annrep 1011 1 to 148.qxp - Department of Defence

D E P A R T M E N T O F D E F E N C Epublic service strike.E n t r e n c h i n g t h e n e w D e f e n c eD i s p e n s a t i o nThe promulgation of the Defence Amendment Act (Act 22 of2010) provided for the establishment of the permanentDefence Force Service Commission (DFSC). The mandate ofthe DFSC will be amongst others, to focus on the conditionsof service of SANDF members. Support structures to facilitatethe mandate of the DFSC are to be completed during theFY2011/12.M i l i t a r y V e t e r a n sThe Department of Military Veterans was proclaimed inDecember 2009. The organisational structure of the departmentwas approved by the Minister on 28 May 2010, subsequentto the approval, a determination of functions was doneby the Minister of Public Service & Administration. TheDirector-General of the Department has been appointed andother senior members of the department are in the process ofappointment. This senior staff appointment process will becompleted in the early part of FY2011/12.In order to realise the mandate of the department, the MilitaryVeterans Affairs Bill has been drafted. The costing of militaryveterans benefits contemplated in the Bill was considered andapproved by Cabinet. The implementation of the Act willoccur soon after the Bill has been passed by Parliament andaccented to by the President. It is, however, important to notethat the full realisation of the object of the Military VeteransAffairs Bill will be largely dependent on the availability ofthe necessary budget for both the Department of MilitaryVeterans and the budget allocation in other governmentdepartments towards the benefits for military veterans. It iswith this understanding that the Department of MilitaryVeterans accords this matter the priority status it deserves.The costing of military veterans' benefits, which include theNon-statutory Forces (NSF) pension, as contemplated in theBill is currently being considered by Cabinet. The finalisationof the necessary budget for the NSF pension will enablethe payment of the NSF pension to the deserving militaryveterans.N a t i o n a l Y o u t h S e r v i c eThe DOD drafted the MOU with the Department of RuralDevelopment and Land Reform on co-operation regardingNational Youth Service (NYS), with particular reference to apilot programme. Participation in meetings with variousyouth stakeholders in order to consult on the DOD's conceptfor NYS (i.e. the National Youth Development Agency, politicalparties, religious organisations, etc) was undertaken. AConference that took place in Egypt during late October 2010was organised by the International Association for NYSwhere the DOD was represented; thereafter a report with recommendationswas submitted to the Sec Def. On 04 November2010 a presentation was submitted to the Minister onthe DOD's concept for NYS. The DOD has also participatedin various social responsibility activities which have assistedin the improvement of the living conditions of the youth inthe previously disadvantaged communities.During the period under review, the concept paper on NYSwas completed and at the same time a pilot programme inBloemfontein took place with a group of 500 recruits undergoingtraining. A further 1 500 recruits will be trained and areplanned for FY2011/12, 2 000 recruits planned forFY2012/13 and 6 000 recruits planned for FY2013/14.P r o v i s i o n o f S k i l l sThe Military Skills Development System (MSDS) wasimplemented in January 2003 with the aim to provide theSANDF with military trained human resources as requiredfor force preparation and force employment specifications. Itforms the DOD's primary contribution to youth developmentand alleviates unemployment and poverty by preparingyoung people between the age of 18 and 26 years for rewardingcareers either in the SANDF or for decent employment inthe broader public and private sectors. The MSDS is a twoyearcontract based service system and is the main feeder systemfor the Regulars and Reserves.Since the inception of the MSDS, 33 536 youths participatedin the system of the SANDF. Of the total intake, 8 542 arecurrently serving in the MSDS, 6 770 have separated fromthe SANDF, of whom 4 821 are serving in the Reserves, and18 224 translated to the Regulars where they are undergoingadvanced training in various disciplines and are being utilisedaccordingly. The results of implementing the MSDS are bestviewed from the vantage point of rank-age compliance: only10.8% of Privates were in the age group 18 to 24 years old inthe year 2000 compared to 55% currently. The MSDS also isa feeder system, at entry levels, of scarce skills and criticalmusterings. Since its inception, 6 172 youths were employedin critical musterings i.e. air space control, aircrew, combatnavy, engineer, medical professional, nursing, technical andtechnical air. Thus, the MSDS significantly contributes, atentry level, to the sustainment of scarce skills and criticalmusterings.The young men and women who emerge after MSDS serviceare on the whole, much more mature, disciplined, servicedelivery orientated, career orientated and patriotic than onewould normally expect from young people who have justcompleted high-school. Through the MSDS, the SANDFcontinues to invest directly in South Africa's most importantasset, our youth. In support of the government outcome onjob creation, the DOD plans to create job opportunities for5 700 young South Africans per year through the MSDS.ANNUAL REPORT FY 2010/2011 7