Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

SANDF leaves land without borders; communities must secure themselves

AfriForum is of the opinion that the admittance of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) that the defence force is practically undone leaves the country without borders and therefore without any protection regarding external threats.

This follows after Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, and Genl. Solly Shoke, Chief of the SANDF, this week openly admitted in their budget speech in Parliament that the SANDF is undone. This shortly after Genl. Khehla John Sithole, National Police Commissioner, and Bheki Cele, Minister of Police, also recently indicated that the South African Police Service (SAPS) is not capable of doing what is expected of them and cannot comply with its constitutional duty.

These admissions by the heads of the respective institutions, involved with the protection of the citizens and the territory of South Africa, leaves a bitter taste and brings about grave concern. The further statement by Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, that defence force land will be applied for land reform purposes clearly indicates that government is not keen on saving the SANDF from its desperate position.

The unsuccessful implementation of transformation, lack of discipline, intransparent application of funds, lack of maintenance and maladministration are among the points of concern which brought the SANDF to its knees.

“The inability of the leader cadre to lead the defence force with commitment has been replaced by the aspiration to reward themselves with top positions,” says Ian Cameron, AfriForum’s Head of Community Safety.

To top this, National Treasury has requested that the beleaguered SAPS trim its budget with nearly R6 billion.

Communities are increasingly confronted with the reality that the responsibility for their defensibility and safety lie in their own hands.

“Through the announcement of the minister the SANDF will not only do irreparable damage to their current reputation in the Southern African region, but will also show to the citizenry that they have no will to act in protection and defence of all residents as the Constitution requires.

“The collapse of these core state functions calls for communities to intensify their own ability with community safety structures,” says Cameron.