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Safety, security and defence

• Introduction
• Safety and security
  • Secretariat for Safety and Security
  • Independent Complaints Directorate
• South African Police Service
  • Strategic overview and key policy developments
  • SAPS divisions
  • Preparations for the 2010 World Cup
  • Business Against Crime (BAC)
  • Programmes
• Presidential Working Group on Big Business
• Defence
  • Legislation
  • Functions
  • Defence Strategy
  • Military Strategy
• Missions
• Military strategic concepts
• Military strategic capabilities
• Human Resource 2010 Strategy
• Military Skills Development System (MSDS)
• Organisational structure
• Managing transformation
• Operations
• Military strategic objectives
• Force employment
• Bases
• One Force
• Force preparation
• Force support
• Military veterans
• Resettlement
• Peace support
• Acquisition of weapon systems
• Facilities, Land and Environment
• Armaments
• Denel Group of South Africa
• Intelligence services
  • National Intelligence Agency
  • South African Secret Service
  • Intelligence oversight

Introduction

The aim of the Secretariat of Safety and Security is to prevent combat and investigate crime, maintain public order, protect and secure the inhabitants of South Africa and their property, and uphold and enforece the law.

The Department of Defence defends South Africa’s territorial integrity and its people.

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Safety and security

In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, the Minister of Safety and Security is responsible for policing in general and is accountable to Cabinet and Parliament. Important features of the minister’s responsibilities include determining national policing policy and providing civilian oversight. The following three structures fall under the Minister of Safety and Security:

• Secretariat for Safety and Security
• Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD)
• South African Police Service (SAPS).

Secretariat for Safety and Security

In terms of the SAPS Act, 1995 (Act 68 of 1995) [PDF], the Secretariat for Safety and Security’s functions are to:

• advise the minister
• promote democratic accountability and transparency in the SAPS
• provide the minister with legal services and advice on constitutional matters
• monitor the implementation of policy
• conduct research on any policing matter in accordance with the instructions of the minister, and evaluate the performance of the SAPS.

Independent Complaints Directorate

The ICD’s primary role is to ensure that complaints about alleged criminal offences and misconduct committed by SAPS members are investigated effectively. Police conduct or behaviour that is prohibited in terms of the SAPS standing orders and police regulations include neglect of duties and failure to comply with the SAPS Code of Conduct. It is governed by Chapter 10 of the SAPS Act, 1995.

The ICD has additional mandates in respect of monitoring the SAPS implementation of the Domestic Violence Act, 1998 (Act 116 of 1998) [PDF], and overseeing municipal policing services.

The ICD investigates all deaths in police custody or as a result of police action. An investigation is conducted to determine any indications of criminal conduct by the SAPS. Where there are no indications of criminal conduct, the matter is left to the police to investigate, while the ICD monitors and supervises the investigation. If information is subsequently received indicating criminal conduct on the part of the police, the ICD conducts a full investigation.

Upon completion of an investigation, the ICD may make recommendations to the Director of Public Prosecutions about the prosecution of any implicated SAPS member(s), and to SAPS management regarding the departmental prosecution of a police member.

The ICD reports to Parliament through the Minister of Safety and Security. However, it operates independently from the SAPS.

In April 2007, the ICD celebrated its 10th anniversary. The ICD has arranged with the United Kingdom’s Independent Police Complaints Commission to help train some members in various aspects relating to the ICD’s mandate, including investigations into police misconduct.

The ICD started in 1997 with a staff complement of 36 and a budget of R17 million. By mid-2007, it had 248 personnel members and a budget of R80,8 million.

The restructuring of the ICD has seen the establishment of its Integrity Strengthening Unit and the Anti-Corruprion Command. The ICD is the Secretariat of the African Policing Oversight Forum and has influenced the creation of oversight mechanisms in several African countries.

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South African Police Service

The vision of the SAPS is to create a safe and secure environment for all South Africans.

The values upheld by the SAPS are to:

• protect everyone’s rights and be impartial, respectful, open and accountable to the community
• use its powers responsibly
• provide a responsible, effective and high-quality service with honesty and integrity
• evaluate its service continuously and strive to improve it
• use its resources efficiently
• develop the skills of its members through equal opportunities
• co-operate with the community, all levels of government and other role-players.

The SAPS key aims and programmes are based on the objectives provided for in Section 206 of the Constitution. The SAPS is responsible for:

• preventing, combating and investigating crime
• maintaining public order
• protecting and securing South Africans and their property
• upholding and enforcing the law.

These objectives have been aligned with the aims of the integrated justice system and the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster.

The operational priorities of the department’s strategic plan for 2005 to 2010 are:

• combating organised crime
• fighting serious and violent crime
• reducing crime against women and children
• improving on other SAPS priorities that affect basic service delivery.

The budget allocation in the 2003/04 financial year was R22,7 billion, which increased to R25,4 billion in 2004/05, R29,3 billion in 2005/06 and R32,5 billion 2006/07. The 2007/08 budget allocation is R35,9 billion, and it is expected to reach R43,6 billion in three years’ time.

The personnel of the service increased from 140 560 in 2003/04 to 149 060 in 2004/05. By the end of 2009/10, the numbers are expected to be 193 240, showing an increase of 52 780 members since 2003/04. Replacement personnel during that period was 20 000, bringing the figure to 72 780.

By May 2007, there were 1 115 fully fledged police stations countrywide.

Strategic overview and key policy developments

Community and sector policing

Crime prevention in South Africa is based on the principles of community policing, which involves partnerships between the community and the SAPS. Police officers are appointed as sector managers in community police forums (CPFs).

CPFs, which have been in place since 1993, are actively involved in crime-prevention and awareness programmes, and allow the SAPS to mobilise and involve communities in the fight against crime. CPFs also assist police by mobilising partnerships with business and other stakeholders in communities to address crime.

In 2007, meetings were held with the National Community Policing Consultative Forum (NCPCF), which represents the country’s 1 072 CPFs. Discussions included:

• reshaping the CPFs to give them more powers and resources
• recasting the CPFs as the co-ordinators of the partnership between communities and the police
• properly defining the programme to mobilise communities to participate fully in community policing.

The NCPCF has drafted a document that seeks to improve efforts to mobilise community involvement.

The CPFs will be empowered to help the police become known in their communities, identify trustworthy and capable persons from their communities to be recruited into the police reservist service and mobilise volunteers who could assist the police in certain areas of policing, including trauma counselling for victims of domestic violence, and abused women and children.

The SAPS is dedicated to uplifting historically disadvantaged communities. This includes building community safety centres (CSCs) that focus on delivering basic and easily accessible services to communities, especially in deep rural areas and informal settlements.

CSCs bring together the SAPS and the departments of justice and constitutional development, of correctional services, of health and of social development.

By mid-2007, sector policing was operating in 169 priority areas, 35 285 additional reservists had been recruited, and 1 064 CPFs were operating at 1 115 police stations.

Performance management

The SAPS has introduced a new performance-management system to improve organisational performance in the service. This system is part of the overall change-management strategy to improve service delivery and strengthen the SAPS capacity to fight crime.

It includes:

• setting national performance standards and targets
• performance assessments
• identifying and adopting corrective measures for non-performing stations
• introducing performance incentives for police stations that meet the crime-fighting targets.

Other aspects include better deployment of personnel and a performance-management chart to measure and monitor the performance of police stations.

Revised reservist system

The SAPS introduced an alternative system to the phased-out commando system to prevent a security vacuum. One of the strategies for doing this is increasing reservist numbers.

The revised system of police reservists, among other things, consolidates the SAPS sector-policing programme. It provides for four categories of reservists, namely Functional Policing, Support Services, Specialised Functional Policing (pilots, divers, social workers etc.) and Rural and Urban Sector Policing.

