Newscenter Media News Simon’s Town, home to the premier base of the SA Navy (SAN) and its fleet headquarters as well as the Armscor dockyard, was the site of friction with what is being called the “derailment” of a Parliamentary defence oversight committee briefing.
The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) was due to meet at the Armscor facility on 4 June last week to address what Democratic Alliance (DA) committee member Chris Hattingh called “the longstanding conflict” between Vice Admiral Monde Lobese’s service and the dockyard, which Armscor says is the third line maintenance and refitting authority for the SA Navy. On the agenda, according to Hattingh, was supposed to be stalled naval contracts, poor dockyard performance and “a deepening maintenance backlog”.
The SAN and dockyard management were scheduled to brief the PCDMV, as reflected in the official parliamentary agenda.
“Instead,” Hattingh said in a statement, “in a brazen act of executive interference, the SAN presentation was abruptly withdrawn the night before, reportedly on the direct instruction of Minister Motshekga”.
“The Minister herself failed to attend, citing a Border Management Authority (BMA) meeting. When pressed for answers, Rear Admiral Bhekinkosi Mvovo [seemingly Director Naval Engineering at Fleet Command] refused to comment, prompting Deputy Minister Holomisa to confirm that the instruction had come from the Minister.
“Armscor Chairperson Dr Lesiba Mahapa then attempted to mislead the Committee by falsely claiming a ‘joint presentation’ would proceed, an assertion contradicted by events. Recognising this deception and executive meddling, the PCDMV rightly postponed the meeting.
“This disgraceful episode not only wasted public funds but disrupted the work of senior Armscor executives, board members and SANDF (SA National Defence Force) personnel, many of who were pulled from operational duties for an entire day, only to be politically side-lined,” according to the Hattingh statement.
In January the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Select Committee on Security and Justice (SCSJ) was briefed on “SAN challenges” after visiting the base and dockyard.
Hattingh maintains last week’s non-event was not an isolated incident involving President Cyril Ramaphosa’s choice as his government of national unity (GNA) cabinet minister to oversee the SANDF and the Department of Military Veterans (DMV), where administration in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) has been recommended.
“Her growing record of absenteeism, evasiveness and disregard for parliamentary oversight has made her a liability to accountability, defence preparedness and strategic coherence,” Hattingh said.
Just days before the Simon’s Town debacle, Motshekga failed to attend a Joint Standing Committee on Defence meeting scheduled for 30 May 2025, where she was meant to present the SANDF’s “Road to Greatness” strategic reform plan. She provided no notice of her absence and refused to commit to a rescheduled briefing, stating that the presentation was “postponed indefinitely”.
According to Hattingh, “the crisis extends far beyond oversight. Under her leadership, SANDF participation in the SAMIDRC deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has collapsed into logistic disarray and reputational embarrassment. The faltering withdrawal process from DRC is yet another consequence of failed political and military leadership at the highest level.”
While skipping seemingly onerous events, Motshekga has continued to appear at youth-focused ceremonial events, including the recent graduation of the inaugural South African National Service Institute (SANSI) cadets on 7 June. The SANSI programme, launched in 2023 under the Department of Defence, is aimed at developing civic-minded youth through practical training and discipline-focused education. Critics argue the Minister’s presence at youth events highlights a concerning misalignment between her previous portfolio as Minister of Basic Education and her current core responsibilities as Minister of Defence.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) committee member Carl Niehaus was scathing in his response, calling the Minister’s conduct “treasonous” and demanding her immediate dismissal. “Her consistent absence, arrogant disregard for parliamentary oversight, and active sabotage of critical interventions aimed at salvaging the SANDF have reached an intolerable level,” said Niehaus. “This pattern of behaviour is not mere incompetence; it is tantamount to deliberate sabotage.”
Further, Niehaus highlighted the deteriorating state of the Navy. “Only one of the Navy’s three submarines is operational, and none of its four frigates are seaworthy. The fleet’s operational readiness has plummeted to below 10 percent, leaving South Africa’s maritime borders vulnerable and our national sovereignty at risk.”
Critics across the aisle contend that Motshekga’s conduct is not simply negligent but strategically damaging. In failing to facilitate vital oversight and internal accountability, the Minister is seen as actively undermining Parliament’s ability to address a crisis that threatens the integrity of the entire SANDF. Her absence from forums where she is directly accountable, paired with efforts to block military briefings, has prompted accusations of deliberate obstructionism.
The DA has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to “urgently review Minister Motshekga’s continued presence in this vital portfolio,” arguing that South Africa “cannot afford a Defence Minister who sabotages oversight, undermines her own armed forces, and abdicates responsibility in a time of national and regional uncertainty.”
Similarly, Niehaus is pursuing formal parliamentary sanctions. “We will immediately report her conduct to the Parliamentary Ethics Committee and the Speaker of Parliament, demanding swift intervention and disciplinary action. Her continued presence in office is a clear and present danger to the stability and security of our nation.”
There was, at the time of publishing, no statement from either the Defence Ministry or the DoD on the Simon’s Town non-briefing.
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