Why does Minister of Defence Lindiwe Sisulu want to keep South Africans in the dark about our Defence Force, and how does her conduct show commitment to the constitutional founding provisions of accountability, responsiveness and openness?
In less than three years as Defence Minister, Sisulu has proven a real barrier to accountability. She has shown a penchant for secrecy and refused taxpayers feedback on the extent to which the billions we spend on defence each year has produced a defence force which is combat-ready. Her haughty handling of the unionisation issue has caused simmering tension in the Defence Force. Her answers to parliamentary questions must rate among the worst in the world. She is attempting to hide away information on all "operational" defence issues - and makes a mockery of the term, with some embarrassing results.
The first of Sisulu's secrets is how Paul Ngobeni, a fugitive from justice in the USA, was appointed, and indeed, why she initially refused to confirm his resignation. After an obfuscating and inconclusive eggdance on how a known fugitive was security vetted by military intelligence, she suspended him after he wrote a disparaging open letter about Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel.
She then reinstated him and then refused to confirm his resignation, despite the public interest because his salary was carried by the taxpayer. Accountability, responsiveness, openness? None of the above.
The second of Sisulu's secrets is the answers to uncomfortable parliamentary questions, which pesky MPs can use to great effect in holding the Cabinet accountable. In South African parliamentary history, no Cabinet member has ever descended to the lowest form of wit quite as readily, often and naturally as Sisulu. She simply will not give the required information.
When an MP asked her why one of our submarines was in the dry dock for repairs, her official answer was where the MP would rather have it repaired. Her response to criticism of her petulant behaviour is to state that her answers need not satisfy the opposition.