WHITE PAPER ON DEFENCE, 1996

WHITE PAPER ON DEFENCE, 1996 & DEFENCE REVIEW, 1996

A HISTORY OF THE WP & DR DURING THE FIRST 10 YEARS OF DEMOCRACY

Purposes of the White Paper & Defence Review.

· It communicated Government's policies and intentions concerning the SANDF, and positioned the SANDF appropriately within South Africa, the Region and the Continent.

· It explained the policies of Government to the People of South Africa for garner their support and lend legitimacy to Defence.

· It informed stakeholders and interest groups how Government translates ifs security and foreign policies into directions and guidelines for Defence

· It provided Defence with a long-term policy basis within which it will conduct its business.

· The White Paper contains most the South Africa's Meta-Policies on Defence (Higher Order Policies) focusing on the longer-term and more stable policy pronouncements, such as:

· Strategic Context

· International law

· Domestic Governance

· etc

· The Defence Review focuses more on the management and administration policies governing defence. These are more likely to change over time and relate to issues such as:

Defence Posture & Doctrine
Roles, Functions and Tasks.
Size and Shape of the DOD
Supporting Strategies (Human, Financial and Matériel Resources)
etc

(Note: South Africa published a number of Defence Reviews prior to 1994, but these were more of a public relations exercise and took a format along the lines of an "annual report".)

HOW DID THE 1996 & 1998 PROCESSES UNFOLD?

Change Imperatives in South Africa

· Political transition in South Africa pre and post 1994.

· Changes in the external environment, especially the move from bi-polar East vs. West/ Capitalism vs. Communism divide.

· Government had a clear prioritised policy of reconstruction, development and poverty alleviation.

· Changed cultural and normative realities came to the fore in SA.

There was clear Government intention to establish civil control over the military:

· Authority of Parliament and the national executive

· President as Commander in Chief

· Member of Cabinet responsible for defence

· Oversight by Parliamentary Committees

· Adherence to domestic and international law

· Civilian defence secretariat

· Appointment of military commander by CIC

· Integration of forces

· Absence of policy baseline for Defence

· Transformation of structures and processes

Policy Process White Paper on Defence

· Green Paper drafted, but not approved by Ministry, and declared a non-paper.

· Appointment of an external drafter by Deputy Minister (Mr Laurie Nathan).

· Drafts 1 to 6 of White Paper: June 1995 to May 1996.

Public comment sought via newspaper adverts.
DOD participation with both the JSCD and the Drafter.

Final draft approved by Parliament 14 May 1996.

· There was an active "Committee-based" role of JSCD in formal drafting process.

Process to Draft the Defence Review

· Defence Review Work Group was established by the Minister of Defence Comprising:

· Members of Secretariat and SANDF

· Representatives of JSCD

· Ministerial advisors

· NGO representatives

· Industry representatives Academics

Sub-Committees were established to look at specific matters:

· Defence posture

· Efficiency and structure

· Human resources

· Part-time/reserve component

· Land and the environment

· Defence industry & acquisition management

· Defence legal environment

SHORT COMINGS OF THE 1996 WHITE PAPER & 1998 DEFENCE REVIEW
White Paper on Defence, 1996

The main objective of the White Paper was to position defence within the new democracy and its relation to the outside world.
In contrast to the aggressive external deployment and extensive internal role of the defence force during the apartheid era, the primary role of the defence force was narrowly defined as defence against external military aggression.
This was arguably out of step with developments in and the experience, but globally.
This formed the basis of defence planning and the growing awareness of this shortcoming is the rnain motivation for the revision of the White Paper and Defence Review.
The broad outline of the strategic environment sketched in the White Paper is essentially still valid, but is overtaken by a number of elements. These include the following:
The New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) provides a clear South African foreign policy priority and direction
The formation of the African Union (AU) and the passing of the Organisation for African Unity (OAU).
The developing security structure of the AU, specifically the Peace & Security Council and its Organs:

Common African Defence & Security Policy (CADSP).
Peace Fund (PF).
Military Staff Committee (MSC)
African Standby Force (ASF)

The Strategic Indicative Plan of the SADC Organ on Politics Defence & Security (SIPO) and the development of a SADC Mutual Defence Pact places new international obligations on the DOD.

