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South Africa’s military to be redesigned for the 21st Century

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South Africa’s military to be redesigned for the 21st Century

South Africa’s parliament has opened discussions about how to redesign the country’s lumbering military to make it fit-for-purpose for the 21st Century. To kick-start the process, a parliamentary committee charged with oversight over the military hosted a mini-symposium addressed by military leaders and experts, academics, political parties as well as civil society. Politics Editor Thabo Leshilo asked Lindy Heinecken, a military sociologist, for her insights.

Historically, a review of the country’s defence has been informed by a white paper or a defence review produced by the Ministry of Defence. What informs the parliamentary process?

The 1996 White Paper on Defence established a broad policy framework for defence in the country’s new democracy from 1994, while the 1998 Defence Review outlined the appropriate size, structure, force design and tasks of the South African National Defence Force.

But, as the force became increasingly drawn into peacekeeping and internal roles – such as fighting crime, the balance between what it is trained, funded and equipped for became misaligned.

In 2015 a new Defence Review was produced given the changes in the strategic environment, and the forces’s state of critical decline, resulting mainly from operational overstretch.

While comprehensive, the 2015 review did not specify what the design and structure of the force should look like. This was left to the politicians, military leadership and ultimately society to decide upon. Five years later, there is still no clear direction and the military continues to muddle along.

What is wrong with the military that needs fixing?

Some hard decisions need to be taken on the future of the defence force. Besides the misalignment of its resources, design, equipment and its additional roles, the military has also been hobbled by misappropriation of funds.

The National Treasury highlighted in a briefing to the Joint Standing Committee on Defence that growing personnel expenditure was the main issue incapacitating the defence force, leaving little money for capital and operational expenditure. This has left the military with ageing equipment, and hardly any funds for maintenance. Meanwhile, the deployment of the military has increased substantially, both internal and externally.

The over expenditure on personnel stems from imbalances in the force design and structure. Over time, instead of having 40% personnel in the short term service (2-5yrs), 40 % in the medium term service (up to age 45yrs), an only 20% in the long term service (until 60yrs), 87% of the regular force personnel ended up serving on medium to extended long-term tenures.

This, together with the failure to implement effective personnel exit mechanisms, has led to deviation from the ideal situation of expenditure being 40% on personnel, 30% on capital, and 30% on operations. Personnel costs are now reportedly almost 80% of the defence budget.

Added to this, personnel expenditure has been driven up to unsustainable levels by increases in pay and benefits that have not been budgeted for, rank inflation and the stagnation of junior and middle ranking personnel. This means that people sit in posts for long periods at the top of their scale, or end up being promoted to a higher rank, beyond the post profile. Other anomalies are a high ratio of general officers and a failure to rightsize the forces in accordance with mission demands. These problems are eroding the defence force’s capital and operating budget.

There is a pressing need for the military to address its human resource management systems.

Going forward, this means accelerating the exit of unfit, overage, unhealthy and supernumerary personnel over the short to medium term. The longer term should see the military shedding all overage personnel, reversing rank inflation and rebalancing the force. This means looking at the ratio of officers to other ranks, and the ratio of support to combat personnel.

This is a difficult political decision. It entails putting former soldiers out onto the streets, with little other than military skills, making it hard for them to get jobs.

More attention needs to be paid to exit mechanisms for the short and medium terms in order to prepare them for a second career. Another problem is that there are not enough young people transferring from the full-time forces into part-time and reserve forces. This affects both the numerical and functional flexibility of the military in times of crises, when it suddenly needs extra personnel, such as during the Covid-19 crisis.

Why is there need for national consensus on the military?

Before the military can address these challenges, there is a need to reach national consensus on what type of defence force the country wants. At present there is a chasm between what the military leadership believes it should be doing, according to the constitution, what the government and politicians demand, and what the public considers important.

Transformation cannot happen without a clear understanding of the military’s future role. Without this, military leadership cannot design, plan, or train personnel for their future roles and missions.