The main thrust of the revised system is to create a part-time professional police service. The system also provides for the call-up and payment of reservists, based on identified policing needs at station level. Modular outcomes-based training programmes have been completed to enhance the skills and knowledge of all reservists.

The recruitment of 7 665 new reservists raised the number of police reservists in the country to more than 45 000 in 2006/07.

The new recruits include 80 former commando members. At least 12 536 reservists were called up for crime-fighting operations in 2006/07.

Reducing contact crime

Government aims to reduce contact crimes by 7% to 10% a year, focusing specifically on the 169 high-contact crime stations.

The SAPS will contribute by improving its detection rate and increasing the number of cases sent to court in respect of serious and violent crime, organised-crime syndicates, and crimes against women and children.

This will improve the feeling of safety among the general public, restore public confidence in the SAPS and the wider justice system, and improve co-operation and willingness to assist in preventing, combating and investigating crime. Funds for resources such as personnel and equipment have been provided to achieve these departmental outcomes.

Reducing violence against women and children

Deterring sexual offences against women and children has been a priority for the SAPS since 2002. The objectives are to improve the rate of detection and conviction of perpetrators, eliminate secondary victimisation, support victims and improve on the prevention of these crimes.

Specific programmes, such as the Victim-Empowerment Programme (VEP), the Safer Schools Programme and the Environmental Design Programme addressing violence against women and children, have been prioritised for implementation in the high-contact crime police station areas and the nodes of the Urban Renewal Programme and the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme.

Improving policing capacity

Personnel numbers will be increased from 156 000 in 2005/06 to about 193 000 by the end of 2009/10 to improve the capacity of the SAPS to perform security functions at borderlines, ports of entry and exit, and during the 2010 FIFA World Cup^TM.

This will be complemented by expanding the department’s vehicle fleet, equipment supplies, technological infrastructure and reservists force.

Restructuring

To improve policing and services, the SAPS management has adopted a flatter organisational structure that will incorporate the advantages of decentralising work and authority, and make specialised skills available at police stations.

The restructuring of the SAPS focuses on:

• reducing policing levels from four to three, namely national, provincial and station level
• reducing provincial and national structures to improve co-ordination, and providing functional policing and support services
• redeploying to station-level certain specialised operational policing functions to ensure crimes are investigated where they occur
• ensuring that each station has national-, provincial- and area-skilled persons to increase the leadership, management, decision-making and skill levels at stations dealing with crime challenges unique to that station
• empowering station commissioners to render a comprehensive service and effectively manage all resources
• amending accountability frameworks to assess the performance of stations and station commissioners in terms of standardised performance indicators.

The most important change will be the dissolution of area offices, which are expected to devolve to the various police stations as part of the station-empowerment strategy.

Experienced operational managers and personnel from 43 area offices in the nine provinces, and from the national and provincial offices where necessary, have been redeployed to police stations to boost their administrative and operational managerial ability and increase the staff complement.

Regional and continental initiatives

The department has provided support to government’s regional and continental objectives by implementing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on the Control of Firearms through the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation (SARPCCO) and the African Union (AU) Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism.

It also provides operational support and institutional capacity-building to police agencies in southern Africa through SARPCCO, e.g. in Rwanda. These initiatives aim at promoting development, stability and security, and will have a positive impact on policing in South Africa through shared information and experiences.

The SAPS formed part of the South African contingent that assisted the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in preparing for general elections. It was also a key component of the civilian police structure built into the programme of the AU Mission in the Sudan, working towards permanent peace in that country. The civilian police comprised members of police services from 16 African countries.

The SAPS assisted the Sudanese police by:

• facilitating communication between them and local communities
• providing technical assistance requested by the

Sudanese Government and police authorities. The SAPS has co-operation agreements with France, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, the Russian Federation, Hungary, Egypt, China, Nigeria, Mozambique, Portugal, Swaziland and the People’s Republic of China. Negotiations are ongoing to include more countries on its list of international partners against organised crime.

South Africa is among 182 countries whose police structures are affiliated to Interpol. It has a number of liaison officers based at South African missions abroad to interact continuously with its counterparts in detecting international crime. The SAPS is involved in removing and destroying weapons and ammunition in Mozambique and the DRC.

Technology

The Secretariat of Safety and Security has invested substantially in new technology in various areas of its operations. A firearm-control system provides a mechanism for managing all business processes concerning all firearms and ammunition, from the point of manufacture or import and ownership, to the point of export or destruction.

By mid-2007, the Border Control Co-ordinating Committee and the Department of Public Works were constructing and upgrading ports of entry. This included installing modern technology with improved satellite and electronic-surveillance systems.

Technological advances that have been introduced in the forensic science support environment include the Integrated Ballistics Identification System, the DNA Criminal Database, the Criminal Intelligence Database and the National Drug Intelligence Database. Advanced information management technology is being implemented at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Pretoria.

A genetic sample processing system has been installed at the FSL, which is used for DNA analysis.

A high-tech project centre, which co-ordinates information and the use of skills and technology to support investigators in identifying suspects, opposing bail, apprehending wanted persons and establishing links between cases of a serious nature, has been established.

The National Traffic Information System, led by the Department of Transport, enables various stakeholders to share information regarding vehicles to combat vehicle-related crime. The Vehicle Circulation System of the SAPS and that of the Department of Transport were interfaced in 2001 and 2002. This system is also linked to the SAPS Crime Administration System.

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SAPS divisions

A national commissioner heads the SAPS. Five deputy national commissioners (under whom the divisions and components of the SAPS fall) and nine provincial commissioners (under whom the provinces fall) report to the National Commissioner.

Visible Policing and Cluster Management fall under the Deputy National Commissioner: Operational Services. The detective service, crime intelligence, criminal record and forensic science services fall under the Deputy National Commissioner: Crime Intelligence and Crime Detection.

The Protection and Security Service, Supply Chain Management (SCM) and the National Inspectorate fall under the Deputy National Commissioner: SCM, Protection, Security and Evaluation.

Career Management, Training, Legal Services, Strategic Management and Finance and Administration fall under the Deputy National Commissioner: Human Capital Development, Legal and Financial Administration, and Legal Services.

Personnel Services, Efficiency Services, Information and Systems Management (ISM), Communication and Liaison Services and Internal Audit fall under the Deputy National Commissioner: Personnel Management and Organisational Development.

Visible Policing

Visible Policing is responsible for providing a proactive and reactive policing service. It is regarded as a line function and its components are visible policing, social-crime prevention, police emergency services, specialised operations, firearms and liquor control, borderline operations and crime-combating operations.

Visible Policing is responsible for combating crime through anti-crime operations, activities at police stations, high visibility and the availability of police officials at grassroots level. It also oversees sector policing, reservists, municipal police services and closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance.

Social-Crime Prevention deals with crimes affecting the social fabric of society, including crimes against women and children. Through its VEP, 594 victim-friendly facilities have been established at police stations nationwide.

During 2006/07, 11 victim-friendly facilities were upgraded. The VEP has the Safe Schools Programme, and the Drug-Reduction-in-Schools pilot project was launched in Pretoria, in 2007.

A joint action plan for school safety developed by the national Department of Education and the SAPS was expected to be implemented in 2007/08. It aims to address issues ranging from reducing behavioural and social challenges such as bullying, the use of weapons, child abuse and gangsterism to strengthening infrastructure and environmental issues that contribute to crime in schools.

The unit’s Children Living in Streets Programme facilitates protective safety nets for children living on the street by mobilising a network of service-providers to reunite children with their families and reintegrate them into their communities. Two pilot projects have been running in Hillbrow and Sunnyside, Gauteng.

The Police Emergency Services responds to crimes in progress, and provides dog and mounted services. Hostage and suicide negotiators, police divers and uniformed units such as the 10111 emergency centres and the Flying Squad provide specialised services.

Police Emergency Services is also responsible for optimising the Integrated Crime-Prevention Road Policing Strategy, which aims to improve safety and order in the road environment by preventing and combating criminality and lawlessness.

