PROGRESS REPORT TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE: THE REJUVENATION OF THE ARMY CONVENTIONAL RESERVE

Appendix A: Presentation on the Rejuvenation and Transformation of the Army Conventional Reserve.

1. While it is recognised that the combat-readiness of the Army Conventional Reserve (ACR) is not where it should be, never the less, the SA Army has endeavoured under conditions of extreme budgetary pressure to rectify the situation.

2. With the establishment of Project PHOENIX by the PDSC in Sep 02, more focus has been given to the Reserve Force (Res F) in the Army with the result that some 1600 members have undergone basic and corps training resulting in the first Res F Company to be deployed on peace missions in the DRC.

AIM

3. The aim of this document is to update members of the Portfolio Committee on Defence on developments within the SA Army Conventional Reserve.

SCOPE

4. The following points will be discussed in this report:

a. Current strength and status of the Army Conventional Reserve

b. Recruitment and basic training

c. Leader group training

d. Current and future deployments

2 CURRENT STRENGTH AND STATUS OF THE ARMY CONVENTIONAL RESERVE

5. The total strength of the ACR currently is 9 351 members.The strength has increased from 8 076 to 9 351 over the last two financial years and the representivity has increased from 47,4% to 64,6% due to focus being mainly the recruitment of black and coloured members to comply with representivity targets.

RECRUITMENT AND BASIC TRAINING

6. Although the MSDS is confirmed as the main feeding source for the Army Reserve Force, lack of funds for large enough intakes remain an obstacle as not only the Reserve Force but also the Regular Force have to be renewed. Alternative and interim measures proposed in the approved SANDF Reserve Force Strategy were therefore implemented. Decentralised recruitment and training by ACR-units has been successfully implemented.

7. By the end of 2005 an estimated 1 628 ACR members out of the SA Army Infantry Formation will have completed basic and corps training on a decentralised basis. These members have been trained or are undergoing training at nodal points in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg using both Regular and Reserve Force instructors and the SA Army approved curricula.

LEADER GROUP TRAINING

8. In order to establish some capacity iro junior leaders in the Res F, for command and control of the recently trained Res F troops, the SA Army made a principle decision to select 60 high potential predominantly black existing Res F members and to include them in the remainder of the MSDS flow of training for Junior Leaders. The intention is to select and provide formative, as well as corps functional training to 30 Candidate Officers and 30 Non-Commissioned Officers by the end of 2005.

9. This initiative is regarded as a pilot program for 2005, which may be considered as an annual intervention to supplement the requirement for junior leader group in the Res F. For 2005, only South African Infantry Corps members have been included in the pilot program.

10. The Conventional Reserve in other Formations in the SA Army will need to create capacity to absorb the envisaged outflow of future MSDS members. To this end these Formations will continue to focus mainly on leader group training.

CURRENT AND FUTURE DEPLOYMENTS FOR PEACE SUPPORT MISSIONS

11. The utilisation of the ACR for external deployments is based on the premise that the Regular Force will provide the primary capability for missions of regional/continental security but may be supplemented by the Reserve Force for operations or parts of operations as the situation dictates.

12. In order to test the viability of employing Res F members in peace missions, and to supplement force level requirements, the Army allocated funds to train a sub-unit for such missions. Members were selected from various units all over the country, underwent integrated training during Ex SEBOKA, received specific training at Phalaborwa for peace missions, and were deployed in the DRC in May 2005.

The consensus of opinion was that their standard of training, the number who tested G1K1 green during the CHA, and their keenness and morale had exceeded all expectations. A further sub-unit is currently being prepared for deployment in Oct 05.

13. It is the intention of the SA Army to have a Res F Battalion available in the ST to supplement force level requirements as needed. The focus in the ST and MT will be to build capacity in the Infantry and the Engineer Formations. It is also planned that a Field Engineer Troop will become available within the ACR in FY07/08.

14. This plan will obviously cost more than the current allocation of RM37 to the ACR. It is appreciated that with the scaling down of the internal deployments and the ultimate closure of the Army Territorial Reserve (Commando's) substantial funds will become available to fund the rejuvenation of the ACR.

CONCLUSION

15. A great deal of progress has been made by the SA Army in terms of its obligation towards the development of a viable, transformed and deployable Reserve Force. Although the Army Res F is currently one year ahead in terms of target dates, a lot still remains to be done.

To this end the SA Army has re-affirmed its commitment to addressing the representivity issues within the ACR leader group as well as implementing programmes to rejuvenate and build a combat ready Army Conventional Reserve Force.

The Army is doing its best to allocate resources but these are by no means sufficient. This must be seen in terms of the serious financial constraints in which the Army as a whole has to operate.

S.Z SHOKE

Internal for Info

CD Army Corp Svc

CD Army F Struc

CD Army F Prep

CD Army ResF

DCDArmy F Struc

DCD Army F Prep

DCD Army Corp Svc

IG Army

DASD

D Army Ren

D Army F Struc

D Army Log

D Army HR

D Army Acq

D Army Doc and Policy

DCD HR Plan

SA Army Bud Man

GOC:

South Africa Army Inf Fmn

SA Army Sup Fmn

SA Army Arty Fmn

SA Army ADA Fmn

SA Army Armour Fmn

SA Army Engr Fmn

SA Army Int Fmn

SA Army Trg Fmn

HQ 43 SA Bde

HQ 46 SA Bde

Members of the SA Army PHOENIX Steering Committee