with an enhanced focus on imminent technologies.

R500 million dedicated for the procurement of protective personnel vehicles and technology for border safeguarding.

R441 million for the repair and maintenance of Naval Defence Systems to enhance Maritime patrol in our waters.

R70,2 million allocated for the Military Ombud. Honourable Speaker, as a statutory means to resolving grievances by soldiers and public complaints; the Military Ombud promotes good labour relations within the SANDF.

R300 million for day-to-day maintenance and emergency repairs for our facilities by the DoD.

R60 million for the deployment before, during and after the May 29th 2024 elections.

R6 million to assist the Castle Control Board to manage the Castle of Good Hope as a national heritage asset. 

Honourable speaker, of our total budget allocation of R51,8 billion, the compensation of employees (COE) ceiling of R34,2 billion constitutes 66%, based on actual feet on the ground.

Honourable Speaker, it is common knowledge that the SANDF’s needs to upgrade its prime mission equipment. We are robustly engaging with the National Treasury on a common way to meet the Defence Force’s medium-term Capital budget, including the vital repair and maintenance of critical Prime Mission Equipment and the exploitation of evolving technologies.

Honourable Speaker, in terms of the legislation and regulations to be finalised during this financial year, the Ministry will submit the Draft Military Discipline Bill to this House for consideration following the successful establishment of the Seventh Administration under the Government of National Unity.

We are also working on the commencement of the implementation of the Defence Amendment Act of 2020 (Act No6 of 2020) during the 2024/25 financial year following the final drafting of the regulations that underpin this Act.

Honourable Speaker, I wish to take a moment to recognise and honour our community of military veterans, some of whom have paid the supreme sacrifice in the service of our country. The main objective of the Department of Military Veterans is to provide national policy and standards on socio-economic support to military veterans and their dependents, guided by the
Military Veterans Act 18 of 2011.

The total budget allocation for the DMV for the 2024/2025 financial year amounts to R864million. Included in this budget is R158 million earmarked amounts for the rollout of the military veterans’ pension benefits; the compensation of employees is limited to R140 million; administration R142million. 

R446million is for the Socio-Economic Branch, which is housing; health care; wellness and compensation for injuries. The Empowerment and Stakeholder Management branch has been allocated R276 million, which includes benefits education; burial support, skills development, memorialisation, honours and heritage.

The Presidential Task Team (PTT), an intervention by the President, provided political support to improving the functioning and efficiencies of the Department. The PTT made recommendations for consideration and implementation by the Government and the Department of Military Veterans in particular. 

The PTT recommended that the Department enters into Protocol Agreements with each province, through the Offices of the Premiers to ensure that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined such that each province can meaningfully identify its contribution to Military Veterans affairs.

Honourable Speaker, we need to deal with the challenges associated with the verification and database for military veterans, for that is the gateway into the DMV and delivery of benefits. The DMV will be working with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) to ensure that robust ICT infrastructure is implemented. 

This will ensure that military veterans are verified and thus enabled to have access to their benefits.

Honourable Speaker, the department allocation for housing will be to deliver 750 houses to military veterans over the MTEF period including those struggling to settle their mortgage bonds. This would be in addition to those that have received housing since the inception of the Department, of which one thousand and ninety five (1095) houses have been handed over to deserving military veterans.

To enhance quality of life for eligible military veterans, the department has allocated this from the programme of Socio-Economic Support budget of R446m as stated earlier. The DMV subsidizes health care services in full, and ensures that 18 650 military veterans have access.

17691 was provided with health care to date since the 6th administration. For the Compensation Benefit, in 2023/24 financial year, the DMV attended to all backlog applications for the benefit. More than 200 military veterans have attended medical assessments.

The DMV is working to improve on the administration in the payment of the military veterans pension benefit and is working with the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA). Over 18 000 applications that are currently under consideration have been received by GPAA since the start of the implementation of this benefit. 

GPAA is seized with the verification and processing thereof. Progress is being made in the repatriation of fallen liberation struggle heroes, whose remains are lying in other countries and progress is ONGOING being made in this regard. The country must
never rest until all these fallen heroes’ remains are repatriated and buried with dignity.

Honourable Speaker, in relation to the Education support to Military Veterans and their dependents, the allocation for this falls under the budget of the Programme 3 under Empowerment of and Stakeholder Management branch. The DMV plans to increase such support six hundred beneficiaries in the next financial year.

Thus far, more than 600 beneficiaries have graduated from tertiary institutions in various academic fields ranging from medicine; engineering; accounting; to mention but a few. 

Honourable Speaker, the statutory Military Veterans’ Advisory Council is in place. This body is even more important now that the Department is in the process of finalizing the review of the Act. 

Similarly, the statutory Military Veterans Appeals Board is in place. In the period under review, the Department is looking at ensuring that the umbrella body of Military Veterans, the South African National Military Veterans Associations (SANMVA), holds its elective conference. 

It gives me pleasure to report that the responsibility of the DMV is to facilitate the long-awaited renewal of the mandate of the military veterans’ umbrella body SANMVA. The existence of strong, united, well managed, representative, transparent, and accountable military veterans’ associations is vital and complementary to the realization of the mandate of the DMV.

Honourable Speaker, in terms of its statutory mandate, the Defence Force Service Commission (DFSC) tabled recommendations on the Cost-of-Living Adjustment for FY2024/25 for the members of the SANDF. 

The DFSC is currently investigating several proposals on how to improve the service conditions of the military, including matters such as unemployment insurance for Reserve Force members, the SANDF Group Life Insurance Scheme (GLIS) and the stabilisation
of the Regular Force Medical Continuation Fund (RFMCF).

Conclusion

Honourable Speaker, in this the 30th anniversary both of the fully democratic South Africa and of the South African National Defence Force, It is impotant to ensure that we have a fully functioning, modern and capable Defence Force more now than at any other time in the last three decades.

The threats we face, both internally and externally are manifest. As I alluded to in my preamble, the world we live in is vastly different to the one that our founding fathers bequeathed us in 1994. Our expectations of what we need the SANDF to do have risen exponentially and accordingly. 

As this House gathers under the auspices of a Government of National Unity Honourable Speaker, the Castle Control Board (CCB) continues to excel on the global heritage and memorialisation scene, utilising the Castle of Good Hope as a symbol of understanding, education, healing and nation-building.

Let us recognize the need and act accordingly for all South Africans. Some people have asked why our soldiers are deployed in Africa, the answer is simple, and it was given 30 years ago by our first Commander-in-chief, President Nelson Mandela. We need
to keep contributing to peace and stability on the African Continent. Throughout the 30 years, our men and women in uniform have continuously been patriotic.

I thank you.