· While the majority of armed conflicts are indeed taking place within, rather than between, states, there are significant exceptions. In addition, the polarising influence of opposing interventions or assistance to belligerents in internal conflict has led to tensions between states and/or groups of states that could easily escalate to inter-state conflict.

· The causes of these conflicts are complex and deep-seated, and it is highly unlikely that they will be conclusively resolved in the near future.

· The UN has become more assertive in African peacekeeping, but there is also an emergent conviction that regional and sub-regional organisation must take more responsibility for managing the conflict in their neighbourhoods

· This implies a greater role for the AU & SADC in managing regional conflict. South Africa is expected to play a significant role in this.

Some of these operations may be more in the form of intervention force (Bunia, Ituri Province~ DRC) than classical peacekeeping, yet the White Paper and Defence Review do not consider intervention at all.
Others may take place outside the classical UN definition of peacekeeping where a full peace process is underway, for example a protection or stabilisation force (SAPSD, Burundi).

· The opportunity to rationalise, redesign and right-size the SANDF in the absence of a conventional military threat less pronounced than expected due to the cumulative weight of its secondary functions.

· The emergence of an overall RSA national security and foreign policy framework, with a more defined vision of South Africa's role in the region and globally, not only enables, but requires, a more detailed analysis of the strategic environment

· It also requires a more detailed exposition of those policies and of the role of defence in pursuit of South Africa's security objectives. The possible inclusion of new topics, such as an analysis of the technological environment and the internal (organisational) environment, should furthermore be considered.

· Specific attention must be given to the Chapters 3,4~5 & 6.

Some processes provided for in both the WPDR have been finalised:

· Integration of Forces.

· Demobilisation.

· While a redrafting will probably contain much that is in agreement with the current White Paper, some aspects should be elaborated~ new topics should be included and the whole should be presented as a new paradigm the pragmatic use of defence in support of national policy to reflect the demands of the future.

Defence Review, 1998

The Defence Review sought to establish a credible and convincing rationale for investing large amount of scarce resources annually in defence.
Government required a clear definition of capabilities required by the DOD, as well as a clear definition of mission, functions and tasks of the SANDF.
Definition of transformation requirements, both structural transformation (social change imperatives).
The resource implications needed to be spelt out and costed, and this was done with Force Design Options 1-4

New strategic environment emerged out of the White Paper, characterised by a "primarily defensive posture".

Of the various force design options, Option 1 was selected, with Option to as the "lnterim Growth Force".
Force structure was subject to further study.

· The force design option was subject to realization of the financial planning assumptions on which it was based…

DOD BUDGET ALLOCATION IN NOMINAL TERMS

Final year	Approx. Operating (Rb)	Approx. Personnel (Rb)	Approx. Capital (Rb)
1989/90	2100	2000	6000
1990/91	2200	2300	5900
1991/92	3000	2500	4600
1992/93	3000	2900	4200
1993/94	3900	5000	3900
1994/95	4000	4000	3800
1995/96	4200	4200	3500
1996/97	4800	4500	2000
1997/98	5000	5200	1800
1998/99	5900	6000	1700
1999/00	5800	5900	2000
2000/01	6000	5900	4800
2001/02	6200	600	5900
2002/03	6500	6200	7000
2003/04	7000	6300	9000
2004/05	7900	7000	8000
2005/06	8000	800	10000

DEFENCE BUDGET ALLOCATION/DISTR 89 - 05 IN REAL
TERMS IN 2002 RAND VALUE

Final year	Approx. Operating	Approx. Personnel	Approx. Capital
1989/90	4900	5200	20000
1990/91	3000	6200	18000
1991/92	3000	7300	12000
1992/93	2900	7100	9000
1993/94	2500	7000	7000
1994/95	4000	7100	5800
1995/96	4200	8000	5500
1996/97	6000	6000	2000
1997/98	5000	6200	1800
1998/99	7000	6000	1700
1999/00	6800	5900	1500
2000/01	6000	5800	48000
2001/02	6200	5600	5900
2002/03	6100	5200	7000
2003/04	5900	6300	7600
2004/05	5400	5100	8000
2005/06	55000	5000	9000

Absence of medium term planning indicators

At the time of writing the White Paper and Defence Review~ the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) did not exist as a guideline to defence planners.