The defence force cannot fulfil its obligations within the current organisational and budgetary constraints.

What should the future military look like?

The defence force is caught in a time warp. It still operates with a mindset and equipment geared for the 20th Century. It has not made the transition into the 21st Century in terms of how to combat future threats, and the use of technology as a force enabler and multiplier. Many tasks, like intelligence gathering and surveillance, can now be done by unmanned aerial vehicles, which are cost effective. But, there is no money for these.

Any restructuring should consider what the future military should look like. But right now, some pressing decisions need to be taken on whether to shut down the military, or channel it towards more pressing issues that affect the safety and security of the country’s citizens.

Given the current budgetary constraints, scaling down to playing only a developmental role is possibly the way to go. This means focusing only on border and maritime security, disaster relief and public order functions.

At the same time, there must be capacity to respond to other pressing geo-strategic security concerns unfolding on the country’s borders, and beyond, that may require a military response.

Does the country have the money to afford the military it needs?

The simple answer is “no”. But, the reality is that there needs to be a balance between the agreed mandate and budget. Within the current context, the mandate is budget driven, not the other way round, unless the security dynamics change dramatically. It is like taking a risk with an insurance policy, what to secure and what not.

Another way to cut costs is to reduce personnel expenditure to fit sustainably into a smaller funding allocation. This is a difficult political decision, but preferable to the military sliding into further decline.

The current impasse makes it the perfect time to march the defence force in a new direction in accordance with what the country needs, can afford, and deliver. Now, more than ever before, robust debate is needed on the future of South Africa’s military.

Source: The conversation

South Africa News

A Comprehensive launch of New South African Online Casino Portal

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South African Online Casino

Johannesburg, South Africa – In an exciting development for South African online casino enthusiasts, the much-anticipated launch of GamblingSA.co.za marks a significant milestone in the evolution of online gambling in South Africa. Managed by industry veteran Rachel Williams, who brings over 18 years of experience to the table, this comprehensive portal promises to revolutionize the way South African players engage with online casinos.

Unparalleled Transparency and Reliability

GamblingSA.co.za sets a new standard in the online gambling industry with its commitment to providing South African players with the most reliable and up-to-date information on online casinos. Understanding the unique needs of the local market, Williams and her team have curated a platform that prioritizes the preferences of South African players, from offering the ability to play in ZAR to ensuring the ease of deposits and withdrawals.

A Rigorous Review Process

At the heart of GamblingSA.co.za’s offering is its unbiased and thorough review method. “We examine online casinos with a fine-tooth comb to ensure they meet our strict criteria, which includes safe banking options, efficient customer service, fair bonus wagering requirements, and quality game selections,” explains Williams. “Our goal is to recommend only the best online casinos that allow our players to gamble with confidence and convenience.”

Top Recommendations for South African Players

The portal proudly presents its top six recommended online casinos for South African players, each offering attractive no deposit bonuses and a wide array of games:

  1. Springbok Casino – Enjoy a R500 Free No Deposit Bonus at SA’s top-rated online casino.
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A Commitment to the South African Online Casino Community

With GamblingSA.co.za, players gain access to the largest online gambling guide in South Africa, featuring exclusive promotions, expert gambling tips, and comprehensive guides tailored to the South African market. “Our mission is to provide an unparalleled online gambling experience for our players, ensuring they have access to the best casinos, bonuses, no deposit casino bonuses, free spins and information, all tailored to meet their specific needs,” states Williams.

For more information and to explore the world of online gambling in South Africa, visit GamblingSA.co.za.

About GamblingSA.co.za:

GamblingSA.co.za is South Africa’s premier online casino portal, offering comprehensive reviews, exclusive bonuses, and expert advice to South African online casino players. Managed by industry veteran Michelle Williams, the site is dedicated to enhancing the online gambling experience for players across South Africa, ensuring they have access to safe, reliable, and enjoyable online gambling options.