Firearms and Liquor Control eradicates the proliferation of firearms for use in crime and violence in South Africa. The component also ensures effective compliance and enforcement of liquor-control legislation to address serious, violent and contact crimes.

Specialised Operations provides a rapid-response capacity for intervening in extreme situations where normal policing is ineffective, such as: combating public violence, stabilising serious- and violent-crime incidents, policing public gatherings, rendering specialised operational support (including the Air Wing and Special Task Force) and handling high-risk operations.

The Air Wing has received an additional helicopter for each province. A second air-wing unit, which was established at Bulembu in the Eastern Cape, will serve the East London, Bhisho and Mthatha areas. Two newly-acquired Squirrel helicopters with spray equipment will make it possible to regularly do dagga-spraying in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

Borderline Operations combats transnational crimes at air, sea and land borderlines. Air Borderline Control polices more than 1 000 smaller airfields and airstrips.

Sea Borderline Control is responsible for policing smaller sea harbours and slipways, including the South African ocean up to the 300 nautical mile zone.

Land Borderline Control polices the South African land borderline. The SAPS’ process of taking over the borderline-control function from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is expected to be finalised in 2009.

Crime-Combating Operations combats crime and maintains public order. In this section, Mobilisation and Operational Support renders comprehensive administrative support to external, national mobilisations, deployments and special duties.

It also provides logistical and vehicle-fleet support to all SAPS mobilisations and activities to address crime.

Cluster Co-ordination

Cluster Co-ordination is responsible for coordinating the planning and monitoring of identified major joint intelligence and operational structure events, i.e. the 2010 World Cup and the Twenty20 Cricket World Championships, held in September 2007.

The Secretariat of the JCPS Cluster is responsible for the functioning of the cluster in terms of its administration and liaison with other departments regarding all interdepartmental issues, e.g. the Forum of South African Directors-General, SARPCCO and the AU Standby Forces.

It reports on the JCPS Cluster’s Programme of Action (PoA). This includes co-ordinating, receiving, consolidating and distributing JCPS project cards, progress reports, Cabinet memoranda and presentations on the PoA.

Detective Service

This division is responsible for maintaining an effective crime-investigation service. It investigates crimes and gathers all related evidence required by the prosecuting authority to redress crime, including organised crime, commercial crime and crime against women and children.

Crime Intelligence

This division of the SAPS is responsible for centralised intelligence and for managing, coordinating and analysing information-gathering. It also provides technical-intelligence support to the operational components of crime intelligence and, where necessary, to other operational divisions of the SAPS.

Criminal Record and Forensic Science Services

This division consists of the Criminal Record Centre (CRC) and FSL.

Criminal Record Centre

The Automated Fingerprint Information System’s (AFIS) palm-print extension and matcher upgrade have been successfully maintained since its implementation in December 2004. The palm-print extension has contributed to solving crime in the SAPS and 6 329 suspects have been identified at crime scenes with the assistance of this technology.

Its implementation has also increased accuracy in the 10-print matching process. Of the more than eight million fingerprint forms processed on AFIS during 2006, the system positively identified more than 30%.

The CRC has procured 108 live-scan booking stations capable of capturing finger and palm prints electronically. This is expected to improve the quality of prints to be added to the AFIS database, which will enhance the ability to arrest identified suspects.

Forensic Science Laboratory

The FSL in Pretoria has implemented revolutionary new technology that will quadruple the laboratory’s capacity to process DNA samples.

Previously, some 200 samples were processed manually daily, but the newly implemented Automated Genetic Sample Processing System (GSPS) is expected to handle 800 samples daily.

The GSPS – the only one of its kind in the world – is a robotic system that combines engineering and science, to improve the police’s capacity in processing DNA samples. Between April and September 2006, DNA analysis was done for over 2 000 cases.

In 2006/07, the FSL finalised 48 670 biological cases, and the Integrated Ballistics Information System received 168 732 cases. On average, the laboratory receives up to 30 firearms a day, and a comparison takes up to three days to complete.

In a world first, the country’s Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town databases were expected to be linked by June 2007.

The FSL has acquired a video spectral comparator infrared-apparatus to help differentiate between inks and documents, and detect alterations, additions and obliterations on documents. It has also acquired gas chromatograph mass spectrometers to assist in analysing drug-related cases. The Craig Micro Spectrometer was obtained to analyse the colour of varied material.

Protection and Security Services

This division comprises the VIP Protection Service, Static and Mobile Security, Operational Support, Railway Policing, Government Security Regulator and Ports of Entry Security.

The VIP Protection Service protects and secures the national and provincial executive of South Africa, comprising the President, Deputy President, former presidents, national ministers, premiers, members of provincial executive committees and any other office bearer whose safety is of national importance.

This component is also responsible for protecting visiting foreign dignitaries who qualify for protection, and judges and magistrates presiding over trials where their safety may be threatened.

Static and Mobile Security provides comprehensive static security cover to all identified strategic government installations, including residences and offices of identified VIPs.

Railway Policing prevents and combats organised crime, serious and violent crime, and crimes against women and children in the rail environment.

The Government Security Regulator regulates physical security in the public sector and strategic installations, and administers the National Key Points Act, 1980 (Act 102 of 1980) [PDF].

Incident Management develops control centres and protocols for the monitoring of operations, and limits the probability and manages the impact of critical incidents in the operational sphere of Protection and Security Services.

The Security Advisory Service is responsible for evaluating all ports of entry (harbours, airports and border ports) and auditing the physical security at all government departments and VIP’s residences and offices.

Ports of Entry Security is responsible for the security of all ports of entry into South Africa.

Operational Support ensures the operational success of the division, by way of financial management, human-resource (HR) management, auxiliary services, management services and SCM. It also facilitates, develops and co-ordinates policies; conducts inspections; and determines operational standards within the division.

Supply Chain Management

This division is responsible for meeting the total logistical needs of the SAPS through effective and efficient demand, acquisition, logistical, disposal and performance management.

In April 2006, the SAPS took over custodianship of all functional SAPS accommodation from the Department of Public Works.

The R600-million SAPS radio centre in Midrand, Gauteng, that opened in October 2007 is designed to accommodate all of Gauteng’s emergency services in a single provincial call centre, with the number 10111. Existing 10111-centres will be integrated into the new centre, which was expected to be fully operational by mid-December 2007. The centre’s digital trunked radio network will provide coverage for all of Gauteng and thus better police radio communication on all roads, in sports stadiums, shopping and convention centres, and airports.

Additional funds have been made available to procure more vehicles for the SAPS.

National Inspectorate

The National Inspectorate of the SAPS was reorganised in March 2007 when the National Commissioner signed the policy to centralise command and control of all provincial evaluation capacities.

Its inspection activity, unless otherwise directed by top management or special requests of provincial commissioners, is generally directed by information obtained at the Management Information Centre, where various analyses are done to promote intelligence-driven inspections.

Career Management

This division renders a people-centred HR service to all personnel and ensures their optimal deployment. It provides HR support and capacity-building to the SAPS, including management interventions, career coaching, career alignment and strategic workforce planning.

Training

The division is, among other things, responsible for the following in the SAPS:

• researching, designing and developing all policing-related education, training and development (ETD) learning programmes
• generating, maintaining and quality assuring all ETD system standards
• facilitating skills development
• managing basic training and management development
• managing field training
• managing in-service and specialised skills training

There are 22 training institutions countrywide that strategically provide quality training according to the Workplace Skills Plan of the SAPS.

To qualify for recruitment into the SAPS, new trainees have to undergo training for 12 months before they are enlisted. Thereafter, they are subjected to a further 12-month probation.

During the first six months, recruits are trained at any one of the training institutes throughout South Africa. The next six months are for field training at a designated training station.

