Amid new allegations from air force officers, the defence force responds to reports on racism, writes Rehana Rossouw
SOUTH Africa’s black top guns have blasted their commanders, claiming the air force is as racist as the army.
Last week, a report in the Mail & Guardian highlighted problems in the integration of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), with soldiers alleging the culture of army was still white and Afrikaans, and that racism was rife.
This week members of the air force supported their army colleagues, saying they experienced the same problems.
A black officer in the air force, Lieutenant Sithole Fitholo, was assaulted last year by a major who allegedly mistook him for a thief while he was unlocking his BMW one evening.
Although a court-martial was held and the major found guilty, former Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) members in the air force are unhappy about the sentence: the major was admonished and transferred. They also complain that the command council of the air force is still white and that blacks have not been promoted since integration.
They say the training programme is very slow. Of 45 candidate officers trained last year, only two were Indian, one African and one coloured.
The defence force said in response that it did not tolerate, condone, justify or conceal racist behaviour. “All such activities, if brought to the attention of the defence force, are investigated and if members are found guilty, stern action will be taken against them,” a defence spokesman said.
“As a matter of policy the defence force, like all other military organisations, discriminates only on the grounds of rank but never on the grounds of race, creed, gender or sexual persuasion.”
The spokesman denied claims by soldiers published in the M&G last week that Project Juggernaut, launched on the eve of the integration of the armed forces, was aimed at raising standards to make army life difficult for members of non-statutory armies.
It was an attempt to emphasise discipline and standards in the army and was in line with international military standards, said the spokesman. The project was also aimed at improving administration and communication.
“The impression that the project is aimed at frustrating former MK and Apla members is not true,” the spokesman said.
He said the army did not classify offences at court-martials as racist, but as assault or insubordination. Since the establishment of the SANDF in April 1994, there have been five court-martials where charges of assault were tried, involving black and white soldiers. Four were convicted and one acquitted.
During 1996 there were 1 790 court-martials covering a variety of offences under the Military Disciplinary Code.
“As far as the integration process is concerned, the defence force is generally satisfied. This process is a world first, and apart from some initial teething problems in 1994, it has progressed very well. It is, however, a complicated process,” the spokesman said.
More than 21 000 members of non-statutory forces had reported to assembly points for integration since 1994. Only 3 700 had opted for demobilisation packages, and more than 18 000 had been integrated into the defence force. The defence force was satisfied with progress made in its bridging training, although the large numbers of people requiring instruction had presented problems as training institutions could not cope with the large numbers.
“The process is continually under review but does not give cause for alarm at this stage,” the spokesman said.
“Integration also includes a ‘hearts and minds’ element. This is a long-term process which will probably take a number of years. It is not possible to predict when this will be completed. There is progress. Not only must the organisation strive to change, but so must individual members of the defence force.”