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On my way to work recently I stopped at a Midrand filling station and pulled up next to a top-of-the-range BMW SUV. Sitting in the driver’s seat was a female officer with big shiny sunglasses and a manicured wig.
In what world do serving officers drive such vehicles? How many senior officers do we have being paid obscene salaries? This lady has clearly never seen a day’s combat action, yet here she sits in urban luxury while the operational capability of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) is strangled through budget cuts.
It is time for a comprehensive overhaul of the SANDF and the SA Police Service to streamline the leadership structures, normalise salaries and ensure senior officers have come through the ranks and are combat ready.
Funds need to be diverted to where it matters, not pampering unfit cadres and deployees. If war was fought using luxury SUVs, we would be a world superpower.
Michael Blain Via BusinessLIVE
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: SANDF, police overhaul needed
Leadership structures should be streamlined
Your editorial opinion refers (“Restoring gravitas of our military missions”, September 12).
On my way to work recently I stopped at a Midrand filling station and pulled up next to a top-of-the-range BMW SUV. Sitting in the driver’s seat was a female officer with big shiny sunglasses and a manicured wig.
In what world do serving officers drive such vehicles? How many senior officers do we have being paid obscene salaries? This lady has clearly never seen a day’s combat action, yet here she sits in urban luxury while the operational capability of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) is strangled through budget cuts.
It is time for a comprehensive overhaul of the SANDF and the SA Police Service to streamline the leadership structures, normalise salaries and ensure senior officers have come through the ranks and are combat ready.
Funds need to be diverted to where it matters, not pampering unfit cadres and deployees. If war was fought using luxury SUVs, we would be a world superpower.
Michael Blain
Via BusinessLIVE
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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