Mr A. Ismail Acting Chairperson Interim National Defence Force Service Commission 16 March 2010

Interim National Defence Force Service Interim National Defence Force Service Commission:Commission:

Presentation to the Portfolio Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Committee on Defence and Military

VeteransVeterans

Mr A. Ismail

Acting Chairperson Interim National Defence

Force Service Commission

16 March 2010

AIM

To brief the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans on progress made since the INDFSC’s second briefing to the PCD&MV on 18 November 2009.

To obtain the PCD&MV’s views or possible suggestions to the INDFSC

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SCOPE

Programme of Action

Outputs Delivered

Short Term Programme of Action

Discussion and Views of the PCD&MV

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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission

• Programme of Action

• The INDFSC has determined that it would need to divide its work

into a short term and medium term approach in order to achieve the

overall objectives set by the Minister

• Key Stakeholders:

• In the initial phase hold discussions with various bodies /

stakeholders in order to understand the nature and depth of the

problem confronting the SANDF, inter alia:

• Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military

Veterans (Briefed on Programme of Action 19 Oct 09 & Progress

Report presented 18 Nov 09)

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Key stakeholders cont:

• Defence Staff Council (meetings held 19 Oct 09 & 26 Nov 09),

Military Command Council (meeting held 20 Oct 09), Secretariat

Council (meetings held 29 Oct & 24 Nov 09) regarding the core

challenges that military members face

• Ordinary Members of the Defence Force and Units

– 21 SA Infantry Battalion visited 26 Oct 09

– Air Force Base Hoedspruit visited 27 Oct 09

– Fleet Command Simons Town visited 28 Oct 09

– 1 Military Hospital visited 9 Nov 09

– Army Support Base JHB & Personnel Services School visited 19 Nov

09

• The Defence Force Inspector General (outstanding)

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Key stakeholders cont:

• The Directorate of Human Resources Policy and the MCC and

Arms of Service (various interactions took place)

• The Chaplain General (engaged during Defence Staff Council

meeting) and other religious officials who administer to the

needs of members of the SANDF

• Military Veterans Associations (request by June 16th Detachment

of MK Military Veterans to meet has been registered)

• Reserve Force Council (request to meet registered)

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• Key stakeholders cont:

• Members of the Public Service Commission, the Minister

and Department of Public Service and Administration

(outstanding)

• Minister of Finance and National Treasury (outstanding –

focus to be on relationship with permanent NDFSC)

• Minister of State Security and the Intelligence Department

(discussions with IG Intelligence held on 12 Nov 09)

• Representatives of Civil Society, especially those that

function in the security sector (outstanding)

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• The nature of discussions with the relevant

stakeholders would inter alia include :

• Command and Control

• Command and Control related problems or issues

• Military Chain of Command

• Discipline in the SANDF and its institutionalization

• Morale in the SANDF

• Grievance mechanisms and procedures

• Service conditions

• Current state of infrastructure, facilities and equipment

• Grievance mechanisms and procedures

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• Defence Commitments:

• Ability of the SANDF to meet its Defence

Commitments

• The Defence Budget and its impact on Defence

Commitments

• Split of the Defence Budget in terms of Capital,

Operational and Personnel spend

• Adequacy of training within the SANDF

• Military ranking and related salary grading

• The possible effect of under-spending on morale in

the SANDF

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• Defence Commitments:

• Aspects still requiring further consideration:

• Adequacy of training

• Military ranking & salary grading

• Possible effects of under-spending on morale

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●Transformational issues:

●Implementation of the Civic Education

program especially issues relating to military

professionalism

●Education and training programs on

Diversity and Equal opportunity

●Success of the military integration program

and the willingness of the middle-ranks to

implement the processes

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●Transformational issues:

●Aspects still requiring further consideration:

●Implementation of civic education programmes especially relating to military professionalism

●ETD programmes on diversity and equal opportunities

●Members of former SANDF Rank Audit Team want to share lessons learnt (request to meet registered)