After the first 12 months, the recruits are monitored and assessed as part of their probation. This is supplemented by various in-service training courses for specialisation.

The detective-learning programme has been increased from six to 14 weeks and is presented at the detective academies in Hammanskraal, Gauteng, and Paarl in the Western Cape. The detectives complete courses, including those connected to counter terrorism, commercial crime, organised crime, family violence, child protection and sexual offences, and serious and violent crime.

The development and training of all employees within the SAPS will remain a priority to ensure and enhance police capacity and effectiveness. As part of the ongoing expansion of the police service, 11 360 learners entered basic-training institutions across the country in 2007. They completed the National Certificate in Policing, which covers basic policing. A total of 1 500 investigators were trained in the Detective Learning Programme. Some of the 125 detective commanders from Gauteng were expected to be trained in the new Detective Commanders course, which would enhance their managerial skills. The Intelligence Trade Craft Learning Programme, which was developed in cooperation with all intelligence agencies, is set to equip members to act on information gathered and to initiate intelligence-driven operations to support crime fighting.

The Street Survival and Techniques course continues to provide functional members with the required skills to perform their duties in a safe and efficient manner. By mid-2007, more than 15 500 members had been trained.

During 2006/07, management courses focusing on police-specific subjects were presented to junior, middle and executive employees within the SAPS.

Legal Services

This division mainly provides a legal advisory service to the SAPS in respect of the development, interpretation, application and implementation of policy; the drafting of legislation; the management of litigious matters; the administration and management of contracts and agreements; arbitration; the management of national and international crime operations; special projects; the promotion of corporate identity and good governance; and the general administration and management of legal services.

Strategic Management

The functions of this component include facilitating the development and compilation of a strategic plan for the SAPS, facilitating the development of operational plans in support of the strategic plan at all levels, co-ordinating the strategic implementation of plans, and co-ordinating strategic monitoring and evaluation in the SAPS.

Various plans such as the Firearms Strategy, Prevention of Attacks and Killings of Police Officials, the Corruption and Fraud Prevention Strategy, and the Risk Management Strategy have been developed to assist with the implementation of strategic plans.

The component has a research unit that coordinates all research requests and conducts surveys.

Finance and Administration

This division ensures that the SAPS’ budget is managed cost-effectively, manages financial and auxiliary services and oversees the management and use of all resources in accordance with relevant directives and legislation. It has a capacity for support and interventions at national level pertaining to, among other things, managing the national budget.

Personnel Services

This division manages personnel-related matters in support of the operational priorities of the SAPS. It consists of the following three components:

• Employee Assistance Services maintains a professional occupational social-work service, as well as a disability and HIV- and AIDS-support service. It offers a professional spiritual-support service; conducts psychological interventions and evaluations; and manages, develops and enhances sport and recreation within the SAPS. It provides a national call-centre service and functions as a 24-hour helpline for the wellness of SAPS members.
• Personnel Provision and Maintenance comprises Promotions and Awards, and Personnel Provision.
• Service Terminations and Behaviour Management comprises three sections, namely Medical Administration, Service Absence and Terminations, and Behaviour Management.

Efficiency Services

Efficiency Services is responsible for organisational development and maintenance in the SAPS. Its functions include developing and maintaining organisational structures, working procedures and methods, and official forms and registers within the framework of the strategic objectives of the service.

Other functions include organisational and business-process analyses and design, resource establishment, facilitation of managerial processes, and dealing with relevant organisational enquiries.

Information and Systems Management

The ISM’s strategy, which will be implemented over several years, focuses on three operational areas. The first intervention aims at modernising and expanding the number of personal computers, printers and fax machines. The second focuses on modernising and expanding the hosting capabilities and network infrastructure. The third entails implementing a range of strategic initiatives for leveraging the full potential of information systems and information and communications technologies.

Communication and Liaison Services

Communication and Liaison Services promotes the image of the SAPS by:

• meeting the organisation’s communication needs through internal and external communication, and by dealing with the local and international media
• building community relations
• doing communication planning, research and marketing
• making the best use of various mediums of communication such as POL TV, Police File, the SAPS Journal, the SAPS website and intranet
• producing training videos.

The component preserves and promotes the image, identity and heritage of the SAPS. It is responsible for the SAPS library, music services, museum protocol, and film and TV liaison.

Internal Audit

Internal Audit evaluates and contributes to improving the risk management, control and governance systems of the SAPS. To achieve its objectives, the component considers the adequacy and effectiveness of controls and the likelihood of risk, and recommends improvements.

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Preparations for the 2010 World Cup

South Africa is expected to deploy 30 000 police officers specifically to ensure the safety of visitors to the country during the 2010 World Cup. There will be one police officer to every 10 foreign tourists expected for the duration of the event.

The Government plans to increase the number of police officers in the country from 156 000 to more than 190 000 over the next three years.

These numbers will be bolstered further by South Africa’s police-reservist (volunteer) service, which had about 30 000 active members by 2007 and was expected to grow to 80 000 by 2009, supported by an additional government budget of R260 million. By mid-2007, the SAPS was strengthening its partnerships with the country’s 300 000-strong private-security industry, as well as with local communities.

The SAPS was allocated an additional R600 million to prepare for the World Cup, mostly to purchase equipment ranging from light aircraft to retractable fencing. Other equipment needed includes mobile command centres, water cannons, crime-scene trailers, new armour for vehicles, new tools for bomb squads and light aircraft for patrolling the skies above World Cup venues and equipped with video cameras to send live footage to officers on the ground.

Each stadium will have one or two mobile police centres featuring high-tech monitoring equipment with which to perform functions such as identity checks.

In addition, every host city will have a dedicated 2010 police station with separate holding cells, a courtroom for speedy judgments and a home affairs office for possible deportations.

International police officers from every country playing in the event will also be present, wearing their own uniforms, to assist the SAPS and public.

Business Against Crime (BAC)

BAC was formed in 1996 at the request of former President Nelson Mandela. For business to play a pivotal role in supporting government’s crime-fighting initiatives, its resources and skills are needed.

BAC is a section 21 not-for-profit organisation mandated to support government in the fight against crime. The organisation is primarily funded by business-sector donations, and has a presence in seven provinces with a national office in Johannesburg.

The BAC’s vision is for a safe and secure South Africa where its people and businesses live without the threat of crime and violence.

The BAC’s mission is to:

• facilitate an effective and close working relationship between government and industry in the fight against crime
• facilitate the implementation of a long-term social-crime prevention strategy with government
• partner business with international organisations to support government in the fight against crime
• facilitate the alignment of business-wide and other relevant non-governmental organisations’ crime-fighting initiatives
• facilitate the achievement of government’s goals for reducing crime, as set out in the National Crime-Prevention Strategy and departmental plans
• leverage resources, skills and the expertise of business to assist government in attaining an effective and efficient criminal justice system (CJS)
• build community and business confidence and support by communicating the successes of the fight against crime consistently and aggressively.

Programmes

The BAC’s seven programmes include:

• The Criminal Justice Strengthening Programme that is designed to build, support and strengthen the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, through the professional management of courts and court services.
• The Tiisa Thuto Programme that seeks to teach scholars non-violent methods of conflict-resolution and positive morality, including life skills and personal values, to reduce crime and violence and improve standards of learning.
• The Support Programme for Police Stations, which aims to improve service delivery at police stations through effective management, best practices, and skills and capacity development.
• The Commercial Crime (including fraud and corruption) Programme, which established specialised commercial court centres (SCCCs) countrywide, staffed by specialists, to convict people awaiting trial quickly and efficiently, and secure appropriate sentences. The SCCCs have an average conviction rate of between 97% and 98%.
• The Organised Crime Programme aims to reduce large-scale syndicated crimes by removing the commercial benefit of trading in stolen goods, as well as ensuring the effective prosecution of offenders. The focus is on vehicle theft and hijacking, and the theft of cellphones and copper cables. Business processes within the vehicle-management system aim to root out fraud and corruption and improve service delivery. The Cellphone Blacklisting Agreement, brokered by BAC, was signed on 13 April 2005 by the SAPS, Cell C, MTN and Vodacom.
• The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has been reorganised into functional business units that have a proper management structure and accountability criteria at all levels. The programme involves implementing financial policies and procedures for managing the department in accordance with good business practice and generally accepted accounting principles.
• The Support Programme seeks to enhance the department’s internal capacity through a number of interventions, to address overcrowding and recidivism in prisons.
• The BAC National Vehicle Crime Project, that includes the microdotting of vehicles as a measure against vehicle theft, was among the programmes consolidated in 2007. By mid2007, government and the business sector were discussing a best-practice model for motor-vehicle registration and licensing to reduce fraud and corruption.

