Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993/1995-09-20/Chapter 14

Establishment of South African National Defence Force

224. (1) The South African National Defence Force is hereby established as the only defence force for the Republic.

(2) The South African National Defence Force shall at its establishment consist of all members of—

the South African Defence Force; any defence force of any area forming part of the national territory; and any armed force as defined in section 1 of the Transitional Executive Council Act, 1993 (Act No. 151 of 1993),

and whose names, at the commencement of this Constitution, are included in a certified personnel register referred to in section 16(3) or (9) of the said Act: Provided that this subsection shall not apply to members of any such defence or armed force if the political organisation under whose authority and control it stands or with which it is associated and whose objectives it promotes did not take part in the first election of the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures under this Constitution.

(3) Save for the South African National Defence Force, no other armed force or military force or armed organisation or service may be established in or for the Republic other than—

as provided for in this Constitution; a force established by or under an Act of Parliament for the protection of public property or the environment; or a service established by or under law for the protection of persons or property.

Chief of South African National Defence Force and Secretary for Defence

225. (1) Subject to section section 236(1) and (2), the President shall appoint a Chief of the South African National Defence Force, who shall exercise military executive command of the South African National Defence Force, subject to the directions of the Minister responsible for defence and, during a state of national defence, of the President.

(2) The Minister responsible for defence may appoint a Secretary for Defence who shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be provided for in any law.

Members of South African National Defence Force

226. (1) The South African National Defence Force shall comprise both a permanent force and a part-time reserve component.

(2) The establishment, organisation, training, conditions of service and other matters concerning the permanent force shall be as provided for by an Act of Parliament.

(3) The establishment, organisation, training, state of preparedness, calling up, obligations and conditions of service of the part-time reserve component shall be as provided for by an Act of Parliament.

(4) The South African National Defence Force shall be established in such a manner that it will provide a balanced, modern and technologically advanced military force, capable of executing its functions in terms of this Constitution.

(5) All members of the South African National Defence Force shall be properly trained in order to comply with international standards of competency.

(6) No member of the permanent force shall hold office in any political party or political organisation.

(7) A member of the South African National Defence Force shall be obliged to comply with all lawful orders, but shall be entitled to refuse to execute any order if the execution of such order would constitute an offence or would breach international law on armed conflict binding on the Republic.

(8) Provision shall be made by an Act of Parliament for the payment of adequate compensation to-

a member of the South African National Defence Force who suffers loss due to physical or mental disability sustained in the execution of his or her duties as such a member; and the immediate dependants of a member of the South African National Defence Force who suffer loss due to the death or physical or mental disability of such a member resulting from the execution of his or her duties as such a member.

Functions of South African National Defence Force

227. (1) The South African National Defence Force may, subject to this Constitution, be employed—

for service in the defence of the Republic, for the protection of its sovereignty and territorial integrity; for service in compliance with the international obligations of the Republic with regard to international bodies and other states; for service in the preservation of life, health or property; for service in the provision or maintenance of essential services; for service in the upholding of law and order in the Republic in co-operation with the South African Police Service under circumstances set out in a law where the said Police Service is unable to maintain law and order on its own; and for service in support of any department of state for the purpose of socio-economic upliftment.

(2) The South African National Defence Force shall—

exercise its powers and perform its functions solely in the national interest by—

upholding the Constitution; providing for the defence of the Republic; and ensuring the protection of the inhabitants of the Republic,

in accordance with this Constitution and any law; exercise its powers and perform its functions under the directions of the government of the Republic; refrain from furthering or prejudicing party-political interests; not breach international customary law binding on the Republic relating to aggression; in armed conflict comply with its obligations under international customary law and treaties binding on the Republic; and be primarily defensive in the exercise or performance of its powers and functions.

(3) The employment for service, training, organisation and deployment of the South African National Defence Force shall be effected in accordance with the requirements of subsection (2).

Accountability

228. (1) The Minister responsible for defence shall be accountable to Parliament for the South African National Defence Force.

(2) Parliament shall annually approve a budget for the defence of the Republic.

(3) (a) A joint standing committee of Parliament on defence shall be established, consisting of members of all political parties holding more than 10 seats in the National Assembly and willing to participate in the committee.

(b) The total membership of the committee shall be as determined by or under the rules and orders.

(c) Such a party shall be entitled to designate a member or members on the committee in accordance with the principle of proportional representation and as determined in accordance with the following formula:

A quota of seats per member of the committee shall be determined by dividing the total number of seats in the National Assembly held jointly by all the parties referred to in paragraph (a) by the total number of members of the committee plus one. The result, disregarding third and subsequent decimals, if any, shall be the quota of seats per member. The number of members that a participating party shall be entitled to designate on the committee, shall be determined by dividing the total number of seats held by such party in the National Assembly by the quota referred to in subparagraph (ii). The result shall, subject to subparagraph (v), indicate the number of members that such party is entitled to designate on the committee. Where the application of the above formula yields a surplus not absorbed by the number of members allocated to a party, such surplus shall compete with other similar surpluses accruing to another party or parties, and any member or members which remain unallocated shall be allocated to the party or parties concerned in sequence of the highest surplus.

(d) The committee shall be competent to investigate and make recommendations regarding the budget, functioning, organisation, armaments, policy, morale and state of preparedness of the South African National Defence Force and to perform such other functions relating to parliamentary supervision of the Force as may be prescribed by law.

(4) (a) The President shall, when the South African National Defence Force is employed for service referred to in section 227(1)(a), (b) or (e), forthwith inform Parliament of the reasons for such employment.

(b) If, in the case of such an employment referred to in section 227(1)(a) or (b), Parliament is not sitting, the President shall summon the joint standing committee referred to in subsection (3) to meet expeditiously, but not later than 14 days after the commencement of such employment, and shall inform the committee of the reasons for such employment.

(5) Parliament may by resolution terminate any employment referred to in section 227(1)(a), (b) or (e), but such termination of employment shall not affect the validity of anything done in terms of such employment up to the date of such termination, or any right, privilege, obligation or liability acquired, accrued or incurred as at the said date under and by virtue of such employment.