Parliament, Friday, 27 January 2026 – The Joint Standing Committee on Defence has urged the Department of Defence and Military Veterans, together with the Office of the Military Ombud, to undertake a comprehensive review process to determine whether the continued challenges facing the Ombud are due to policy gaps, legislative shortcomings, or capacity and institutional constraints that undermine the Office’s ability to function effectively.
The committee met with the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, the Office of the Military Ombud, and senior management of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assess the performance of the Ombud. The committee remains concerned that the Office continues to raise structural challenges that compromise its independence and operational effectiveness.
“It is important to take a broad view of the matter, especially in the context of the fiscal constraints facing government departments. Despite this, the committee is of the view that the department and the Ombud must engage meaningfully to identify the root causes of the challenges and ensure the effectiveness of the Office,” said Mr Phiroane Phala, Co-Chairperson of the committee. These concerns follow apparent disagreements between the parties regarding the causes of the impediments affecting the Ombud’s effectiveness.
The committee welcomed the Office’s 83.84% case resolution rate despite institutional under-capacity. However, it expressed concern about delays in the implementation of recommendations issued by the Ombud, which undermine the Office’s mandate and impact. Of particular concern is the Department’s indication that a lack of policy alignment has hindered the implementation of ministerial directives.
“The policy review process by the Department of Defence must be undertaken as a matter of urgency. Officials cannot be expected to wait indefinitely for policy realignment without clear timelines. This has a direct impact on the morale of SANDF members,” Mr Phala emphasised.
The committee welcomed assurances from the Military Ombud that regular engagements are taking place between the Ombud and the Office of the Chief of the SANDF to address delays in finalising investigations and implementing recommendations. The committee emphasised that the implementation of the Ombud’s recommendations is critical to ensuring accountability, protecting the rights of military personnel, and resolving grievances fairly and expeditiously.
The committee further committed to undertake any necessary legislative work to address gaps within the Military Ombud framework, should the review process identify such shortcomings, while stressing the importance of establishing clarity on the root causes of the Office’s challenges.
ISSUED BY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CO-CHAIRPERSONS OF THE JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE, MR PHIROANE PHALA AND DR MALUSI GIGABA.
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