This only came into effect after the Public Finance Management Act1 1999 (Act I of 1999) was promulgated.

Government fiscal policy over the next ten years of democracy indicates:
The defence budget will decrease from 1,54% of GDP in 2004/05 to a lesser level from 2007/08, including the establishment of a ceiling amount for peacekeeping missions.

· There is thus a clear understanding that the financial planning assumptions of the Defence Review are no longer valid.

Other Inconsistencies and Shifts from Defence Review Positions

· National Security Policy & Foreign Policy.

At the time of the writing of the White Paper and Defence Review, there was no clear national security policy or foreign policy to assist the drafters.

· It was only after the policy of integrated and co-operative governance (cluster system) was developed as was envisaged in Chapter 3 of the 1996 Constitution did these transverse policies start becoming crystallised.

· Internal Role of the SANDF.

Cabinet decision to withdraw the SANDF from the internal role by 2009.

Phasing out of the Commandos

· Peace Missions.

· The management of Peace Missions1 as espoused in the Defence Review and the ensuing White Paper on Peace Missions, has shown major problems,

· Especially wrt the level of involvement, planning, budgeting and approval.

· Force Design.

· Strategic Defence Packages entered into force.

· There is a clear mismatch between envisaged force design of the

Defence Review and the emergent long-term fiscal policy which renders

both the force design and force structure invalid.

· Human Resources.

· The White Paper focused on integration and demobilisation. These

processes have been completed

· The adoption of HR 2010 as the DOD's long-term HR strategy implies a

revision of some of the tenets underlying the HR philosophies as reflected in

the Defence Review.

· Review of the General Regulations that allowed for a Military Trade Union

dispensation.

· Finance.

· The need to update financial management to come in line with the Public

Finance Management Act (PFMA) is evident, especially as it pertains to the

transition to Accrual Accounting.

· The aged and outdated financial management systems, and a need to

implement effective information and costing systems.

· However, the basic principles pertaining to democratic governance and accountability of the SANDF/DOD will remain valid for the next decade.

AN APPROACH TO THE REDRAFTING OF THE WHITE PAPER AND DEFENCE REVIEW

Some Points on Departure

· The White Paper and Defence Review should set a "Defence Vision" for the next period.

· The relevant policy tenets in the existing White Paper and Defence Review will, where appropriate, be affirmed.

· Two separate documents will be produced:

Report I - White Paper
Report 2 – Defence Review

These documents will be formulated from a series of "positional essays/concept papers" to be drafted by technical experts in the Department.
An integrated drafting team will have to review, edit & formulate policy themes/chapters for each report.

Key Reference Documents

· Constitution of The Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996.

· Defence Act, Act 42 Of 2002

· Public Service Act, 1994 (Proclamation

Government Gazette 1115791 of 3 June1994).

· Public Finance Management Act (Act I of 1999 as amended by the

· Public Finance Management Amendment Act (Act 29 of 1999)

· South African White Paper on Defence, 1996.

South African Defence Review, I 998.

· Ten-Year Review.

· Cabinet Lekgotla Reports

· Reports of the CIusters, with special reference to the IRPS, JCPS and G&A clusters.

· National Fiscal Policy (National Treasury).

Concept Papers to assist in drafting Report 1.

· Strategic Environment.

· Government Strategic Direction to Defence.

· Corporate Governance, Accountability and Regulatory Framework

· Civil Military Relations.

· Defence Diplomacy

· Non-P roliferation, Disarmament and International Humanitarian Law

· Continental and Regional Security Architecture and NEPAD, as well as the costing of these structures to the

DOD.

· Doctrine and Posture of the SANDF.