Contact Information:

Rachel Williams, Manager
GamblingSA.co.za

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South Africa News

Corps members have been warned against traveling without obtaining permission

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Corps members

Corps members have been warned against traveling without obtaining permission from the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC. The Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General YD Ahmed says such act attracts punishment while addressing Corps members in Oyo and Ogun states orientation camp on Wednesday.

He said unauthorized journey attract sanctions, adding that no employer is allowed to grant permission to Corps members to travel.He informed the Corps members that all services in NYSC are free, warning that they should beware of online advertisers and fraudsters that may offer posting and redeployment to them for a fee.

The DG also implored the Corps members to adhere strictly to the NYSC dress code, adding that improper dressing in NYSC uniform attracts sanctions.

“Don’t dress anyhow. Dress as good ambassadors of NYSC and always abide by all NYSC rules and regulations,

“Respect the culture and tradition of your host communities when you leave camp. Make good impact on the communities and in your place of primary assignments”, the DG said.

He stated that efforts are still on-going towards the signing of the NYSC Trust Fund bill into law.

General Ahmed urged the Corps Members to participate actively in all the camp activities and also ensure that they establish long lasting friendship among themselves before leaving the Orientation Camp.

The Director General admonished them to avoid idleness but rather engage themselves with meaningful activities that will add value to them in addition to their certificates.

The NYSC Oyo State Coordinator, Mr Odoba Abel Oche, while presenting the Orientation Camp brief to the Director General, stated that the Corps members’ behaviour have been very commendable.

Similarly, the NYSC Ogun State Coordinator, Mrs Olayinka Nasamu, said a total of 2,350 Corps members have been registered. 1,318 for Ogun State and 1,032 for Lagos State.

“Ogun registered 496 male and 822 female while Lagos registered 414 male and 618 female”, Nasamu said.

Source: dailypost

In other news – Young Jonn undergoes hair transplant surgery

Nigerian record producer and singer, John Saviours Udomboso, aka Young Jonn, has undergone a successful hair transplant surgery.

 

Young Jonn

The ‘Xtra Cool’ crooner shared a video and photos from the surgical room in Spain via his X handle on Wednesday. Read more

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Nigeria Breaking News

Gov Bello grants state pardon to 24 inmates, pays N20m judgement debt

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Niger State Governor

Niger State Governor, Alh. Abubakar Sani Bello has granted state pardon to 24 inmates and settled fines to the tune of N20 million for 80 others unable to pay their judgement fines. He carried out the exercise under the powers of prerogative of mercy in the state.

The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasara Danmallam made this disclosure in while handing over the affairs of the Ministry of Justice to the permanent secretary in Minna.

According to him, “as a parting gift, Governor Bello has granted pardon to 24 inmates across the state under his powers of prerogative of mercy. Some of them have been on death row whose sentences have been commuted to a few years of prison term”.

Among the beneficiaries, the commissioner explained, were six civil servants convicted of fraud and other related offences and were dismissed from service based on the offences they committed.

Danmallam disclosed, “other beneficiaries of the pardon by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello are six dismissed civil servants who are now reinstated. Those of them who have attained retirement age are now to be retired with full benefits.

“The Governor also spent the sum of N20 million to pay judgement fines for 80 inmates as part of humanitarian gesture to the underprivileged individuals before handing over on Monday ”

The commissioner further stated that so far a total of 115 bills and legal instruments were promulgated into law, while thanking the staff of the ministry for the success recorded under him in the state.

Source:dailypost

In other news – Fear grips residents as insecurity heightens in Owerri zone

The insecurity situation in Imo State is currently on the upswing, as unknown gunmen and kidnappers have taken over most parts of the state. The peaceful Owerri Senatorial district is fastly becoming the latest flashpoint.

Imo State

Orlu and Okigwe zones have experienced severe insecurity which has resulted in at least a thousand murders and the destruction of property worth hundreds of millions of naira since the inception of Senator Hope Uzodinma’s administration three years ago. Learn more

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