Members statement by Democratic Alliance MP, David Maynier, national assembly, parliament, November 4 2010:

SANDF - MINISTER NOT WILLING TO GIVE REPORT

(Member's Statement)

Mr D J MAYNIER (DA): Speaker, the Defence Force and the men and women who serve in the Defence Force are in deep trouble. Rather than sharing information about the Defence Force with the people's representatives, information about the Defence Force has been hidden from the people's representatives.

The hon Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu, has refused point blank to hand over the interim reports of the National Defence Force Service Commission, and there is now no prospect, in my view, that the Minister will hand over the interim reports. So, I have decided to do the right thing and begin to read extracts from one of these reports in this Parliament.

Just so we know how serious things have become, let me begin by quoting from the conclusion of this report, which reads: "There is a clear need for a wide variety of matters to be attended to. Some of these matters, if not addressed immediately, are likely to further affect the morale of troops and could even threaten state security."

Now, how is it that we are in a situation where the military itself could threaten state security? Using successive member's statements, I will read extracts from the interim report, and these extracts will show not only that the Defence Force is in deep trouble but that the Minister misled the Speaker, misled this Parliament and misled the people of South Africa. [Interjections.] The fact is that these interim reports should never have been hidden and I will not allow it to be hidden. [Time expired.]  

The SPEAKER: Hon member, your time has expired. Order hon members!

Source: Unrevised transcript, Parliament

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