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Polity
Published: 06 Dec 2009
DA: Statement by David Maynier, Democratic Alliance Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, on Lindiwe Sisulu (06/12/2009)
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu, is trying to prevent me visiting the Doornkop Military Base.

This is the latest in a string of transparency and accountability resisting measures implemented by the minister which include:-

· preventing the Chief of the South African National Defence Force, General Godfrey Ngwenya, together with the service chiefs, appearing before the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans;
· preventing a full briefing on the combat readiness of the South African National Defence Force to the portfolio committee; and
· refusing to answer parliamentary questions on the Department of Defence.
Judge Ronnie Bosielo, Chairperson of the National Defence Force Service Commission, told the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, that there had been a complete breakdown of discipline and that service conditions of soldiers were sub-human at Doornkop Military Base.
A complete breakdown in discipline and poor service conditions had resulted in what was described, by Judge Bosielo, as a "ticking time bomb" at Doornkop Military Base.

The situation was so serious, according to Judge Bosielo, that he submitted an interim report on 05 November 2009 recommending that the minister immediately intervene at Doornkop.

We now need to know what action has been taken by General Godfrey Ngwenya, Chief of the South African National Defence Force, and General Solly Shoke, Chief of the South African Army, to restore discipline and improve service conditions at Doornkop Military Base.

If action has been taken to restore discipline and improve service conditions, the minister will have nothing to hide and there should be no need to try and prevent a visit to the Doornkop Military Base.

But Lindiwe Sisulu, appears to be doing her level best to prevent me from visiting Doornkop Military Base.
The facts are as follows:
· On 18 November 2009 I wrote to Thabo Gigaba, Parliamentary Liaison Officer in the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans, requesting urgent assistance in making arrangements to visit Doornkop Military Base.
· The e-mail did not receive an acknowledged or reply from the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans.
· On 25 November 2009 I did however receive a copy of a letter from Lindiwe Sisulu, addressed to Nyami Booi, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, which reads as follows:-
"In view of the fact that parliamentary oversight resides with the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, I would like to suggest that this and other related requests be channelled through the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, in order that the necessary arrangements could be made with the Chief of the South African National Defence Force".
· The letter was only received as a result of several calls to the ministry demanding a response to my letter dated 18 November 2009.
· I have yet to receive an acknowledgment and reply to my e-mail dated 18 November 2009 and have also not received an acknowledgement or reply to subsequent correspondence about this matter from the ministry.

Lindiwe Sisulu is evidently trying to turn Nyami Booi, Chairperson of Defence and Military Veterans, into a her parliamentary traffic manager deciding who may or may not visits military bases.
There is no need for requests to visit military bases should be "channelled" through Parliament. The practical effect, as the minister well knows, will be to place control of visits to military bases in the hands of the ruling party. The fact is that any Member of Parliament should - with the assistance of the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans - be entitled to visit military bases.

There is a serious situation that has been allowed to develop at the Doornkop Military Base. We cannot afford a second Union Buildings-style military mutiny, especially in the run up to World Cup 2010. That is why we need to visit the base as soon as possible.

I have therefore written to Nyami Booi, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, and will be meeting him to discuss this matter during the course of next week.

The minister cannot be allowed to continue to ride roughshod over parliament and turn the department of defence into a state-within-a-state.

The collective effort of the Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, Leader of Government Business in Parliament, and Max Sisulu, Speaker of the National Assembly, was necessary to force the minister to answer parliamentary questions about the Department of Defence and Military Veterans. It will be a pity if we have to go the same route to force the minister and her staff to properly respond to correspondence and requests by members of parliament to visit military bases.