Pretoria: The Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans, led by Minister Angie Motshekga, alongside Deputy Ministers Major General Bantu Holomisa and Richard Mkhungo, has reiterated its commitment to supporting and safeguarding the welfare of all deployed personnel. The leaders emphasized the need to maintain operational excellence and ensure the wellbeing of those serving the nation.
According to South African Government News Agency, this announcement follows a series of meetings convened by Minister Motshekga and her deputies throughout the week. These meetings aimed to align the department with the national agenda for progress and development. The leadership team received briefings on ongoing peacekeeping missions and the overall health of South African troops engaged in these critical operations.
The ministry also engaged with newly appointed members of the Armaments Corporation of South Africa (Armscor) board. Armscor serves as the acquisition agency for the Department of Defence and other state organs and entities. The new board is tasked with steering the entity towards the strategic ‘Journey to Greatness’ vision, which is inspired by the President’s directive to increase funding for the Department of Defence. Minister Motshekga expressed confidence in the board’s ability to drive innovation, efficiency, and enhanced defence capabilities while ensuring prudent financial management.
The day’s discussions also included the South African National Service Institute programme. This initiative aims to equip young South Africans with vital skills and career opportunities, addressing the country’s youth unemployment crisis by offering diverse skills development platforms to empower the next generation of leaders.
The meetings concluded with a productive session with the Defence Sector Charter Council. This provided an opportunity for the Minister to connect with the council, which plays a crucial role in overseeing the implementation of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) within the South African defence industry. The department affirmed its steadfast commitment to national security, operational readiness, and socio-economic development through initiatives designed to create a sustainable impact.