Cape town: The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans Chairperson, Dakota Legoete, has called upon the Defence Force to take decisive action against malfeasance and corruption within its ranks. This appeal follows a briefing by the Auditor-General's office, the Special Investigative Unit, and the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation, which highlighted ongoing issues of corruption in the department and its entities.
According to South African Government News Agency, Legoete emphasized the necessity of isolating corrupt elements within the system, asserting that immediate action is essential. "We are going to isolate wrong elements in the system; that work must not wait for the next portfolio committee or administration. We cannot allow criminals to take over our national security, or it will collapse. This committee will not allow anarchy and plundering of military resources to continue. Someone must take responsibility; we cannot kill the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) - our only defence mechanism to vulnerability," Legoete stated during a briefing on the Defence Department's quarterly expenditure and the challenges it faces.
The committee acknowledged the positive work being done within the force but stressed the importance of removing those who fail to uphold integrity. Legoete pointed out that the challenges facing the defence sector are not solely due to underfunding but are also a result of general ill-discipline within the Defence Force, which undermines national security.
Highlighting the critical role of national defence, Legoete noted, "The challenges we are facing as the defence today are not only due to underfunding. There is a general ill-discipline in the Defence Force, which is responsible for the decline of the national Defence Force. We need to isolate the bad elements, as they are compromising the national security of our country." He further asserted that defending South Africans is one of the core functions of a credible state.
To address these issues, the committee has requested monthly reports on unresolved corruption cases. The Deputy Minister of Police, Dr. Polly Boshielo, identified a key challenge: the military police often delay case referrals, and army officers frequently refuse to cooperate.
Legoete also called for an interim report on pending corruption cases to be prepared for the President. He insisted that the Military Council commanders be kept informed of these cases to understand the threats facing South Africa.