President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the employment of over 1 000 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to support Mozambique.

The Presiding Officers, National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise and National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Chairperson Amos Masondo, received a correspondence from the President informing them that he has authorised the employment of 1 495 members of the SANDF for a service in support of an international obligation of the Republic of South Africa towards the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The employment is authorised in accordance with provisions of section 201(2) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 read with section 93 of the Defence Act, 2002 (Act No 42 of 2002).

Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said the President’s correspondence, dated 23 July 2021 also states that the employment of the SANDF members will be from 15 July 2021 to 15 October 2021.

“The expenditure expected to be incurred amounts to R984 368 057. The President also said that he would communicate this report to the co-chairpersons of Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence, and asked the Speaker and the Chairperson to bring the contents of his report to the attention of their respective Houses,” Mothapo.

The President’s correspondence has been published in Parliament’s Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports (ATC), dated 27 July 2021.

Source: South African Government News Agency