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● Civil Military Relations

●Role of Parliament in oversight over Defence

●Role of the Defence Secretariat and their role in

supporting the Minister in civil control;

●its implications for Defence Strategy, planning and

commitments; and

●Operational control

●Challenges of the Relationship between SANDF and

Defence Secretariat Structures

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●Service Conditions:

●Determination of a Military Service Dispensation to provide

for the SANDF outside the ambit of the Public Service

●Functioning of the Military Bargaining Council

●Military ranking, grading of posts and salary structure (short

and long term implications)

●Local benchmarking with the other Services i.e. SAPS,

Intelligence (benchmarking with SAPS done)

●International benchmarking on both the system and the

ranking, grading and salaries (UK visit)

●Application of the grievance mechanisms from

servicemen’s perspective

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● Legislative issues

●Defence Amendment Bill – enactment of a

permanent National Defence Force Service

Commission (NDFSC)

●Unique service conditions for the SANDF

● Consulted Independent Commission for

Remuneration of Public Office Bearers on 12 Nov 09

OUTPUTS DELIVERED

The INDFSC has had meetings with the PCD, Defence Staff C, MCC, SC, MTUs, MOD&MV

The Commission has interacted with approximately 3 500 SANDF members

Written submissions in respect of conditions of service were received from 190 SANDF members and were referred to the SANDF Command Cadre and Defence Secretariat to address with feedback to the INDFSC by 30 Apr 10

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OUTPUTS DELIVERED(Cont …)

The INDFSC submitted its First Interim Report to the MOD&MV on 3 Nov 09 – the SANDF’s and Defence Secretariat’s responses to this report were requested and will inform the recommendations of the INDFSC’s Final Report

The INDFSC submitted its Second Interim Report to the MOD&MV on 10 Dec 09 emphasising:– Providing short term relief to SANDF members; and– Legislating a permanent NDFSC

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The MOD&MV approved the INDFSC’s recommendations contained in the Second Interim Report

– To provide short-term relief to SANDF members on salary Level 2 – 12 by raising their basic pay to be on par with the SAPS with effect from 1 Jul 09 – as announced on 23 Dec 09

• Due to funding constraints (RB 1,398 for 9 months) the raise was implemented wef 1 Dec 09

– To establish a permanent National Defence Force Service Commission through dedicated legislation – the draft Bill was submitted to the MOD&MV on 10 Dec 09

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– The draft Bill provides for the establishment of a NDFSC; its appointment; terms of reference; functions; staff components; relationship with Parliament; reporting responsibilities to the President through the MOD&MV and its oversight role over the SANDF

– The draft Bill is currently with the State Law Advisors– The permanent NDFSC will be appointed as soon as the Bill is

enacted into Law

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– The INDFSC conducted a benchmarking visit to the UK from 24 Feb to 7 Mar 10 to investigate the UK Armed Force’s service conditions (policies and practice)

• The UK MOD, Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force were visited

• A comprehensive visit report for the MOD&MV is in progress• Recommendations of this report will also inform the INDFSC’s

Final Report

SHORT TERM PROGRAMME OF ACTION

The following ST objectives will be pursued by the INDFSC pending the establishment of the NDFSC: – Consultations with Political Parties represented in

Parliament– Making recommendations to the MOD&MV regarding

Occupational Specific Dispensations for SANDF members in line with the MOD&MV’s directive dd 21 Dec 09

– Consulting with the Public Service Commission– Consulting with the Minister of Public Service &

Administration

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SHORT TERM PROGRAMME OF ACTION(Cont…)

– Consulting with the Minister of Finance and National Treasury

– Hearing further submissions by the Command Cadre and visiting additional SANDF units to inform the INDFSC’s Final Report

– Hearing submission by the Reserve Force Council– Consulting with relevant Civil Society Organisations

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Discussion and views of the

Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans

Documents

Mr A. Ismail Acting Chairperson Interim National Defence Force Service Commission 16 March 2010