SAfrican piece urges state to rethink decision to do away with commandos.
On 14 February President Thabo Mbeki in his state of the nation address announced that the SANDF [South Africa National Defence Forces] commandos will be phased out in the near future and be replaced by a new system, the composition and ethos of which will reflect the requirements of all rural communities.
On 17 February the minister of safety and security, Charles Nqakula, announced at a parliamentary press briefing that the SANDF commando system would be replaced by a new special police unit, known as the Protection and Security Services Division.
A rethink is needed. Mbeki and Nqakula need to consider the consequences of their decisions carefully... The commando has undergone several changes in the last 100 years to adjust to changing circumstances. This must now happen again for them to serve the broader community...
The primary function of the commandos, according to the White Paper on Defence and the Defence Review, is to ensure rear area - or home - defence capabilities in case of conventional threats against the country. This vital function should not be compromised by political agendas.
The secondary function of the commandos is to ensure rural security in support of the police, securing of national key points and disaster management in support of local structures.
Phasing out the commandos and replacing them with police will result in the country's rear area defence capabilities being abandoned...
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24 Février 2003 à 14:26 dans
- zsandf (anglais)