All programmes have clear and appropriate performance and delivery goals that the BAC board, government, donors and sponsors review continually.

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Presidential Working Group on Big Business

In April 2007, President Thabo Mbeki met with the Big Business Working Group in Pretoria. The state of electricity generation, transmission and consumption in South Africa and plans for improving energy security over the short to long term were presented. The Joint Government/ Business Team tackling crime-fighting explained the initiatives that they had taken as well as their Government/Business “Step Change” crime-fighting initiative that involved close collaboration between the Government and business.

The group had four work groups for reducing violent organised crime, improving the effectiveness of the CJS, social mobilising and enhancing overall service delivery. They would be focusing on crimes such as house robberies, vehicle robbery, and cash-in-transit and business heists in the short term.

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Defence

The Constitution, the Defence Act, 2002 (Act 42 of 2002) [PDF], and the White Paper on Defence and the Defence Review, mandate the Department of Defence. These laws and policies direct and guide the functions of the Department of Defence and the SANDF.

The mission of the Department of Defence is to provide, manage, prepare and employ defence capabilities commensurate with the needs of South Africa, as regulated by the Constitution, national legislation, and parliamentary and executive direction. The department’s mission success-factors involve:

• national consensus on defence
• excellent strategic direction
• excellent resource management
• effective combat and support forces
• professionalism in the conduct of operations
• successful implementation of the transformation process.

Ongoing transformation has drastically changed the functions of the department from offensive to defensive. Not only has the posture been amended to primarily defensive, but it is now described as non-threatening. It is gradually withdrawing from its involvement in support of the police and other protection agencies.

As a key player in regional peace efforts, and as a committed member of the SADC and the AU, the department is participating in various initiatives aimed at securing peace and stability in Africa.

By April 2007, the Department of Defence had deployed 14 defence attachés in Africa, and was planning to add 15 more by 2008.

The defence budget was expected to remain constant over the next three years, with R25,9 billion set aside for 2007/08, R28 billion for 2008/09, and R28,6 billion for 2009/10.

Legislation

Defence Act, 2002

The Defence Act, 2002 regulates the defence function.

National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) Act, 2002 (Act 41 of 2002)

The NCACC Act, 2002 [PDF] establishes, among other things, the NCACC (a committee of ministers of which the Minister of Defence is a member) as a statutory body to ensure compliance with government policies in respect of arms control, and to provide guidelines and criteria to be used when assessing applications for permits.

National conventional arms-control regulations dealing with applications for permits and the list of dual-use goods, technologies and munitions that are subject to control were published in May 2004. The NCACC’s Policy for the Control of Trade in Conventional Arms was promulgated in January 2004.

Protection of Constitutional Democracy and Related Activities Act, 2004 (Act 33 of 2004)

The Protection of Constitutional Democracy and Related Activities Act, 2004 [PDF] came into force on 20 April 2005. Given the scale and nature of contemporary terrorist threats and activities, it is conceivable that military action, including action in fulfilling international obligations, and action exceeding the usual service in co-operation with the SAPS, could be required in future.

Any military action surpassing service in cooperation with the SAPS and aimed at preventing or combating terrorism within South Africa must be in defence of the country, its sovereign territory, its citizens or its political independence.

Only the President may authorise the deployment of the SANDF in defence of South Africa or in co-operation with the SAPS.

Functions

The SANDF may be employed for:

• defending South Africa, and for protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity
• compliance with South Africa’s international obligations regarding international bodies and other states
• preserving life, health and property
• providing and maintaining essential services
• upholding law and order in South Africa in co-operation with the SAPS, under circumstances set out in legislation, where the SAPS is unable to maintain law and order on its own
• supporting any state department for the purpose of socio-economic upliftment
• functions in support of national interests.

Defence Strategy

The Department of Defence’s Defence Strategy is based on the Constitution, the White Paper on Defence, the Defence Review and the National Security Strategy.

The Defence Strategy endeavours to perform the functions as set out in legislation and policy, which include defence of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and people of South Africa. It also includes promoting the regional and continental security initiatives of the South African Government.

The Defence Strategy promotes good departmental governance and the continuous improvement of defence capabilities, and also ensures that resources are provided to all required elements of the Department of Defence.

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Military Strategy

The Military Strategy of South Africa is derived from the Constitution, the Defence Review, the White Paper on Defence and the National Security Strategy. The National Security Strategy is derived from implied national interests, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Peace and Security and JCPS Cluster objectives.

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Military strategic objectives

The purpose of military strategic objectives is to defend South Africa in accordance with the United Nations (UN) Charter, which allows for any country to defend itself. This self-defence aims at protecting the country and its territorial integrity. The military strategic objectives of the SANDF are the following:

• Enhancing and maintaining comprehensive defence capabilities by providing self-defence in accordance with international law against any external aggression which endangers the stability of South Africa.
• Promoting peace, security and stability in the region and on the continent. The purpose is to provide armed forces for external deployment in accordance with international obligations, or support to enhance security of decisions by the executive.
• Supporting the people of South Africa by being employed for service in South Africa. This could be by means of operations other than war during periods when the responsible state departments do not have the capacity to do so.

Missions

The SANDF uses a mission-based approach to achieve the military strategic objectives of the Department of Defence. This approach allows for wartime and peacetime missions to direct the peacetime strategy for force preparation, and to guide joint and combined force preparation and force employment during times of conflict. The missions envisaged for the next 10 years include:

• repelling conventional and unconventional onslaught
• peace-support operations
• health support
• defence diplomacy
• special-forces operations
• support to other government departments
• disaster relief and humanitarian assistance
• presidential tasks.

Military strategic concepts

The military strategic concepts describe the procedures to be followed to meet military strategic objectives:

• Providing mission-essential training: The SANDF educates, trains and develops its soldiers in the essential skills required to execute the tasks necessary to accomplish its missions. It focuses on force training and preparation aligned with the allocated budget.
• Establishing a mission-trained force: The SANDF is to have the capability to establish a mission-trained force that can engage in specific missions. The force will be relatively small, but must ultimately be prepared according to the missions and capabilities required.
• Selective engagement where possible: The SANDF will execute all missions as ordered, but will be selective in the courses of action it will follow, the force levels it will field, as well as the capabilities and resources it will provide and maintain. It focuses on consciously taking calculated strategic and operational risks.
• Strategic positioning: This entails establishing early-warning mechanisms, such as deploying military attachés and getting involved in subregional institutions to enhance peace and security in the region. This supports development initiatives such as the SADC and AU.

Military strategic capabilities

The SANDF’s capabilities constitute the means of the strategy and consist of:

• command and control, communications, information technology, information, intelligence, infrastructure, reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities
• light mobile capability
• conventional warfare capability
• support capability.

Human Resource 2010 Strategy

A key initiative to sustain the Department of Defence’s state of readiness in the context of people-centred transformation is the HR 2010 Strategy (HR 2010).

HR 2010 aims to ensure that the department has the most effective, efficient and economical HR composition of both uniformed and civilian members to deliver on its mandate and support for government.

