The most senior members of the ANC’s former liberation army, Umkhonto weSizwe, are mobilising against racism in the SANDF, reports Rehana Rossouw
DEPUTY Defence Minister Ronnie Kasrils has acknowledged there is racism in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and has extended his sympathies to lower- ranking soldiers who are victims of discrimination.
The Mail & Guardian is in possession of a document drawn up by a former Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) officer, Brigadier Johannes Mudimu, titled “Back to the Drawing Board”, which he has circulated to senior MK officers in the SANDF for “action”. Mudimu heads the MK Integration Committee.
He lists 41 questions which reflect growing frustration among former MK members with the transformation of the SANDF and the integration of non-statutory armed forces.
In a pointer to the daily hardships faced by former combatants, Mudimu asks what will be done about commanding officers in the defence force who “perpetrate discrimination and preach how inferior the members of the non-statutory forces are”.
“Haven’t we personally experienced such abuses? Haven’t we experienced insults that send shivers down our spines, insults that call for action? What about an avalanche of courts martial? Have we lost our revolutionary zeal to fight injustice no matter from whatever quarter it comes?” he asks.
“Are we committed towards establishing a climate for a properly integrated SANDF? Is there a sense among us of truly transforming the defence force in order to ensure we can identify with it? Are we comfortable with the way the old South African Defence Force (SADF) is addressing issues of integration and rationalisation?”
Mudimu asks his fellow MK leaders whether they have the capacity to intervene and change the ethos of the old SADF. He also asks whether they have any influence at “operational” and “tactical” levels.
The document, dated February 19, was sent to Lieutenant General Siphiwe Nyanda, Lieutenant General LS Moloi, Major General Andrew Masondo, Major General P Tshikare, Major General N Ngwenya, Major General DJ Aboobaker, Major General FR Sedibe-Mdluli, Brigadier MJ Motau and Brigadier P Mokonopi.
Mudimu would not comment this week, saying he was not prepared to communicate with “his people” via newspapers. He did say, however, that it might be necessary for former MK leaders to meet to discuss these issues and ensure mechanisms were put in place so that soldiers “on the ground” knew there was an attempt being made to solve their problems. There are 14 000 members of former non-statutory armed forces integrated into the SANDF.
Kasrils said Mudimu’s initiative was “far from a rebellion” and had the Ministry of Defence’s wholehearted blessings.
“Obviously I accept that there are complaints and perspectives that the SANDF is racist and that transformation has not proceeded smoothly. The Ministry of Defence is on the warpath against racism and gender prejudice and has done a lot to combat it,” Kasrils said.
“Brigadier Mudimu’s integration committee is part of the Department of Defence … the committee is made up of former MK members who have every right to discuss these problems and issues and who should have been more active in tackling them.
“The integration committee is a key structure put in place by agreement before integration. I will concede that they haven’t perhaps acted actively enough to investigate problems and find solutions to them.”
Kasrils said Mudimu’s document was meant to be an internal review, taking stock of the situation and informing the defence command council.
“It was drafted before some very important changes were made. The ministry has in recent months transferred the accounting and head of department function from the chief of the defence force to the defence secretariat, ensuring civilian control over these very important functions,” Kasrils said.
“We have also restructured and rationalised the top management of the SANDF. We have announced 28 new appointments, half of them former MK people. There are also some outstanding white officers who have been promoted, officers who have shown they are positive about transformation.”
MK members who have been promoted include Lieutenant General Nyanda as deputy chief of the SANDF, Major General Gilbert Ramano as army deputy chief and Major General Thamba Masuku as head of medical services.
“At the same time I am sympathetic to those who believe they experience day-to-day racism in the SANDF,” Kasrils said.
“The Minister and I have spoken to the defence force chiefs and emphasised the need for them to be positive about transformation and to eradicate racism. But it takes time to change a mindset.”