South African Military Ombud Lieutenant General Vusumuzi Masondo on Monday called for a review of the Military Ombud Act, citing challenges experienced during lockdown.

He said a review of the Office’s mandate and operating procedures is needed to identify and address possible shortcomings. This, he said, was highlighted by Collins Khoza’s death.

Khoza died after allegedly being brutally assaulted by South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members on Good Friday, last year.

The SANDF members had been deployed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to assist police in enforcing the national lockdown announced in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Masondo added that those directly affected by the incident, specifically the Khoza matter, did not come forward to lodge a complaint with the Office. He said the Office was unable to launch an investigation without Ministerial instruction.

The Act, in its current form, does not allow the Office to initiate its own investigations when compared with Chapter 9 institutions. The Office relies on complaints being lodged first before it can investigate.

He said the increased use of social media to lodge complaints suggests that further processes may be needed.

“New innovative ways and methods of resolving complaints expeditiously need to be found and it is for this reason why the Office commissioned a Stakeholder Perception Survey with Stellenbosch University. The objective of the survey was to assess stakeholder perception from current serving and former members of the Defence Force and the public,” Masondo said.

He said the survey findings and recommendations will assist the Office to improve its service standards, internal systems, public relations, public trust and confidence and accessibility of the Office.