SANDF may face legal action
2003-02-11 23:35
Pretoria - The denial of promotions in the National Defence Force (SANDF) based on race might lead to legal action because of the decision's discriminatory nature.
These actions could cost the SANDF thousands of rands in legal fees that will indirectly come from tax payers' pockets.
Hendrik Schmidt of the Democratic Alliance said on Tuesday that his party rejected any moratorium on the promotion of white soldiers, without considering the merit of the case, simply to reach affirmative action targets.
"This can have serious repercussions when experts leave the service of the SANDF because of negative career prospects."
Schmidt's reaction comes after the inspector-general of the Department of Defence released a report that suggests that the SANDF largely failed in its affirmative action programme.
One of the recommendations is that the promotion of white soldiers in the majority of rank groups be suspended until these groups become representative.
These ranks range from major to general-major and from staff sergeant to non-commissioned officer.
The same report suggests that a recruitment project should be launched to enlist more white recruits in the lower ranks because there are currently too many black soldiers in these groups.
Steps must also be taken to consider coloured and black soldiers from the "old" defence force, as well as those of the former TBVC countries, for promotion.
These soldiers are at present being discriminated against in favour of MK and Apla soldiers, which makes it seem as if the SANDF is favouring certain groups.
The report states that several units countrywide have mostly black soldiers, but in most cases, the commanding officers are still white.
The report also mentions that the air force only trained 12 blacks out of 178 pilots and navigators.
When the report was compiled, there were only 17 black pilots in the air force.
"If the air force had committed itself to affirmative action, at least 80% of the pilots in training would have been black. These targets of representation will not be reached in the medium or the long term.
"The air force is the worst off in the SANDF as far as affirmative action is concerned. It indicates a lack of commitment to implement the policy."