Interim National Defence Force Service Commission: Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Defence

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Interim National Defence Force Service
Commission Presentation to the Portfolio
Committee on Defence

• Judge LO Bosielo
• Chairman Interim National Defence Force Service
  Commission
• 13 October 2009

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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission

• Members of Interim National Defence Force Service
  Commission
• Chairman Judge LO Bosielo
• Deputy Chairman A Ismail
• Lt Gen (ret) L Moloi
• Maj Gen (ret) B Holomisa (MP)
• Mr P Groenewald (MP)
• Ms H Mgabadeli (MP)
• Prof R Christie
• Dr A Mokgokong
• Bishop M Mpumlwana
• Prof D Swartz

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Interim National Defence Force Service
Commission (INDFSC)

• Terms of Reference
• To advise and make recommendations on a unique
  service dispensation , outside the ambit of the
  Public Service, in respect of members of the
  South African National Defence Force (SANDF)
• To advise and make recommendations regarding the
  amendment of the regulatory framework in order to
  give effect to the unique service dispensation in
  this regard
• To investigate, provide expert advice and make
  recommendations regarding remuneration and the
  conditions of service of members of the SANDF

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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission
(INDFSC)

• Proposed Framework for the INDFSC
• The Minister has indicated that the INDFSC will
  be expected to continue its work until such time
  that a permanent Commission is established,
  following legislative amendments
• The INDFSC will not in the short term adopt any
  particular stance or make any pronouncements with
  regards to trade unions in the military
• The challenge faced by the INDFSC is that of
  limited timeframes as the Minister of Defence and
  Military Veterans (Minister) has requested that
  the Commission provide an interim report to her
  by December.
• 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
• The Commission would initially spend time
  determining in-depth the nature and extent of the
  problem before embarking on proposing solutions

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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission

• 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
• Political parties represented in Parliament
• Minister and Department of Public Service and
  Administration
• Members of the Public Service Commission
• Minister of Finance and National Treasury
• Minister of State Security and the Intelligence
  Department

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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission

• Key stakeholders cont
• Defence Staff Council (DSC), Military Command
  Council (MCC), the various Arms of Service
  regarding the core challenges that military
  members face
• Ordinary Members of the Defence Force and Unit
  Commands
• The Defence Force Inspector General
• The Directorates of Human Resources Policy and
  those of the MCC and Service Arms
• The Chaplain General and other religious
  officials who administer to the needs of members
  of the SANDF
• Military Veterans Associations
• Reserve Forces Council

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Interim National Defence Force Service
Commission

• Key stakeholders cont
• Members of the Defence Force or their
  representatives. These would include the Military
  Trade Unions. Any of the meetings with the
  Military Trade Unions would take place on a
  without prejudice basis implying that no
  preference is expressed for or against the
  existence of military trade unions. The views of
  COSATU or other Trade Union Federations will be
  canvassed at a later stage
• Representatives of Civil Society especially those
  that function in the security sector

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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission

• 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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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission

• Defence Commitments
• Ability of the SANDF to meet its Defence
  Commitments
• The Defence Budget as a percentage of GDP 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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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission

• 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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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission

• 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
• Organisational Structure challenges

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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission

• Service Conditions
• Determination of a Military Service to provide
  for the SANDF vs 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
• International benchmarking on both the system and
  the ranking, grading and salaries
• Application of the grievance mechanisms from
  servicemens perspective

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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission

• Legislative issues
• Defence Amendment Bill enactment of a permanent
  National Defence Force Service Commission (NDFSC)
• Rulings of the Constitutional Courts
• Implementation of the Labour Relations Act
• SANDF General Regulations
• Unique service conditions for the SANDF?
• Rules of Engagement for Military Trade Unions
• How should violations of Court rulings by
  Military Unions and members of the SANDF be dealt
  with

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Interim National Defence Force Service Commission

• Discussion and views of the
• Portfolio Committee on Defence