The inaugural Defence Industry Lekgotla has been challenged to deliver practical solutions to revitalise South Africa's defence industry, with government and Parliament warning that the gathering must not become "another talk shop" as the sector grapples with years of underfunding and shrinking acquisition opportunities.
Held at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria from 20 to 22 July, the Defence Industry Lekgotla brought together about 300 delegates from government, industry, labour and academia to chart a path towards rebuilding the country's defence capabilities.
Addressing delegates on Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Major General (Retired) Bantu Holomisa called for an honest assessment of the Department of Defence's challenges, saying years of funding constraints have left the department struggling to meet its broad mandate.
He said the department faces mounting infrastructure backlogs, ageing military facilities in need of maintenance and modernisation, deteriorating prime mission equipment, inadequate military housing and healthcare facilities, as well as ongoing funding, skills and research challenges.
"The reality is that the Department has substantial responsibilities, but the resources available to meet all those responsibilities are limited. We cannot pretend otherwise.
"The question before us is therefore not whether the problems exist. The Department cannot simply assume that every infrastructure backlog, every equipment requirement and every modernisation project will be fully funded through additional allocations from the National Treasury. That is not a realistic assumption," Holomisa said.
While acknowledging the financial constraints, Holomisa stressed that government cannot accept the steady decline of South Africa's strategic defence capabilities.
He warned that allowing military bases and critical infrastructure to deteriorate would ultimately prove more costly than investing in timely maintenance, adding that military personnel should not be expected to live and work in conditions that undermine their dignity and morale.
"We must therefore consider additional and innovative ways of mobilising capital and expertise," he said.
Holomisa welcomed Cabinet's approval of the South African National Defence Force's (SANDF) 30-year force modernisation strategy, Journey to Greatness, saying it marks an important step towards reversing years of defence budget cuts.
"The timing of this conference is great because Cabinet has approved the Journey to Greatness, meaning the Defence Budget will look different and be in line with the instruction of the President that the Defence defunding must be arrested and the defence budget should grow to a favourable 1.5% of the GDP," he said.
Members of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans and the Joint Standing Committee on Defence said the long-awaited Lekgotla comes after years of constrained defence spending, declining procurement opportunities and broader economic pressures that have placed significant strain on the defence sector.
They said a sustainable defence industrial base is critical not only for national security but also for advanced manufacturing, research and innovation, skills development, employment creation and export growth.
Joint Standing Committee on Defence Co-Chairperson Phiroane Phala said Parliament had long advocated for a forum of this nature.
"The fact that we have now arrived at this point is a positive development, and we welcome the opportunity to contribute constructively to these discussions," Phala said.
He added that South Africa's understanding of sovereignty must evolve to meet the realities of modern warfare.
"Our understanding of sovereignty must reflect the realities of modern warfare and modern defence technology. Sovereign capability does not necessarily mean that every capability must be produced entirely within our borders. Rather, it means that South Africa must retain the ability to maintain operational freedom, protect critical technologies, sustain essential capabilities, and make strategic decisions in the national interest," he said.
Phala noted that Parliament's calls for the Lekgotla were informed by years of engagement with organisations such as the Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association, South African defence companies and oversight work involving institutions including the National Conventional Arms Control Committee.
Meanwhile, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau said South Africa has the industrial capacity to compete in the global defence market but requires stronger coordination and long-term planning.
He described Cabinet's approval of Journey to Greatness as a significant milestone that provides the defence industry with the predictable long-term demand signal it has lacked for the past three decades.
Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans Chairperson Dakota Legoete said Parliament was participating in the Lekgotla not merely as an observer but to fulfil its constitutional oversight responsibilities.
"We participate because we represent the people of South Africa, and because our constitutional mandate requires us to exercise oversight over the executive and the defence establishment. Our role is to contribute constructively to these deliberations, while also ensuring that the outcomes of this Lekgotla translate into actions that advance the public interest and strengthen our national defence capability," Legoete said.
He said Parliament would closely monitor implementation of the Lekgotla's resolutions.
"The Portfolio Committee, together with the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, will monitor the Minister's response to the resolutions adopted and the final plan put forward. We will exercise oversight over the implementation plan that follows and assess progress against the commitments made during this Lekgotla. Where needed and identified, we will also drive the necessary legislative process," Legoete said.
To ensure the Lekgotla delivers lasting results, Holomisa proposed that discussions on public-private partnerships in the defence sector become a standing agenda item at meetings of Parliament's defence committees.
"The question is whether we will continue to respond to our needs only when the crisis has already emerged, or whether we will develop a long-term model that allows us to plan, invest, modernise and sustain our defence capabilities.
"To avoid this from being a talk shop, I am requesting that my colleagues in Parliament, the Portfolio Committee and the Joint Standing Committee on Defence ensure that this PPP discussion becomes a standing agenda item in all their meetings. This will help monitor implementation," Holomisa said. – SAnews.gov.za
