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‘Army officials claiming money for reservists not called up for duty’

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Disgruntled reservists – who were approved for call-ups, but replaced with those who were not – said that their complaints to the department and military police had fallen on deaf ears. Picture:Getty Images
Disgruntled reservists – who were approved for call-ups, but replaced with those who were not – said that their complaints to the department and military police had fallen on deaf ears. Picture:Getty Images

Senior army officials in Mpumalanga have allegedly been claiming money for reservists who were not called up for duty.

And, at certain times, department of defence and military veterans officials have also allegedly called up reservists who were not approved for duty in the place of those who were.

These discrepancies have been happening in the Nelspruit and Barberton (also known as Regiment Botha) infantry regiments since 2014.

Disgruntled reservists – who were approved for call-ups, but replaced with those who were not – told City Press that their complaints to the department and military police had fallen on deaf ears until they approached the Military Ombud’s Office.

City Press has seen a 2014 document in which the seniors selected 21 out of 33 reservists for a call-up in the Nelspruit infantry regiment. However, in a bizarre turn of events, they called up 12 reservists who had not been approved for it.

Military ombud Lieutenant General Temba Matanzima found in a November 2 2017 investigation that the officials had not informed the reservists that they had changed the list of call-ups, even though their reasons for doing so were justified.

Disgruntled reservists – who were approved for call-ups, but replaced with those who were not – told City Press that their complaints to the department and military police had fallen on deaf ears until they approached the Military Ombud’s Office

Responding to a complaint laid by reservist Goodness Sifunda (39), Matanzima said: “Although the reasons (budgetary constraints, rotation and service delivery requirements) relating to the alteration were justifiable, the audi alteram partem [listen to the other side too] rule was not adhered to. Therefore, you were partially successful in your complaint.”

Sifunda, said Matanzima, should have been informed that the call-up list, which was signed by Brigadier General Philip Mavhungu on December 10 2014, was changed the next day.

Sifunda was called up for duty for the period starting from January 1 to June 31 2015. According to Sifunda, this document – marked “restricted” – was leaked to her and other reservists by concerned senior officials in the human resources department.

“After that incident, I was only called up a few times, but my name’s always been there among those called up for duty. This is why I question who benefits from the money allocated under my name,” she said.

Matanzima directed Sifunda to take the matter to the high court if she was dissatisfied with his findings.

He said that the reason given for changing the list related to reservists’ poor performance, recommendations from their seniors and the need to ensure that all reservists were rotated sufficiently.

Read: Court provides relief for dismissed soldiers

Sifunda, however, said 12 other poorly performing members had also been listed, some of whom had indeed been called up.

“Some of those who were not approved are my friends and I see and greet them wearing army uniform when they go to work,” she added.

When she and others who had not been called up asked army seniors the reason, they were told there was not enough money to pay reservists, but no proof of this was provided from the headquarters in Pretoria.

City Press has also seen a financial allocation spreadsheet from Regiment Botha for 2019 salaries, with names of the members who were never called up, including Sifunda.

The spreadsheet lists 37 members who were collectively supposed to be paid R3.1 million for working 120 days.

The payments ranged from R65 823 to R139 000, depending on individual reservists’ ranks.

“It’s clear that they’re using our names to source funds. Where is this money they claim on our behalf going? They’ve been excluding us and calling up their own people. There’s corruption in those offices,” said Sifunda.

According to the spreadsheet, she was supposed to be called up to work from August 1 to March 31 2019, but she only worked for 30 days in 2018 and 10 days in 2019.

Department of defence and military veterans spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini did not respond to written questions on the matter.

“Your enquiry is acknowledged and has been forwarded to the relevant authorities for processing,” Dlamini said.

The spreadsheet lists 37 members who were collectively supposed to be paid R3.1 million for working 120 days. The payments ranged from R65 823 to R139 000, depending on individual reservists’ ranks

In May last year, Major General “Mannetjies” de Goede, deputy chief of the South African army, responded to Sifunda’s grievances, promising that the matter would be investigated. That was the last she ever heard about it.

“The formation,” wrote De Goede, “is to follow up with the member and make sure she understands why she is not called up. Her grievance must be attended to and feedback must be given to the deputy chief of the army. She must also be informed that she should follow the correct channel of command in future, that being her home unit, Regiment Botha.”


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