Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga has been summoned to Parliament by the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa).
Minister Angie Motshekga, who assumed leadership of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans just over four months ago, is set to face scrutiny in Parliament over the performance of her department. The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) has decided to summon the minister after receiving a briefing from the Auditor-General on the 2023/24 financial year audit outcomes for the Department of Defence (DoD), the Department of Military Veterans (DMV), and Denel.
The Auditor-General’s findings raised significant concerns, including several material irregularities within the department. These issues involve failures to hold senior officials accountable for maladministration and poor performance. Scopa’s chairman, Songezo Zibi, expressed concerns about the repeated adverse audit outcomes, pointing out that despite the consecutive negative audits, there has been little effort or success in improving the situation.
The committee highlighted the challenges posed by the structure and distribution of power within the DoD, which have hindered effective consequence management. Zibi explained that while the Secretary of Defence is the accounting officer, they cannot take disciplinary action against members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), as those members fall under the authority of the chief of the SANDF. This, combined with multiple years of non-compliance with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), has led to a breakdown in discipline and accountability.
Further compounding the situation is the lack of comprehensive action plans to address recurring audit findings. Scopa members were also troubled by the department’s underperformance in key areas, such as the Air Force and Navy. For example, the Air Force achieved only 6,904 flying hours, far below the 12,000-hour target, and the Navy spent only 2,641 hours at sea, significantly less than the 8,000 hours set out in its performance plan. The shortage of funding for repairs and maintenance on critical assets like vessels and aircraft has contributed to these shortfalls, resulting in underperforming military branches.
Zibi also voiced concerns regarding the slow progress of Denel’s turnaround strategy, especially after receiving a R3.4 billion bailout in 2022/24, and the absence of a proper ICT system to manage military veterans’ benefits. These unresolved issues leave much to be addressed as Motshekga prepares to respond to the committee’s concerns.
