Defence Force Service Commission Briefing to Joint Standing Committee on Defence

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Defence Force Service Commission provides an overview of activities since August 2023, planned activities for the remainder of FY2023/24, and key engagements with the Minister and other entities. The presentation includes updates on visits to military bases, signing of MOUs, submission of important reports, and upcoming focus areas to support SANDF soldiers.

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Defence Force Service Commission BRIEFING TO THE JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE 07 MARCH 2024 by MS. S. HLAPOLOSA DFSC DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON In Support of SANDF Soldiers 1

SCOPE Aim of the presentation. Activities since August 2023. Planned activities for the remainder of FY2023/24. Status of Commissioners 'contract. DFSC engagements with the Minister. MBC s impact on DFSC work. Key recommendations. DFSC budget. Structure challenges. Conclusion. Questions and Comments. In Support of SANDF Soldiers 2

To Committee on Defence (JSCD) on the DFSC mid-year performance and expenditure. brief the Joint Standing AIM .

ACTIVITIES SINCE AUGUST 2023 The following are activities by the DFSC since the last briefing to the Joint Standing Committee in August 2023 up to the end of February 2024: 1. Consultative follow-up visits. The Commission had conducted follow-up visits to 7 military bases/units between 20 July 2023 and 14 September 2023. The purpose of the visits was for the Commission to follow up on the findings and recommendations made during the previous visits and to determine the extent of the improvement or lack thereof. The consolidated report with findings and recommendations was submitted to the MODMV on 15 December 2023. 2. Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Transport (DOT). On 21 December 2023, the DFSC and DoT signed an MOU. The purpose of the MOU was to establish a formal working relationship between the two entities. In Support of SANDF Soldiers 4

ACTIVITIES SINCE AUGUST 2023 3. Submission of reports The activities (meetings, research, consultations) before the submission of reports were done before the month of August. The Commission has submitted the following documents: a. Recommendation on Group Life Insurance Scheme (GLIS) for the SANDF members. b. Recommendation on Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) FY2024/25. c. Recommendation on the Remuneration Philosophy for the SANDF (HR Strategy). d. Consolidated report on follow-up visits. e. Submission of end-of-term report (2019-2023) f. Submission to request intervention to ensure the financial sustainability and governance of the Regular Force Medical Continuation Fund (RFMCF). 5 In Support of SANDF Soldiers

PLANNED ACTIVITIES The DFSC s planned activities for the remainder of the year are as follows: To review the appointment and promotion policy. To develop and submit a recommendation on a cost-efficient model of the duty bus system for SANDF members. Monitor the progress or status of the recommendations and reports tabled before the Minister. In Support of SANDF Soldiers 6

STATUS OF COMMISSIONERS CONTRACTS There are six (06) Commissioners on strength. Five (05) Commissioners contracts have been extended for another five (05) years, and one (01) Commissioner s second term ends in 2025. The act requires the appointment of 8 (eight) to 10 (ten) Commissioners. A submission was made to the Minister on the four (04) vacant posts of the Commissioners. In Support of SANDF Soldiers 7

DFSCs ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE MINISTER The DFSC did not have any engagement with the Minister during the current financial year. This is due to various commitments from the Minister s end. Notwithstanding the above, the DFSC continues to have administrative engagements with the office of the Minister on its activities. In Support of SANDF Soldiers 8

MBC IMPACT ON DFSC The establishment of the Military Bargaining Council (MBC) has not impacted the work of the DFSC. The commission s work is broader than that of the bargaining council, and the work of the two entities are complementary to each other. In Support of SANDF Soldiers 9

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS The following are recommendations that require further engagement by Parliament: S/N TOPIC SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 1 Recommendations Unemployment Insurance Fund of the Reserve Force members. on the The DFSC recommends that the Department of Defence submit the amendment of the UIF Act to enable members on contract (reserve force members) to contribute to UIF. 2 Recommendations on uniforms of the SANDF members. To develop a standardized SANDF uniform that addresses geographic climatic and all other unique challenges including the office environment and deployment requirements. 3 Recommendations on the Group Life Insurance Scheme (GLIS) for SANDF members. The implementation of the Group Life Scheme is paramount. The model, recommended by the DFSC, seeks to ensure that all beneficiaries of SANDF members, not just those deployed, are entitled to benefits while safeguarding SANDF/Department of Defence (DOD) from bearing the financial risk. In Support of SANDF Soldiers 10

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS S/N TOPIC SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 4 Request for intervention to ensure the financial sustainability governance of the Regular Force Medical Continuation Fund (RFMCF). The DFSC requested the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans (MODMV) to allow the Board of Trustees and Principal Officer of the RFMCF to give a detailed briefing to the Minister regarding the status of the Fund, which includes the recommendations for its sustainability. and 5 Recommendations Hospitals on Military Decentralization for the payment of outsourced medical bills to the Unit level. An increased healthcare and health facility budget allocation. Staffing of vacant medical posts in the hospitals. Review and align the current DOD Commuted Overtime Policy with that of the National Department of Health Commuted Overtime Policy as well as the payment of Commuted Overtime to Health Care Professionals appointed in managerial posts. In Support of SANDF Soldiers 11

DFSC BUDGET The DFSC budget expenditure was on the decline due to various challenges, but not limited to the unstaffed posts for the Commissioners and Secretariat. The latter had a consequential negative effect on the spending of the operational budget. It should then be noted that the decline in the expenditure contributed to the surrendering of funds that were not utilised within the budget cycle. In Support of SANDF Soldiers 12

DFSC BUDGET It should then be noted that the decline in the expenditure contributed to the surrendering of funds that were not utilised within the budget cycle. Surrendered funds as a percentage of the vote: FY2019/20 FY2020/21 FY2021/22 FY2022/23 a b c d R16 696 580 R17 262 230 R15 198 364 R15 834 776 Vote 17.96% 68.70% 17,76% 10,10% Amount surrendered as a percentage of the vote In Support of SANDF Soldiers 13

STRUCTURE CHALLENGES The DFSC continue to be committed to the execution of its mandate despite encountering persistent challenges in terms of capacity. The DFSC is involved in a process of optimising capacity with the current structure with the assistance of the structure manager (DIMS). In Support of SANDF Soldiers 14

CONCLUSION The DFSC continue to play a vital role in its findings and recommendations to highlight the issues related to the conditions of service for SANDF members. The DFSC s efforts have laid a foundation for continuous improvement and have the potential to positively impact the morale, retention, and operational effectiveness of the SANDF in the years to come. In Support of SANDF Soldiers 15