Members statement in the National Assembly by DA MP David Maynier, November 9 2010:

THE STATE OF SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE

(Member's Statement)

Mr D J MAYNIER (DA): Speaker, the hon Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu, seemed to blow a political gasket last week. [Interjections.] This followed revelations about the state of the Defence Force read out in this Parliament. The Minister switched to rapid fire and released two press statements trying to persuade us that all is well in the Defence Force. However, the interim report of the National Defence Force Service Commission paints a different picture.

On combat readiness, the interim report found that it is possible that the level of combat readiness in the SA National Defence Force, SANDF, is not quite as good as it should be. On service conditions, the interim report found that salaries of junior members are totally inadequate and force them to live in informal settlements far from their places of work, and that the effects of transport costs significantly dilutes their income, leading to social, psychological and family crisis.

The salary situation is so poor that some members state that they would rather have their right to vote revoked in lieu of nonpayment of personal income tax. The housing allowance is regarded with ridicule at R500 per month because it cannot serve to cover bond repayments and members are not able to get bonds through the commercial banks, given their poor salary levels.

There have been improvements in the Defence Force and some of these improvements are credit to the Minister, but we have a long way to go. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

Source: Unrevised transcript, Parliament

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter