Navy Chief's criticism of defence funding prompts ministerial backlash

DEFENCE and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga has threatened to take “appropriate” steps against South African Navy Chief, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese for speaking out against the underfunding of the country’s defence force and questioning whether those responsible for cutting the Defence budget “may be directly or indirectly influenced” by criminal networks benefiting from weakened maritime surveillance.

Lobese made the remarks during a gala dinner at the weekend highlighting the challenges confronted by the country's Navy, including underfunding, dwindling resources, and what he described as “an unpatriotic, sellout posture” towards national defence.

“For our Cabinet to approve the reduction of the SANDF work force or strength is actually nothing far from telling us [to] implement a defence version of what General Mkhwanazi has disclosed in the Madlanga Commission with regard to the closure of the Political Killing Task Team.

“The unpatriotic, and what appears to be a sellout posture of defunding the SA Navy and SANDF in general, leaves me with a question of whether the people behind what I would like to call ‘nonsense’ are not busy with a mission to privatise the SA Navy and the SANDF,” he said.

Lobese also accused decision-makers of treating the defence force’s planning and performance reviews as “a mind game,” saying the Defence Department is required to produce detailed plans that will never be resourced.

“We are required to produce Annual Performance Plans and Defence Reviews one after another, and what saddens me is knowing very well that this requirement is just a mind game as these will not be resourced,” Lobese said.

In response to Lobese’s remarks, the Department of Defence and Military Veterans distanced itself from what it described as an “unfortunate outburst worst still from a senior person at his level”.

“The Minister regards these remarks not only as inappropriate, disingenuous and unfortunate on a matter he is fully aware that is receiving attention at all levels, starting from within the department to Parliament.

"The views expressed at the event do not reflect the official position of the Department.”

Cape Times