Navy briefing highlights budget and procurement woes

1735

The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Select Committee on Security and Justice conducted an oversight visit to the South African Navy Base Simon’s Town on 13 November in what was the committee’s first oversight visit to the Navy since its election in the 7th Parliament.

Minister of Defence, Angie Motshekga, Lieutenant General Michael Ramantswana, South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Chief of Staff, and Chief of the South African Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, supported by senior Navy officers, were in attendance to brief the Select Committee.

Both Parliament and the SA Navy invited the media to accompany the Select Committee in order to “receive a comprehensive introduction to the work of the SA Navy and its programmes, staffing, challenges, infrastructure, maintenance of its assets and how the budgetary constraints impact on operations.”

Despite the public invitation to attend the open meeting, at the start of proceedings Committee Chairperson Jane Mananiso, upon request by Motshekga, invoked Rule 127 of the National Council of Provinces in order to close the proceedings as, in terms of the Rules, the matters to be discussed were “of such a nature that its confidential treatment is for any other reason reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society.”

This was because, Mananiso explained afterwards, the Select Committee “felt that issues that we’re dealing with are issues that are classified as high risk because if anyone could know about them they might put the country into jeopardy because where we are is not just a normal space.”

This comes after Lobese has noted publicly on numerous occasions that the SA Navy is in crisis, most recently at a media briefing ahead of the Navy Festival held last month when he said that years of budget cuts have left the Navy unable to meet its essential needs, leaving it neither “funded, equipped, resourced nor staffed” to effectively counter maritime threats.

Additionally, in a written reply to the NCOP in September, Motshekga stated: “The current severe crisis within the SA Navy is due to capacity challenges of the Armscor Dockyard that has led to annual Maintenance Upkeep Programme as well as the Hull Available Programme not being executed as is required.”

Despite being excluded from the briefing, defenceWeb was allowed to accompany the Select Committee aboard the replenishment vessel SAS Drakensburg and visit the Armscor Dockyard, including the synchro lift, dry dock and an engine workshop.

Speaking to defenceWeb after the oversight visit, Mananiso explained that the mandate of the NCOP is “about provincial interest” and that the Select Committee wished to familiarise itself with the workings of the Navy and to engage on its 2023/24 annual performance report and 2024/25 performance indicators.

She said that the visit highlighted budget constraints, procurement inefficiencies and underachievement in training programs, while also recognising areas of progress and the Navy’s commitment to addressing issues.

The Navy, Mananiso confirmed, has been struggling to meet its targets due to financial limitations. Training programmes, crucial to the Navy’s operational success, have been underachieved. Mananiso emphasised the need for increased investment in the maritime sector to unlock its potential.

“If you can invest more in the maritime space, we would create employment [and] deal with the issues of training,” she said, adding that a well-funded Navy could better address critical safety and defence concerns.

Delays in procurement processes have emerged as another significant hurdle. Mananiso highlighted that issues often arise from contractors unable to meet requirements, causing setbacks in critical projects. Other issues include a budgeting process ill equipped to meet the long lead times for critical spares. However, she noted that the introduction of a new Procurement Bill could help resolve these inefficiencies.

“We hope, with this Bill, there would be better ways of making sure that projects that are delayed are being responded to,” Mananiso stated.

The committee also called for comprehensive reports on irregularities in Supply Chain Management and accountability for any instances of corruption.

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities in South African waters remain a pressing issue. The Navy is collaborating with other government departments, such as the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), to address these challenges. Mananiso commended these efforts and urged the Navy to provide detailed reports on such cases, including their classifications and resolutions.

The Select Committee also heard that the Navy did not achieve its target of 8 000 hours at sea for the 2023/2024 financial year due to prolonged maintenance and repairs to its vessels. A paltry 2 641 hours at sea was achieved, of which 1 680 were listed as force preparation hours and the balance of 961 being force employment time.

The low hours at sea were blamed on capacity constraints at the Armscor Dockyard, further compounded by procurement challenges. Mananiso said the Navy assured the Select Committee of its dedication to achieving its goals, including the projected 8 000 hours of sea time by 2025.

The Select Committee also discussed the need for improved relations between the Navy and Armscor, which has faced administrative challenges. Collaborative plans are being developed to strengthen their partnership and restore the Navy’s operational efficiency.

The Select Committee heard that the Navy is working hard to provide combat-ready vessels and platforms for the defence of the country and to satisfy its international commitments, but years of underfunding has resulted in the scheduled upkeep, maintenance and repairs of vessels falling behind. This has severely compromised the Navy’s ability to “fight and win” at sea.

Mananiso reiterated the importance of accountability and transparency in the Navy’s operations.

“Our work is accountability, our work is transparency, our work is honesty and to ensure that there’s good governance at the end of the day,” she remarked.

Mananiso acknowledged the challenges faced by the Navy, from budget limitations to operational shortfalls. However, she expressed optimism, noting the leadership’s commitment to addressing these issues and to eradicate all acts of maritime criminality within South Africa’s domain and surrounding waters.

“The Minister and the Chief are appreciating that there are limitations and challenges, but they are committed to ensuring they don’t compromise the safety of the country,” she said.

The NCOP Select Committee will continue to monitor the Navy’s progress and advocate for the necessary resources to ensure its success.