Military Skills Development System (MSDS)

The MSDS, launched in 2003, aims to ensure a continuous intake of young, healthy South Africans into the SANDF. This is to rejuvenate the Regular Force and supply the Reserve Force.

The MSDS not only provides young South Africans with military skills, but also contributes to their social upliftment by providing them with skills that they will use in their civilian lives after completing their military service.

It also provides the youth with employment opportunities. By mid-2007, of the total strength of 5 166 MSDS soldiers, 1 536 or 30% were women. The MSDS was also planning to attract and recruit a sizeable number of white young men and women, whose representation was just 6%.

Through the MSDS, the South African Navy (SA Navy) has provided on average 600 young men and women per year the opportunity to complete the two-year Military Skills Development Programme. Nearly 60% of these people were subsequently afforded the opportunity to migrate to the Core Career Service System and now serve as proud members of the SA Navy. The remaining 40% were helped to find relevant employment and were incorporated into the SA Navy Reserves.

Organisational structure

Defence Secretariat

The Department of Defence adheres to the principles of civil control and oversight through the Minister of Defence, through various parliamentary committees such as the Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) and the Defence Secretariat. While the minister is responsible for providing political direction to the department, the JSCD ensures that the Executive Authority (Minister of Defence) remains accountable to Parliament. However, for day-to-day administration and the coordination of strategic processes, the Minister of Defence relies on the Defence Secretariat, which is the civilian leg of the department.

The Secretary for Defence heads the Defence Secretariat.

In terms of the Defence Act, 2002, the Defence Secretariat is responsible for:

• supporting the Secretary for Defence in his/her capacity as the head of the department, the accounting officer for the department and the principal departmental adviser to the Minister of Defence
• performing any functions entrusted by the minister to the Secretary for Defence, in particular those necessary or expedient to enhance civil control by Parliament over the Department of Defence, parliamentary committees overseeing the Department of Defence, and the Minister of Defence over the Department of Defence
• providing the SANDF with comprehensive instructions regarding the exercise of powers
• monitoring compliance with policies and directions issued by the Minister of Defence to the SANDF, and reporting on them to the minister
• ensuring discipline of, administrative control over, and the management of employees, including effective utilisation and training
• instituting departmental investigations as may be provided for by the law.

Chief of the South African National Defence Force

The functions of the Chief of the SANDF include:

• advising the Minister of Defence on any military, operational and administrative matters
• complying with directions issued by the Minister of Defence under the authority of the President, as contemplated in the Constitution
• formulating and issuing policies and doctrines
• exercising command by issuing orders, directives and instructions
• directing management and administration
• executing approved programmes of the defence budget
• employing the armed forces in accordance with legislation
• training the armed forces
• maintaining defence capabilities
• planning contingencies
• managing the defence force as a disciplined military force.

Inspector-General

The Inspector-General provides management information to the Secretary for Defence. This is derived from performance and regulatory internal audits based on the risks derived from the Department of Defence Risk Register and results gained from survey analyses.

Policy and Planning

The Policy and Planning Division comprises the Defence Policy, HR Policy and Strategic Management components. The functions of this subprogramme include, but are not limited to:

• providing advice relating to general defence policies to the Minister of Defence, Deputy Minister of Defence, Secretary for Defence and the Chief of the SANDF
• overseeing the strategic management, planning and strategic control processes of the department
• managing the policy-formulation process of the department
• drawing up, promulgating and presenting the departmental plan to Parliament
• ensuring integration and performance analyses of management systems in the department
• interpreting input and influences that could affect the overall national defence strategy
• regulating conventional arms transfers in accordance with government policy
• co-ordinating the drawing up of national contingency plans for a state of national defence.

Managing transformation

The Transformation Project aims to:

• maximise defence capabilities through an affordable and sustainable force design and structure
• minimise defence costs using business processes, i.e. engineering and restructuring of especially the support structures
• institutionalise appropriate leadership, command and management practices, philosophy and principles
• align defence policies, plans and management with overall government transformation and administrative-reform initiatives
• ensure compliance with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), 1999 (Act 1 of 1999) [PDF], as amended by Act 29 of 1999 [PDF] and National Treasury regulations.

After comprehensive research, seven shared values for the department were approved:

• military professionalism
• human dignity
• integrity
• leadership
• accountability
• loyalty
• patriotism.

Operations

Conventional

In the event of a conventional military threat against South Africa, the broad joint concept of operations will be as follows:

• land operations: the SANDF will conduct offensive, proactive and reactive land operations directed at stopping and destroying the enemy before it can penetrate South African territory
• air operations: enemy air power will be neutralised mainly through defensive counter-air operations assisted by air-mobile land operations aimed at destroying the enemy’s air force on the ground
• maritime operations: enemy maritime forces will be attacked at range, while the defence of own and friendly shipping will be enhanced by defensive patrols and escort
• South African Military Health Service (SAMHS) operations: during conventional operations, the SAMHS deploys its mobile formation in direct support of land, air and maritime operations.

Non-conventional

The broad non-conventional concepts of operations are as follows:

• support to the SAPS in maintaining law and order will be provided by general support tasks and focused rapid-reaction operations directed at priority crime and the conduct of special operations
• border control will be exercised on land, sea and air by high-technology surveillance supported by rapid-reaction forces
• general area protection will be provided by a combination of high-density and rapid-reaction operations.

Operational commitments

Operational commitments include:

• Achieving international and regional defence cooperation aims.
• Executing limited peace operations.
• Effective land, sea and air-border control.
• Maintaining law and order in support of the SAPS, with special attention to combating taxi violence, robberies and heists.
• Controlling South African maritime areas of responsibility, including the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
• When requested, providing support to civil authorities within the scope of regulations regarding:
  • the preservation of life, health and property
  • the maintenance of essential services
  • the provision of medical and health services
  • search-and-rescue operations
  • missions to the Antarctic and the southern oceans
  • diplomatic initiatives.
• Air-transport missions, including for diplomatic commitments and scheduled departmental flights.
• Area-defence operation missions.
• Multinational and joint-force preparation missions.
• Special forces missions.
• Borderline control: The SANDF deploys forces in support of the SAPS along South Africa’s international borders. The SANDF is gradually phasing out its role in this regard. SANDF deployment consists of an average of nine infantry companies patrolling selected stretches of the borderline as the situation demands, supported by elements of the SAMHS and the South African Air Force (SAAF). The SAAF contributes aircraft to deploy land forces along the land borders where necessary. It also does reconnaissance flights along the land and sea borders to assist the SA Navy in patrolling the EEZ. The SA Navy patrols the coastline, assisting the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism with the prosecution of illegal fisherfolk, while also maintaining a presence at sea, thereby deterring other criminal activities such as drug smuggling.

The SAAF further assists the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the SAPS border component in reducing the incidence of illegal aircraft flights into the country which, in most cases, are involved with smuggling. The SAMHS is the confirming authority for all flight medicals for air crew registered with the CAA.

Other defence commitments

The Department of Defence’s other commitments are to:

• achieve a reasonable level military diplomacy by:
  • placing and controlling of defence attachés
  • establishing and maintaining bi- and multilateral agreements
  • participating in the activities of the defence structures of multinational organisations such as the UN, AU and SADC (especially in the Interstate Defence and Security Committee)
• meet the international obligations of the Department of Defence in line with international agreements, which may include search-andrescue and hydrography
• provide communications-security services to other state departments
• administer the National Key Points Act, 1980 [PDF]
• provide healthcare for the President and Deputy President.

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Force employment

In accordance with the Force-Employment Strategy approved in 2002, force-employment structures provide for operational level structures to enhance command and control, cost-efficiency and functional differentiation at Joint Operations Division’s military-strategic, operational and tactical levels. This ensures that the department’s core strategic objectives are addressed effectively.

For internal operations, nine tactical-level headquarters have been established, one in each province. If required, temporary joint task force headquarters may be created for specific operations. Combat-ready units are prepared, provided and supported, as required.

