As the year ends, six months into her role as Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga’s performance is under scrutiny, with experts weighing in on her achievements and challenges in the portfolio.
Motshekga’s July appointment to a new portfolio from basic education was met with a flurry of memes and funny remarks on social media, with many questioning her suitability for the role.
Motshekga questioned on suitability as defence minister
Her transition raised eyebrows, especially because her deputy United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa has a military background.
The minister hit back at naysayers.
“I’m used to naysayers, so it is part of the terrain… What I know from experience is that you have a million well-wishers [and] you have 10,000 loudmouths. So, you should not ignore the fact that millions of people wish you well,” she told eNCA.
Defence expert Helmoed-Römer Heitman told The Citizen Motshekga was dropped into a thankless job amid the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) being cash-strapped.
Speaking on the minister’s lows since her appointment, Heitman said it is disappointing that Motshekga has not called for the withdrawal of SANDF troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The SANDF was granted a R2.1 billion budget by the National Treasury for the deployment of 2900 more soldiers to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission to the DRC under Operation Thiba (Op THIBA).
SANDF’s DRC deployment
In August, SANDF Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Siphiwe Lucky Sangweni, however, confirmed that South Africa will not be deploying additional military forces to the DRC.
“The SADC mission has no realistic chance of meeting its mandate, and, absent air support and some other equipment, the troops are at unnecessary risk,” Heitman said.
DA Member on the Select Committee on Security and Justice Nicholas Gotsell said there have been several “lows” for the minister, but mainly the fact that the department is unable to prioritise.
“The SANDF’s priorities have recently focused on the upgrading and refurbishing of their top brass’ houses, and whilst one of the Army’s generals managed to have taxpayers pay for a Superman-themed room for their child, the force’s resources comprise outdated or insufficient personal combat equipment such as helmets, bulletproof vests, lighting devices, etc., and their facilities are in disrepair,” Gotsell said.
He added that the lack of prioritisation by the department is evident in the allocation of funds by the National Treasury to upgrade the South African Military Health Services’ VIP Unit.
According to Motshekga, the medical costs for the politicians were nearly R80 million in 2019-20, R68 million in 2020-21, R87 million in 2021-22, R91 million in 2022-23, and R97 million in 2023-24.
Department’s priorities questioned
Between April and September this year, nearly R50 million had already been spent.
“The DA has suggested that whilst Deputy Presidents and ex-Presidents are members of Parmed, the Parliamentary Medical Aid, it is unnecessary for these dignitaries to be covered by a parallel unit when these monies could otherwise be allocated to the needs of SANDF members in active service,” Gotsell told The Citizen said
In terms of Motshekga’s highs, the long-overdue return of bodies of struggle stalwarts to South Africa is a highlight.
The South African government organised the repatriation of the remains of about 49 freedom fighters and anti-apartheid political leaders who died in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Gayton Mackenzie and Motshekga were there to receive the bodies along with surviving family members of the liberation fighters in September.
Heitman said it was also good that she went public with the SANDF’s underfunding problem. It is also contending with a staggering R1.55 billion bill in civil claims. He added that every minister of defence also disclosed the underfunding issue in the past 30 years to no effect.
SANDF’s underfunding problem
Gotsell said it was also good that Motshekga, in response to a written question he sent her, acknowledged that the SA Navy is in crisis.
“She blamed this crisis on the failure of the Armscor Dockyard to deliver the services it is mandated to do. I would consider this a ‘high’ for her in her first 100 days, as it is a step in the right direction—to acknowledge the failure and to address it,” he said.
Heitman emphasised that for all its problems, society needs to grasp that despite fatal underfunding and overstretch, the SANDF is the one government department that actually delivers.
“Despite everything, it has always managed to handle the diverse tasks thrown at it by the government, many the result of other departments having failed to do their job. I cannot think of another department that can say the same,” the defence expert said.
Ultimately, Heitman said it is far too early for Motshekga to have any real impact on what is by any measure a disastrous situation.
Gotsell said he discussed with the DA’s spokesperson on defence, Chris Hattingh, and said they are unable to properly assess the minister.
Motshekga ‘does not have the necessary expertise’
“It has become clear from their interaction with her in committees that she does not have the necessary expertise to answer critical questions. This is further evident from the poor answering of written Parliamentary questions,” he said.
“Her performance and objectivity are clouded by the influence of the senior officials in the SANDF.”
What to focus on in 2025
In terms of what the department should focus on in 2025, Heitman said South Africa should end its participation in the DRC and focus on rebuilding the defence force and immediate or near security issues.
“The rebuilding should be based on rational assessment of extant, likely, and possible risks and threats on the one hand and developments in defence technologies on the other,” he said.
Heitman said the defence force also needs to look at saving the key parts of the defence industry as per the Defence Industry Strategy.
Gotsell said the department must prioritise and use its budget responsibly and optimally.
“From this material, it was already clear that the South African National Defence Force is in a severe crisis and that strong leadership and action were needed at the helm,” he said.
