Defence Minister Thandi Modise has dismissed a suggestion that budgetary complaints could have played a role in the fire that claimed lives at Lohatla Army Combat Training Centre in the Northern Cape two months ago.
“Although the budgetary constraints have adverse impact on the overall readiness of the SANDF, it would be premature to ascribe the field fire and the vehicle accident to the budget shortcomings.
“It is my considered view that the fire incident had nothing to do with budgetary constraints,” Modise said.
She was responding to written parliamentary questions from IFP MP Russel Cebekhulu, who asked whether the budgetary constraints were contributing factors in the fire incident in which six soldiers died, and the vehicle accident in which four soldiers died at the Lohatla Army Combat Training Centre.
Cebekhulu also enquired about steps Modise has taken to deal with the budgetary constraints and the investigations that followed the fire incident and vehicle accident to improve the safety of military operations on the ground.
Modise said the combat training centre had on the day at least 72 trained firefighters as part of the 1 117 soldiers who were using fire-beaters to extinguish the fire.
“However, the ongoing board of inquiry will determine the circumstances regarding the fire at the combat training centre,” she said.
Modise also said she has in her capacity as executive authority and a senior member of the Cabinet, together with the chief of the SANDF and the acting secretary for defence, been in close discussion with President Cyril Ramaphosa, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and the portfolio committee on defence seeking available avenues for a sustained funding baseline for the Department of Defence.
“The efforts seem to be bearing fruits with the recent financial injection of R3.4 billion into the air force and the navy and other areas of defence, including technology for borderline.
“I remain positive that this is the beginning of good things to come.”
Modise said the fire incident was reported to Kathu SAPS and that a board of inquiry has been convened.
She explained that the vehicle accident did not happen at Lohatla Army Combat Training Centre, but occurred on its way to the centre.
“Regarding the vehicle accident, a board of inquiry was convened and is in process,” Modise said.
Cape Times