· Peace Support Operations & African Standby Force Commitments.

· International Terrorism and Counter Terrorism.

· Defence Strategy and attendant Military Strategy.

Concept Papers to assist in drafting Report 2.

· Force Employment Strategy.

· Concept of Missions.

· Force Design & Cost.

· Force Structure & Cost.

· HR Support Strategy & Cost.

· Defence Facilities Management & Cost.

· Matériele Equipment Support Strategy & Cost.

· Financial Support Strategy & Cost

· Defence Industry Strategy, Equipment Strategy and Technology Strategy - C Acquisition, supported by CEO Armscor.

· Information Management Strategy & Cost.

· Comparative economic analysis of the SA defence budget contextualised in a global and African context.

· The African Battle Space: Nature of the Battle Space1 Physical Conditions, Social Issues and Threats to Health and Safety.

Proposed Chapter Design for the WP&DR

· Chapter 1: Introduction.

· Contextualises the WP&DR

· Outlines the Constitutional & Legislative Frameworks.

· Acknowledges the external environment.

· Chapter 2: Strategic Environment.

· Examines the Global, Continental, Regional and Domestic context.

· Looks at institutional change

· Examines posture and orientation of Government policy.

· Events shaping the environment. (International terrorism, WMD, Failed & Failing States, Continental Conflict).

· Chapter 3: Continental and Regional Security Architecture.

· Regional - SADC (OPDSC - ISDSC SADC MDP).

· Continental - AU (PSC, MSC, REWS, POW, ASF & CADSP)

· Chapter 4: Government Approach to Security.

· Existing White Paper understanding of Security

· Integrated government and the role of JCPS & lRPS.

· Broad security Goals, Objectives & Themes as articulated by Government via the JCPS, IRPS & 10 Year Review

· Military strategic objectives and defence programmes.

· Chapter 5 - Defence Diplomacy International Humanitarian Law.

· Geneva Conventions & Protocols.

· ICC

· Ottawa (Anti-Personnel Mines)

· Protection of cultural property.

· Child soldiers.

· NPT&MTCR

· Chemical, Biological1 Nuclear.

· CSBM's

· Attaché’s, exercises, exchanges of personnel & information.

· Bilateral

· MOU's establishing BNC’s, BC’s JC’s JPC’s, Def Com’s

· Multilateral

· Collective Security

· Common Defence Policy

· Non Aggression Pacts

· Mutual Defence Pacts

· Chapter 6: Roles and Functions of the SANDF

· Posture of the SANDF.

· Doctrine of the SANDF.

· Conventional role.

· Operations other than war

· Specific policy pronouncements on participation in Peace Missions.

· Force employment strategy.

· Concepts of missions & concepts of operations.

· Chapter 7: Force Design and Force Structure

· Force design based on the results of instruction 07/02 and the outcomes of Resolution 5 of the Parys work

session.

· Costed and affordable design aligned with budgetary realities.

· Organisational structure based on the results of Resolution 4 of the Parys work session.

· Chapter 8: Defence Management

· Integrated governance & executive decision making.

· Principles of civil-military relations.

· The PFMA & Defence Resources - accountability; economy; efficiency

· Capability management.

· Chapter 9: Human Resources

· Based on the significant policy themes of HR 2010.

· Addresses burgeoning issues such as:

· Batho Pele

· Military Labour Relations

· Civic Education.

· Age and demographics.

· HIVIAIDS and other life-threatening diseases.

Chapter 10: RESERVES & VETERANS

· Higher Order Policy matters regarding Reserves and Veterans.

Chapter 11: DEFENCE MATERIEL

Overview of Defence Industry
Capabilities.
Ownership
Employment

Regulation of conventional weapons and non-conventional weapons.
Strategic technologies & capabilities Required by Defence
Acquisition Policy and Acquisition Management Processes

Chapter 12: FUTURE DEFENCE REQUIREMENTS AND CAPABILITIES.

· Examine major themes identified in the strategic environment.

. International Terrorism.

WMD.

· Foreign military assistance, mercenaries and para military forces.

· Failed and Failing States.