DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

FINAL INTEGRATION REPORT TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE

2004

Appendices A - D: Graphic Representation of Facts contained in this Report.

AIM

  1. The aim of this report is to inform the members of the Portfolio Committee on Defence of the final results of the formal termination of the integration and demobilisation process in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
  2. SCOPE

  3. The following issues are addressed in this report:
    1. Composition of the SANDF.
    2. British Military Advisory and Training Team in South Africa (BMATT).
    3. Certified Personnel Registers (CPRs).
    4. Statutory Force integration.
    5. Non-Statutory Force Integration.
    6. Demobilisation.
    7. Public Hearing on Termination of Integration and Demobilisation Legislation.
    8. Amnesty cases.
    9. Fraudulent Enlistments.
    10. Bridging Training.
    11. Second Chance Rule.
    12. Career Development
    13. Audit of ranking.
    14. Conclusion.

    COMPOSITION OF THE SANDF

  4. Integration was the process of combining the following seven military forces into one South African National Defence Force (SANDF):
    1. Statutory Forces
      1. The South African Defence Force (SADF);
      2. The former Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei defence forces (TBVC); and

    2. Non-Statutory Forces
      1. The former forces of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and Azanian People’s Liberation Army (APLA).

  5. Two thousand members of the Kwa-Zulu Natal Self Protection Force (KZSPF) became eligible for incorporation into the SANDF and this process was concluded from March 1996 to January 1997.
  6. Appendix A contains a comparison of the Department of Defence Personnel strength per Former Force for 1994, and 2004 measured against the 1998 Defence Review Guidelines whilst Appendix B contains a comparison of race distribution in the DOD for the years 1994 and 2004.
  7. BRITISH MILITARY ADVISORY AND TRAINING TEAM: SOUTH AFRICA (BMATT SA)

  8. The main tasks of BMATT (SA) in respect of the integration process were as follows:
    1. The validation of criteria and standards for the new SANDF to be established.
    2. Monitoring bridging training across all four services of the SANDF, i.e. SA Army, SA Air Force, SA Navy and SA Military Health Service.
    3. To adjudicate if disputes arose between parties involved in the integration process.

  9. In terms of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) between the UK and the RSA the mandate of BMATT (SA) was terminated on 31 March 2003 and all BMATT (SA) activities ceased on 30 June 2003.
  10. CERTIFIED PERSONNEL REGISTERS (CPRs)

  11. The submission of Certified Personnel Registers (CPR)/name lists, for all the constituent forces of the SANDF, is provided for in terms of Section 16 (3)(b) of the Transitional Executive Council Act, 1993, Section 224 (2) of the 1993 Interim Constitution and Section 3 of Annexure D of Schedule 6 of the 1996 Constitution.
  12. CPRs were to be submitted to the Transitional Executive Council (TEC) before 27 April 1994. Authority was, however subsequently granted to the Non-Statutory Forces (NSFs) until 11 October 1996 to add names to the original lists. A total of 8219 names (MK 4 355 and APLA 3 864) was then added. No names could, however, be added to the CPRs after 11 October 1996.
  13. Only bona fide members of the Statutory and Non-Statutory Forces appearing on the CPRs were therefore considered for integration into the SANDF or demobilisation in the case of the NSF.
  14. Appendix C depicts the number of NSF members who had integrated and demobilisation and losses compared with the CPRs as follows:
  15. Members integrated 21 212

    APLA 6 421

    MK 14 791

    Members currently serving 13 557

    APLA 4 244

    MK 9 313 9 551

    [138 PSAPS in C Fin]

    Members who demobilised 9 809

    Former Statutory Force Members still serving as at 15 October 2004.

    Former SADF 37 233 (82 705 in 1994)

    Former TBVC 5 402 (10 739 in 1996)

    Total All former forces 42 635

    STATUTORY FORCE INTEGRATION

  16. The integration process of the Statutory Force members in all the services has been successfully completed, in accordance with sections 224 and 236 of the Interim Constitution, 1993.
  17. In the case of these Statutory Force Members their integration from their previous force to the SANDF was conducted according to the then Public Service Commission’s translation measures. The pension audit of personnel files and records of these members was part of these measures. Members of the Ciskei Defence Force (CDF), former Transkei, Bophuthatswana and Venda Defence Force members have been admitted to the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) and are contributing to the fund.
  18. The procedures for the audit of these records were stipulated in the Verification Process, and consisted of the audit of the files and the written notification to members that they were fully integrated into the SANDF when their records were found to be in order.
  19. The SA Air Force completed the verification of all records on 31 October 1999 and the SA Navy on 31 October 2000.
  20. The SA Army and the SAMHS completed the verification process of former SADF and TBVC members on 30 June 2001.
  21. NON STATUTORY FORCE INTEGRATION

