Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Extremely low morale among members of SANDF, commission report says
THE level of morale among the soldiers in the South African National Defence Force ( SANDF), including troops deployed on the borders, is extremely low and the government needed to demonstrate it cared before the thousands of soldiers “rolled out their tanks”.
This was the message given to MPs by the Defence Force Service Commission when the joint committee on defence met yesterday.
“We must be careful not to create an environment that is not conducive. Things can happen overnight so we have to show our soldiers we care,” the commission’s chairperson Professor Lorraine van Harte said.
She made the comment when the commission presented a report on the recommendations it had made to Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
The commission makes recommendations on the improvement of salaries and service benefits of soldiers as well as on their conditions of service and policy reviews.
It tabled its latest report, which painted a picture of soldiers unhappy about issues ranging from provision of expired rations, poor accommodation, poor quality uniforms and per- sistent discrimination within the SANDF.
This was uncovered during commissioners’ visits to bases in the Eastern Cape, KwaZuluNatal, Limpopo and Gauteng as well as to an external mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Our soldiers are concerned with promotions, transfers and accommodation. Wherever we go, they speak about it,” Van Harte said.
She added that soldiers felt they were discriminated against because they were identified according to which previous force they belonged to before integration, despite South Africa being 23 years into democracy.
“That is a strong feeling on the ground,” Van Harte said.
The commission found a severe lack of patrol vehicles and motorbikes compatible to the terrain around the borders.
“Members were deployed to areas that were not mission ready. Budgets cuts had also affected morale.
“Members are accommodated in dilapidated, torn and worn-out tents that are not conducive for the extreme weather conditions,” the report said.
“Members are not provided with rations on time and sometimes are provided with rations that have expired.”
There was also a lack of adequate military medical transport and provision communication equipment.
Parliamentarians reacted with shock to the report.
“It is unacceptable that these conditions should prevail when they (soldiers) are expected to put their lives on the line,” DA MP Shahid Esau said.
ANC MP Landulile Dlamini said it was clear there was a problem at the military camps.
“When the morale is down, it is a risk,” Dlamini said before calling for action.
The ANC’s James Skosana said no more talkshops were needed.
Committee chairperson Musawenkosi Mlambo said: “It is us who must assist before this all gets out of hand,”
Bantu Holomisa, deputy chairman of the commission, said Parliament, the department and commission needed to meet early next year to develop a response to the problem.
“We must address this as a soon as possible,” Holomisa said.
Van Harte said the commission had over the years submitted reports to the Department of Defence, but the challenge was receiving “meaningful” reports on the implementation of their recommendations.
Despite low morale, Van Harte said, soldiers have been going beyond the call of duty.