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Bases

Bases are lower-level structures provided by all the services. Units are generally clustered in or around bases, and share common facilities and services. Bases exercise administrative control, but not command over attached units.

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One Force

“One Force” comprises the regular and reserve-force components of the SANDF. The Regular Force consists of highly trained soldiers to operate and maintain a core capability, as well as sophisticated equipment and defence systems. The Reserve Force is the former part-time component of the SANDF. Members are trained to support the core defence commitment.

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Force preparation

The chiefs of the South African Army (SA Army), SAAF, SA Navy and SAMHS are responsible for the “provide forces” processes of their respective services. Formations are basic building blocks in this process.

Each formation has its own commander. A formation includes, where practical, all units and support elements related to a specific user-system type.

It is capable of providing a fully supported user system to a commander responsible for the exercising and combat-readiness of land, air, maritime and military health capabilities, such as a brigade or division commander.

A formation can provide the same service to a task-force commander appointed by the Chief of Joint Operations.

This is a considerable improvement in cost-effectiveness, while it also provides the best way of retaining core defence capabilities, especially expertise in critical mass function. Some examples of formations established by the different services are:

• SA Army – infantry, artillery or armour formations
• SAAF – direct combat system
• SA Navy – the fleet
• SAMHS – military-health formations.

A formation’s specific geographical location depends on where its combat and support units are concentrated.

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Force support

Support formations are intermediate structures with their own formation commanders. Their task is to provide combat support to type formations and other system structures.

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Military veterans

The Military Veterans Affairs Act, 1999 (Act 17 of 1999), came into effect on 1 February 2001. The regulations in terms of the Act were approved for promulgation by the Minister of Defence.

The minister appointed a chairperson and members of the Advisory Board on Military Veterans’ Affairs from nominations received from the recognised military veterans’ organisations. The President is designated as the Patron-in-Chief of all military veterans in terms of the Act.

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Resettlement

The Directorate: Personnel Separation has executed programmes at various levels in terms of HR 2010. The directorate serves as a nodal point for redeployment and resettlement.

The Department of Defence established the Personnel Rationalisation Advisory and Coordinating Committee to ensure efficient and cost-effective support programmes for resettling and redeploying of the department’s members and employees affected by separation.

The directorate has established and implemented the Social Plan, which addresses the reskilling and psychosocial needs of the department’s employees.

Professional multidisciplinary teams execute this support programme. The HR Planning Instruction guides the process of interdepartmental transfers of redeployable members and employees.

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Peace support

Based on the White Paper on South African Participation in International Peace Missions [PDF], the SANDF continues to support peace missions.

Some 2 500 SANDF soldiers are deployed at any given day in peace support and related operations outside South Africa’s borders.

Burundi

In 2007, Burundi requested that South Africa mediate peace talks between the Government and Palipehutu-FNL, the last rebel movement that is not part of the Arusha Agreement of 2000.

After conclusion of the UN Operation in Burundi (Onub), executed in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 1545 of 2004, which paved the way for a democratic government in Burundi, all forces withdrew to their countries of origin, including South African soldiers. Late in 2006, however, the Palipehutu-FNL also signed the Arusha Agreement [PDF] and was entitled to participate in the country’s democratic process and absorption into the Burundian National Defence Force. The AU asked South Africa and a number of African countries to provide forces to facilitate this process.

South Africa contributed 1 100 troops to the AU’s special task force in Burundu in March 2007, following the return in February 2007 of an 800strong battalion that served with the Onub. The AU Task Force took over in Burundi when the UN’s mandate ended on 31 December 2006.

Democratic Republic of Congo

South Africa has been involved with peacekeeping in the DRC since April 2001. SANDF members form part of the UN mission as military observers, staff officers and contingent members.

In terms of a bilateral agreement between the governments of South Africa and the DRC, 27 SANDF members were deployed in the DRC during February 2005 to assist with the integration of the different armed groups. This is not part of the UN mission in the DRC and facilitates the compilation of a nominal role for the DRC’s armed forces, issuing of military identity documents and team-building training of the integrated DRC forces. By May 2006, some 1 200 SANDF members were deployed in the DRC.

Sudan

Since July 2004, when 10 SANDF members were deployed to the Sudan as observers, about 500 more South African soldiers have been deployed there in support of the AU Mission in Sudan.

Ethiopia and Eritrea

Six military observers and staff officers form part of the UN and AU missions that have been deployed in Ethiopia and Eritrea since December 2002.

Nepal

Two South African soldiers have been deployed in Nepal since March 2007, as staff officer and observer, respectively.

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Acquisition of weapon systems

Directorate: Army Acquisition

The Directorate: Army Acquisition is engaged in various capital projects at various stages of execution. The projects include upgrades of existing equipment and several major new systems. A number of upgrades were also completed.

A major focus area is the SA Army’s armoured combat-vehicle capability. This includes Mamba, Casspir, Olifant Mk II main battle tank, Rooikat armoured car and GV6 self-propelled gun systems that are all being upgraded to extend their usage, while the new infantry combat-vehicle and supply-support vehicle programmes are close to being contracted.

The infantry’s indirect fire capability and antitank missile systems were expected to be commissioned by the end of 2007 and 2008, respectively. The Hornet rapid-deployment vehicle system for special forces entered into service at the end of 2006, and the Gecko rapid-deployment logistical vehicle, destined for use by airborne forces, was also handed over to the SA Army by the end of 2006.

The directorate focused on several engineering projects, with a new water-provision system to be commissioned from the end of 2009, when enhanced mine-detection and earth-moving systems will also be commissioned.

The acquisition of phase one of a tactical intelligence system (TIS) has been contracted. The TIS consists of a tactical intelligence centre at brigade level and a tactical intelligence-control post at regimental level.

Directorate: Air Force Acquisition

Following the delay in the certification of the avionics software of the Hawk lead-in fighter trainer aircraft, ministerial approval for a contract change proposal to allow for a phased release to service has been received. According to the phased release, aircraft are delivered with interim software certification configuration. The full fleet of 24 Hawks was expected to be delivered to the SAAF in its final configuration by April 2008.

The Gripen Advanced Light Fighter Aircraft is still under development, with a series of production activities under way. The test flight programme at the Test Flight and Development Centre (TFDC) at Bredasdorp (to complete the certification phase in the Western Cape) was scheduled for completion in October 2007.

Delivery of the first production aircraft was planned for the first quarter of 2008. Delivery of the remaining dual-seat aircraft will commence from the third quarter of 2008, with the last single-seat aircraft being delivered at the end of 2011. The initial cadre of Gripen groundcrew training in Sweden started in February 2007 and was expected to be completed by June 2007.

The first batch of Agusta A109 light-utility helicopters has been commissioned at the SAAF Helicopter Flying School. Delivery of the rest of the fleet continued to the various squadrons, with final handover to the SAAF expected during 2007.

The Super Lynx maritime helicopter project has commenced with production in the United Kingdom. The first deliveries were scheduled for 2007 and handover to the SAAF in 2008.

As part of a government initiative, an international partnership has been formed with Airbus Military to rejuvenate the local aviation industry. This has resulted in an acquisition contract for eight A400M large military-transport aircraft.

Substantial orders for structural components for the worldwide fleet of aircraft were placed with local companies in accordance with contractual agreements. Based on the present development plan, the first South African aircraft should be delivered by the end of 2010.

In addition to these major programmes, a host of smaller upgrade projects are also being implemented. These will enhance existing capabilities and improve the efficacy of ageing equipment to extend their effective service to the optimum.

Directorate: Naval Acquisition

Two frigates, SAS Spioenkop and SAS Mendi, were commissioned and handed over to the SA Navy early in 2007.

By mid-2007, the project was in the final stages of integration into the SA Navy and was expected to run for an additional year to complete the integration of the maritime helicopter due for delivery to South Africa in mid-2007.