  22. The Termination of Integration Intake Act, 2001 and the Demobilisation Amendment Act, 2001 formally and legally brought the integration process of Non-Statutory Force members to an end as at 31 December 2002.
  23. During the final intakes of November 2001 and March and November 2002, 181 members integrated and 28 members were demobilised.
  24. DEMOBILISATION

  25. In terms of the Demobilisation Act, 1996, as amended, only former members of the Non-Statutory Forces whose names appear on a valid CPR or personnel list could be demobilised. The Minister of Defence was also mandated to order the inclusion, on good cause shown, the name of any former Non Statutory Force member who was by reason of an administrative oversight or error or for any other reason not included in the CPR or name list for demobilisation purposes on or before 31 March 1999 only.
  26. The members whose names appear on the CPR’s who reported on or before 31 December 2002 for the last integration intake and who did not qualify to join the SANDF were demobilised in terms of the provisions of the Demobilisation Amendment Act, 2001.
  27. A total of 9 809 demobilisation gratuities have been paid out, including 677 gratuities paid to dependants of deceased former NSF members. The total amount paid in respect of demobilisation grants amounted to RM242. These payments were made since the implementation of the Demobilisation Act, 1996, and ended on 31 December 2002 in terms of its subsequent amendments.
  28. PUBLIC HEARING: TERMINATION OF INTEGRATION AND DEMOBILISATION LEGISLATION: FORMER NSF MEMBERS NOT ON CPRs

  29. At the Public Hearing on 4 October 2001 to discuss the termination of the Integration and Demobilisation legislation, the Portfolio Committee on Defence invited the submission to the Committee of the names of bona fide MK and APLA members whose names do not appear on the Certified Personnel Register/Name list, on a case-by-case basis.
  30. Lists containing 4 033 names were submitted to the Portfolio Committee on Defence on 4 November 2001. The PAC/APLA had submitted a list of 1 419 and the MKMVA a list of 2 614 names of persons whom they claimed were genuine former APLA and MK members whose names did not appear on the CPRs. These lists did not include any of the specific personal details which had been requested by the Portfolio Committee on Defence.
  31. Regarding these persons the DOD had at its request informed the Portfolio Committee on Defence that in terms of the law a member of the NSF cannot be considered for integration or demobilisation if her/his name does not appear on the CPR.
  32. As a result of the above the Portfolio Committee on Defence took no further action in this matter and the termination of Integration and Demobilisation Amendment Acts of 2001 were promulgated without any amendment to provide for the addition of any further names to the CPRs.
  33. In view of the above action, it was not possible for former APLA and MK members whose names do not appear on the CPRs to be integrated or demobilised in terms of the process which formally terminated on 31 December 2002.
  34. AMNESTY CASES

  35. Sixteen members who were granted amnesty and released from imprisonment and who had applied and conformed to all laid down criteria, were integrated in November 2002.
  36. Amnesty case members whose names do not appear on the NSF CPRs could not be considered for integration or demobilisation.
  37. FRAUDULENT ENLISTMENTS

  38. The legal position is that a bona fide NSF member, whose name on the CPR was fraudulently used by another person, and who wishes to now integrate, is to criminally prosecute the perpetrator and remove him/her from the SANDF because according to the State Attorney only one person can be accommodated in the SANDF against a name appearing on the CPR. Some 58 such reported cases were investigated by the Inspector General of the Army and no concrete evidence was found to suggest that fraudulent enlistments were committed in any of these specific cases.
  39. BRIDGING TRAINING

