Navy chief’s warning will be hard for the government to ignore

Is Monde Lobese the military’s Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi?

The navy chief, like the police general, has defied tradition and political protocol by questioning the government’s commitment to the nation’s defence.

Mkhwanazi gained prominence with a sensational press conference on July 6, calling out political interference in police operations. He even alleged criminal involvement. Since then two inquiries into his allegations have been established, one judicial and the other parliamentary.

When generals differ from political overseers, it’s behind closed doors. The public is unaware of what happens within the “blue carpet area” of defence headquarters in Pretoria, where the military command council meets. That is probably where instructions from higher authority and President Cyril Ramaphosa as commander-in-chief are discussed. That is also where defence minister Angie Motshekga and the generals meet.

As the defence force comes under pressure to project hard power in the region, its budget shrinks every year. Into that scenario earlier this month stepped Lobese. He criticised the government’s decision to reduce the strength of the defence force, comparing it to Mkhwanazi’s objections to the ministerial closure of the police’s political killings task team.

“We are required to produce annual performance plans and defence reviews, one after another, and what saddens me is knowing very well that this requirement is just a mind game, as these will not be resourced,” Lobese said.

Referring to an Indo-Pacific sea power conference he attended recently in Australia, Lobese said he was told how the Australian navy is investing in new maritime technology. Like South Africa with its long maritime borders, Australia regards itself as a maritime nation. The difference, he said, is Australia realises the dangers porous borders pose.

“The chief of the Kenyan navy mentioned that a week before coming to Australia, his navy caught a ship from East Asia carrying a large consignment of drugs destined for Mozambique,” said Lobese. “The Philippine navy chief also brought to my attention that they arrest ships carrying drugs whose destination is Southern Africa. So our prolonged absence at sea, due to the non-availability of ships and submarines, all because of the underresourcing of our navy, should concern us.”

We cannot continue to be silent observers of our country going to the dogs. We need to advocate for a stronger, well-funded defence force. We need to think about what is at stake for not having a navy present at sea

—  Monde Lobese

He then questioned the motives behind such neglect, “if they may be directly or indirectly influenced by these drug cartels, illegal traders, maritime criminals or human traffickers”.

Lobese said it would appear that the “consistent underfunding and incapacitating of the South African navy, and defence force in general, is to ensure the operations that undermine our nation, compromise its sovereignty, and jeopardise the future of our children”.

He called the defunding of the navy and defence force a “sellout posture” and asked if the government was on a mission to privatise those elements.

“We must refuse this kind of unconstitutional policy decision,” said Lobese. “We cannot continue to be silent observers of our country going to the dogs. We need to advocate for a stronger, well-funded defence force. We need to think about what is at stake for not having a navy present at sea.”

Motshekga’s office responded with a reprimand for Lobese’s “unfortunate statement” that casts aspersions on government leaders. Motshekga, who has disregarded several requests to appear before parliament’s defence committee, said his remarks were “inappropriate, disingenuous and unfortunate on a matter he is fully aware is receiving attention at all levels”. She said she would also be taking “appropriate steps to deal with this unfortunate outburst … from a senior person at his level”.

Deputy defence minister Bantu Holomisa is never shy to express an opinion on the underfunding of the military, especially on recent operations such as the disastrous deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A former military man, Holomisa understands the implications. He has also been reprimanded by Motshekga for voicing his concerns in public.

Prior to deployment in the DRC, the four service chiefs were prepared to brief Ramaphosa on how the regional deployment was a mission impossible because of the weak state of the defence force. The four were reprimanded and told to get on with the job. Subsequently, 14 South African soldiers were killed, and the rest were kept prisoners of war for months.

So, the generals are sounding a clear warning. As with the police, the politicians could ignore it at their peril. Or they can learn from other African countries the consequences of ignoring a nation’s military needs.