The 209 submarine, SAS Charlotte Maxeke, was commissioned and named on 14 March 2007. She departed from Germany on 16 March 2007, escorted by SAS Drakensberg and, after a 8 000nautical mile journey, arrived in Simon’s Town on 26 April 2007.

By mid-2007, the third submarine, SAS Queen Modjadji, was undergoing sea acceptance trials and was expected to arrive in South Africa in 2008.

Phase one of the Underwater Signature Measurement System was expected to be handed over to the SA Navy in December 2007, with phase two following about 18 months later.

Command and Management Information System

It is envisaged that formal acquisition of the first components of the tactical telecommunications system will commence early in 2008.

The projects for a mobile and transportable power-provision system, static and mobile telecommunications carrier system as well as a static electronic warfare system have entered their respective definition phases.

The definition of the joint tactical command and control system for brigade level and lower has been completed and the process of acquiring a solution has commenced with a planned delivery date of 2008.

South African Military Health Service System

The design of a biochemical defence system for both urban and conventional employment is being conducted.

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Facilities, Land and Environment

Facilities, Land and Environmental Management in the Department of Defence strives for the efficient management of these entities. The department has adopted the process of base conversion. The focus is on the role and responsibilities of the military process of conversion aimed at assisting role-players in closing down and re-using military bases sustainably.

The Military Integrated Training Range Guide provides military environmental managers with information that will ensure the long-term continuation of environmentally sound management practices. It will also enhance the ability of the defence sector to sustain long-term and cost-effective range operations.

The department continues to demonstrate its responsibility as the custodian of land entrusted to it through active co-operation in government’s land redistribution and restitution policies.

Over the past decade, the department has been rationalising its land portfolio and has made one third (close to a quarter million hectares) of its original estate available for non-military use.

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Armaments

Armaments Corporation of South Africa

Armscor is a statutory body established in accordance with the Armscor Limited Act, 2003 (Act 51 of 2003) [PDF]. The Minister of Defence is the executive authority responsible for Armscor. The management and control of Armscor resides with a board of directors, while its day-to-day management vests in the hands of the management board.

In executing its functions, Armscor maintains capabilities and technologies that are required to fulfil its mandate.

These include appropriate programme-management systems, the Defence Industrial Participation Programme, and the management of technology projects and strategic facilities. Armscor acquires defence material for the Department of Defence and for any organ of state that may require such services, such as the SAPS and other public entities, as approved by the Minister of Defence.

Quality assurance

Armscor provides for a quality-assurance capability in support of acquisition and technology projects as well as for any other service required by the Department of Defence.

To enhance this capability, Armscor is a certified International Organisation for Standardisation 9001:2000.

Armscor Business (Pty) Ltd

This subsidiary of Armscor offers defence-support services of an exceptional standard to the Department of Defence.

The core of these services includes defence research and development, test and evaluation, disposal of defence material and logistic support services.

To fulfil this mandate, Armscor Business is structured into three groups:

Defence, Science and Technology Institute

• The Institute for Maritime Technology aims to satisfy strategic needs for technomilitary maritime support, products and services; and to establish applicable technology and systems to further the interests of the SANDF.
• Protechnik Laboratories conducts research, and develops and implements projects in the fields of chemical and biological defence, and the nonproliferation of chemical weapons.
• The Defence Institute assists the defence community in developing informed solutions to decision-making problems over the full life-cycle of defence capabilities.
• Hazmat Protective Systems manufactures and distributes protective equipment such as filter canisters, cartridges and masks, and impregnates activated carbon.
• Ergonomics Technologies is a leading ergonomics consultancy providing a comprehensive service in ergonomics, and occupational health and safety, both locally and internationally. It is an inspection authority in occupational hygiene, approved by the Department of Labour.
• Flamengro, the Fluid and Mechanical Engineering Group, specialises in the numerical stimulation of the dynamic behaviour of fluid flow and structures, and the processing of experimental data to serve as input for improved simulations or to evaluate the accuracy of theoretical predictions.
• Armour Development provides a research and development capability for armour protection and anti-armour attacks.

Test and Evaluation Group

• Gerotek Test Facilities provides specialised services such as testing and evaluating vehicles and vehicle components, researching and developing vehicle-testing technologies and methods, VHF/UHF and microwave antenna-testing and evaluation, environmental testing, and verifying military products against specification. The Events Division offers restaurant, conference and development facilities, whereas the Training Division offers various driver-training courses.
• Alkantpan offers an all-purpose weapon and ammunition test range for the testing of all kinds of weaponry, ranging in calibre from 20 mm to 155 mm and larger.

Defence Support Group

• Armscor Defence Asset Management Centre provides decision-making support in the acquisition, operational and phasing-out phases of systems by rendering data and asset-management services.
• Defence Material Disposal is the appointed agent of the Department of Defence to dispose of redundant military defence equipment.
• AB Logistics Freight is a registered and accredited customs-clearing agent with the South African Revenue Service, and a member of the Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations and the South African Association of Freight Forwarders. It also enjoys authority to act as a customs-clearing agent in South Africa.

Armscor is financed mainly by an annual payment from the Department of Defence, interest received on investments, letting of its buildings, commission from stock sales, and income from subsidiaries. The acquisition of arms is transparent and fully accountable. Armscor publishes the monthly Contracts Bulletin, which contains all requests for proposals and bids awarded. A daily electronic bulletin is also available to the industry through a secure computer network.

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Denel Group of South Africa

Denel (Pty) Ltd operates in the military aerospace and landward defence environment. Incorporated as a private company in 1992 in terms of the Companies Act, 1973 (Act 61 of 1973), Denel’s sole shareholder is the South African Government.

The Minister of Public Enterprises appoints an independent board of directors to oversee the executive management team responsible for the day-to-day management of the company.

As part of a major restructuring, arguably the most substantive in its 15-year history, Denel is being unbundled. While Denel itself will remain state-owned, its constituent businesses are in the process of being corporatised as stand-alone companies, each with its own board of directors and operating off its own balance sheet.

Denel as a holding company is set to retain equity in these businesses, varying from full ownership (100%) to minority shareholding.

In this transformation, the new companies are actively seeking equity partners, local or foreign, to introduce modern business processes and management, skills development, technology transfer, the injection of fresh capital and market access.

The unbundling of the Government’s defence company is key to refocusing the business. In the roll-out of the macrostrategy embarked upon in mid-2005, clear indicators have emerged as to which businesses are profitable or potentially profitable and which should be disposed of.

The board of directors has recommended a way forward to the shareholder (government), notably in instances where particular businesses are commercially unviable, but strategic to the needs of South Africa’s armed forces.

The South African Government considers Denel a strategic asset for its role as custodian of South Africa’s technological capabilities, and as a driver of skills development in the engineering and high-technology disciplines.

Moreover, Denel is a key domestic supplier to the SANDF. Apart from being an original equipment manufacturer in certain product categories, Denel is also expected to overhaul, maintain, repair, refurbish and upgrade defence systems in the SANDF’s arsenal. As such, it ensures a greater measure of strategic independence for the country, while providing the SANDF with the cost-effective means to undertake its role in peacekeeping and in peace-support missions beyond South Africa’s borders.

In several niche areas, Denel has developed innovative technologies, principally in artillery, munitions, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Along with specific production capabilities, its businesses are well positioned to act as specialised contractors to global defence suppliers.

The restructuring process also involves disposing of non-core businesses and driving internal improvements across all core business units. As a state-owned enterprise, Denel remains subject to the provisions of the PFMA, 1999 [PDF], while being managed in accordance with sound business principles as laid down in the Companies Act, 1973. In terms of corporate governance, Denel adheres to the King II guidelines.

Denel businesses

In restructuring, Denel has established several independent new companies in which it will hold equity on behalf of the South African Government.