MINISTER OF DEFENCE’S PRIORITIES FOR FY 2010/11

MINISTER OF DEFENCE’S PRIORITIES FOR FY 2010/11

The Minister of Defence has determined that execution of the defence mandate should help realise the following strategic priorities during FY 2010/11 and beyond. Monitoring of performance against these identified strategic objectives will be a litmus test of the extent to which the defence function has been able to do things differently and achieve more with less. The Ministerial Priorities for FY 2010/11 are as follows:

• The establishment of a Functional Department of Military Veteran.

The Department should be fully resourced to take responsibility for the overall management and administration of Military Veterans affairs, including but not limited to, developing policy, legislation, programmes, benefits and services that facilitate the transition from active service to civilian life.

• Rejuvenation and Upgrading of the Landward Programme

This shall be our main focus in the incoming period and additional funds are to be secured. This will take place sequentially and in phases. The first phase will be characterised by the alignment of the Army Vision with the DOD’s MTEF priorities.

• Infrastructure

  • The development of a model to manage facilities in the Department of Defence

  • The DOD is to compile a master plan to deal with infrastructure. This plan must include priorities, costs and the development of a phased approach.

• Department of Defence Works Regiment

  • The DOD is to create a “works brigade”, to ensure an in-house capacity to attend to all its facilities.

  • The DOD will utilise professional technical resources within Defence to support infrastructure development at local Government level.

• Alignment of Defence Secretariat with its Constitutional and Legislative Mandate

A review of the Defence Secretariat to align with the mandate of the defence organisation and support the requirements for the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.

• The Establishment of the National Defence Force Service Commission and Supporting Structures

• Transformation of ARMSCOR

In order to increase the DOD’s contribution to South Africa’s Research and Development Index, it is imperative that ARMSCOR human capital base be continually reviewed to ensure the emergence of a rejuvenated, dependable technical human capital base.

• Incremental Refocusing of Denel to Support the Identified Defence Strategic Capabilities

Notwithstanding the economic imperatives that drive Denel’s business strategy, a concerted effort will be made to optimally utilise Denel to provide for the strategic competencies of defence.

• Promote a Culture of Good Governance Prescripts

Realisation of a Qualification–Free Audit: Institutionalisation of prudent internal controls will be employed to promote evidence-based performance reporting at all levels. A multi-pronged strategy must be developed and fully implemented that addresses root causes of the Auditor General’s qualifications and will be employed to continually align the DOD with emerging domestic and international auditing standards.

Information Technology (IT): To improve systemic compatibility and interoperability, the DOD, in collaboration with the National Treasury, is involved in preparing the rollout of the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS). It is expected that the utilisation of IT as a strategic resource will greatly facilitate administrative processes, as well as improve the level of accountability.

• Defence Strategy that responds to the DOD’s Current and Emerging Needs

A strategy must be developed to provide a cogent argument on the levels of defence capabilities required to respond to domestic and global trends, including socio-economic and environmental issues, as well as requirements posed by the foreign and security policy of this Government, to meet the three strategic defence objectives of defending the Republic, promoting regional and continental security, and supporting the people and continually improving defence capabilities.

• Revitalisation of the Reserves

The Reserves must be transformed and revitalised so that they can fulfil their primary role of providing the majority of the conventional landward capability of the SANDF, whilst at the same time supplementing the peace support missions conducted by the Regulars. The Reserve Strategy must be finalised and fully implemented.

• Optimal Utilisation the Collateral Value of Defence Capabilities in Responding to the Country’s Socio-Economic Needs

In support of the Government’s drive to achieve more with less, more partnerships will be pursued within other organs of state to assist in the delivery of justifiable socio- economic needs at municipal and local levels.

• Provide a lead to the development and implementation of the Community Service Programme (CSP)

In an effort to curb migration to urban areas, escalating levels of service delivery protest actions, high level of unemployment that is prevalent amongst women, youth, military veterans and people in the rural areas, a community services programme will be initiated that will re-skill the citizens, thus providing another opportunity for economic participation though maintenance of existing infrastructure and heritage sites. As such artisan and cultural promotion programmes will be promoted within the rural training and this will form the core of the National Community Service Concept that the Defence Force will be infused in all communities that are intricately connected to Defence institutions.

The table below indicates how the DOD has aligned certain of its activities in accordance with the MTSF document issued by the Presidency. This is a framework that guides Government’s programme in the electoral mandate for the period 2009 – 2014.