‘I am honoured to serve and familiar with challenges’: Deputy Minister of Defence Bantu Holomisa

‘I am honoured to serve and familiar with challenges’: Deputy Minister of Defence Bantu Holomisa

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night announced a bloated Cabinet to lead the seventh administration of South Africa with replacement of some long-serving members of the national executive.

Minister Angie Motshekga was shifted sideways from the department of basic education, to lead the country’s military as minister of defence and military veterans.

“The Deputy Ministers of Defence and Military Veterans are Bantu Holomisa and Richard Mkhungo,” Ramaphosa announced in a televised speech from the Union Buildings from Pretoria.

Reacting to the news, Deputy Minister Holomisa, leader of the United Democratic Movement said he has been honoured to serve.

“Firstly, I think the UDM thanks should thank the president for assigning this important task to its leader. For me it’s an honour to be called to serve in the national security of this country.

Fortunately I am familiar with the challenges facing the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) having served as the deputy chair of the national defence force commission for almost nine years. So I am looking forward to work with the new minister of defence and of course focus more on the need to report to Parliament on the state or readiness of our South African defence force,” Holomisa spoke to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika on Sunday night.

Holomisa said the incoming executive presiding over the national defence force has been asked to fix the perennial problems bedevilling the military.

Regarding the SANDF members who are serving in different foreign countries, the mandate has to be redefined, to establish if those troops were deployed to engage in war, or in peacekeeping.

Members of the SANDF marching. File Picture: Kopano Tlape/GCIS

“If they are there for war, then we must equip them properly,” he said.

Holomisa said she has a good working relationship with Motshekga.

“I have known Angie for quite some time. Remember I am also from that organization which has deployed her. I do not have any problems in working with any minister or any person. The key here, one must stick to his or her lane (in) what is going to be the task for us, or for individuals within a department,” he said.

IOL reported that following weeks of negotiations, leaked letters and public spats, the DA and the ANC had finally reached a breakthrough on Saturday after crisis talks around Cabinet positions.

IOL