  40. Although the Integration process was formally concluded on 31 December 2002 the question of the conclusion of bridging training remains. A number of former NSF personnel will remain within Bridging Training Programmes in some of the Services with a 100 % completion rate anticipated by the end of 2005.
  41. All the former NSF members in the SA Army have completed their bridging training as well as their Corps Bridging Training. These members are therefore all qualified in accordance with their letters of appointment.
  42. The SA Air Force currently has 746 serving former NSF members. Forty two members are still to complete their Bridging training. Nine members are currently busy with courses and will complete them on 29 October 2004 which will reduce the number still to complete Bridging Training to 33. The SA Air Force is therefore 96 % complete with Bridging Training.
  43. The Chief of the Navy introduced new processes to expedite Integration and Bridging Training in the SA Navy. All former NSF members have completed their basic Bridging Training and 55 will complete their Progression Training during 2005.
  44. The relevant Officers Commanding in SA Military Health Service have shown commitment to complete the Bridging Training process and only 53 former NSF members still have to complete their Basic, Development and Functional Bridging courses. These courses are expected to be completed during 2005.
  45. Since the departure of BMATT (SA) at the end of June 2003 the progress made with bridging training by the Chiefs of the Service has been monitored by the Human Resources Staff Council within the Department of Defence based on regular reports submitted by the Services.
  46. SECOND CHANCE RULE

  47. Former NSF members who did not pass their bridging training courses were counselled and given an opportunity of repeating the required course. Members who failed the second time were dealt with by Assessment Boards set up by the Services and were either given third chances or preparatory training to assist them in passing the course at subsequent opportunities. Review Boards were subsequently held to make final decisions.
  48. During the above process all the members involved had either passed their courses or were considered to have gained sufficient knowledge and experience to remain in the SANDF.
  49. Sixty of these members were in the SA Army, two in the SA Air Force and one in the SAMHS.
  50. CAREER DEVELOPMENT

  51. Some fourteen members who did not successfully complete their Career Development courses were either transferred to other musterings to complete their courses or were given preparatory training to assist them in passing their courses.
  52. The promotion patterns of the former NSF, and especially the black members, since 1994 are depicted in Appendix D.
  53. AUDIT OF RANKING

  54. Since late 2000, the Department has been engaged in a process to identify former NSF members who may have been prejudiced during the first integration intakes at Wahlmanstall, Hoedspruit and De Brug because the processes followed then had not been refined through experience. An audit of 2 015 serving, former NSF members was done. This lead to the SANDF effecting the rank adjustments of 384 members who were identified to have been under ranked. No further similar audit of ranking process is planned. A robust audit trail is being conducted by the Auditor-General to ensure that only genuine and properly motivated cases were re-ranked in accordance with Departmental, Financial and DOD HR guidelines.
  55. The 384 members were re-ranked as follows:
    1. 205 NCOs in the rank groups Corporal to Warrant Officer II were re-ranked to NCOs in the rank levels Sgt to Warrant Officer II.
    2. 106 NCOs in the rank levels Corporal to Warrant Officer II were re-ranked as Officers to rank levels Lieutenant to Lt Colonel.
    3. 73 Officers in the rank levels Lt to Maj were re-ranked to Officers’ levels Capt to Lt Col.

    CONCLUSION

  56. Integrating seven different former forces, each with their own culture, traditions and military histories into the SANDF admitting to a common culture and identity, was a very complex process. Notwithstanding problems encountered, budget cuts, re-structuring and rationalisation, the integration process remains one of the biggest armed force success stories in recent times. The SANDF is proud of what has been achieved and remains united in common allegiance to comply with the tasks our country’s Constitution assigns to the SANDF. Especially as we celebrated ten years of the SANDF’s anniversary in 2004, the process of intakes which started in 1994 can now be considered to be successfully concluded.

APPENDIX A

SANDF FORMER FORCES: COMPARISON OF 1994 AND 2004

[PMG note: appendix not included. Email [email protected] for this]

APPENDIX B

SADF AND SANDF RACE DISTRIBUTION FOR 1994 AND 2004 RESPECTIVELY

[PMG note: appendix not included. Email [email protected] for this]

 

APPENDIX C

NSF MEMBERS WHO INTERGRATED AND DEMOBILISED

[PMG note: appendix not included. Email [email protected] for this]

 

APPENDIX D

NSF MEMBERS RANK AT INTEGRATION vs CURRENT RANK AS AT 15 OCOBER 2004

[PMG note: appendix not included. Email [email protected] for this]

 

 

 

(S. NYANDA)

CHIEF OF THE SA NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE: GENERAL

November 2004

 

 

 

(J.B. MASILELA)

SECRETARY FOR DEFENCE: DIRECTOR GENERAL

November 2004

DISTR

For Action

Members of the Portfolio Committee on Defence