The deputy defence minister, Bantu Holomisa, has called for the establishment of an independent task team to probe recurring governance and audit failures within the defence portfolio. In an interview broadcast by Newzroom Afrika, he confirmed that he had submitted a formal proposal to the defence minister, Angie Motshekga, and the parliamentary portfolio committee. The inquiry is intended to address systemic accountability gaps and adverse findings by the auditor-general that reportedly date back to 2006.
The department of defence and military veterans has faced severe scrutiny over the past five years due to consecutive adverse findings issued by the auditor-general. Holomisa stated that both external auditors and the department’s internal audit committee have repeatedly encountered a lack of cooperation from officials responsible for addressing financial discrepancies. Furthermore, the deputy minister highlighted ongoing procurement delays involving state-owned entities such as Armscor and Denel, as well as a troubling dynamic where military leadership occasionally undermines the secretary for defence, who acts as the accounting officer.
Speaking to the broadcaster, Holomisa emphasised that the proposed task team must be entirely independent, stipulating that “nobody who is in the defence today and those who served in the defence in the past must serve in that task team.” He expressed profound frustration over the slow pace of current investigations, noting that while the president, Cyril Ramaphosa, had authorised the SIU to probe specific cases, law enforcement agencies were faltering. “The Hawks, the SIU, people who have been implicated by the military police, the NPA is dragging its feet,” he told Newzroom Afrika.
The proposal now awaits formal consideration by parliament and the defence minister, though Holomisa indicated there is already sufficient consensus within the portfolio committee to support the initiative. The establishment of this independent body would aim to bypass the institutional resistance that has historically blocked consequence management. If approved, the task team will be mandated to provide parliament with a comprehensive understanding of why accountability structures within the defence sector have remained ineffective for nearly two decades.
