transformation in the military police agency of the south african national defence force

236 Pages·2007·1.18 MB·English

TRANSFORMATION IN THE MILITARY POLICE AGENCY
OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE

BY
REAR ADMIRAL (JUNIOR GRADE)
KHANYISILE LITCHFIELD TSHABALALA

SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE

MASTER OF ARTS

IN THE SUBJECT

CRIMINOLOGY

AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA

SUPERVISOR: PROF HERMAN CONRADIE
NOVEMBER 2004
ii
PREFACE

First of all I wish to thank God; who has always provided me with faith in myself
and helped me to see the light at the end of tunnel. He has without failure, given
me the strength to carry on.

My sincere thanks to the Department of Criminology, University of South Africa,
for affording me the opportunity to complete this study.

I am indebted to my supervisor Professor Herman Conradie, for his insightful
comments that opened up new perspectives that allowed me to explore avenues
I would not have considered; and for his undying encouragement.

To my husband, Mbongiseni Tshabalala, for taking the time to read various
versions and offer valuable comments. I would not have completed this study
without his support, his encouragement, and his dedication to the family.

To all the respondents, for agreeing to be part of this research and for allowing
themselves to re-live through some of the experiences they would rather block
out.

To my sisters and my mother, who stepped into my maternal role whenever I
needed them. They remain a source of strength and security when I stand on
shifting ground.

To Rear Admiral Green, for allowing me to complete the work and still be sane.

To my best friends, Ms Nonhlanhla Makhanda and Ms. Brigid Litchfield whose
prayers and support kept me going.

Finally, to my congregation at Meadowlands Baptist Church in Soweto and my
Christian family at Resurrection Community Church in Kagiso for their prayers.
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DECLARATION

I, Khanyisile Litchfield Tshabalala, hereby declare that the thesis report,
‘Transformation in the Military Police Agency of the South African National
Defence Force’ is my own original work and that each significant contribution to,
and quotation from other sources and the work, or works of other people in this
dissertation have been accurately acknowledged and referenced. I also declare
that this document has not (as yet) been utilized at my agency to obtain
professional promotion, transfer, or salary raise.

Signed ___________________________________

Date _____________________________________

Place _____________________________________
iv

SUMMARY

The goal of this research was to describe the nature, occurrence and extent to
which integration preceded normative and institutional transformation in the
SANDF and therefore in its Military Police, thereby demonstrating how in its
aftermath, integration has become a recipe for disaster, casting a spell on further
transformation within the military. The research also aimed at bringing the
reader face-to-face with the daily struggles of Africans in the SANDF, by focusing
on one of the smallest divisions of the military, the Military Police Agency (MPA).

The research project was limited to all reported interviews and questionnaire
responses of eighty five participants of the Southern Military Police Region
(S MPR), excluding the S MPR HQ as well as the MPA HQ. A total of eighty five
respondents out of a total strength of 172 S MPR composition, took part in the
sample. Seventy nine participated in the questionnaire, fifty one in the interview
and a total of forty five participated in both. Interviews were used as follow-up
sessions to respondents’ questionnaire answers. While the questionnaire was
structured, the interview was semi-structured, allowing members to comment,
object, affirm or question the process of transformation both in the SANDF and in
the MPA. In keeping with the qualitative research method, the semi-structured
interview enabled the mapping of categories, trends and patterns in the
responses.

It was found that MK and APLA cadres who integrated into the ex-Naval MPs
surpassed their counterparts in the ex-Army MPs, by far. The two groups are
incomparable, in rank level, experience, training, attitude and knowledge of the
organisation.

It was further discovered that most practices that had taken place before 1999 at
W CSC and still continued within the MPA, negate SANDF policy and are
v
criminal. Prejudice, racism, obscene language and gender insensitivity were rife,
forming part of institutional culture.

It is recommended that Weitzer’s proposed solution for the transformation of
coercive institutions be considered. It is a thoroughgoing transformation of the
security apparatus through a legal framework because civil control is not enough
to guarantee the pre-eminence of the democratic forces.

Key terms used

Transformation
Integration
Amalgamation
Military Police Agency (MPA)
Ex-uMkhonto weSizwe (MK)
Ex-Azanian People Liberation Army (APLA)
Ex-Non-Statutory Forces (Ex-NSF)
Ex-South African Defence Force (Ex-SADF)
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OPSOMMING

Die doel van die navorsing was om die aard, gebeurtenis en wydte te beskryf wat
die integrasie proses, tot die normale en institutionele transformasie in die SANW
gehad het en daardeur ook in die SA Militere Polisie Agentskap (MPA). Daar is
ook gewys op hoe integrasie ‘n resep vir ‘n ramp geword het, wat ‘n resep vir
onheil op verdere transformasie plaas. Die navorsing beoog ook om die leser
van aangesig tot aangesig met die daaglikse probleme van swart lede in die
SANW te bring, deur te fokus op een van die kleinste divisies van die SANW, die
Militere Polisie Agentskap.

The navorsing projek was beperk tot gerapporteerde onderhoude en reaksie op
vraelyste van vyf en tagtig (85) deelnemers van die Suidelike Militere Polisie
Area (S MPA), uitgesluit die S MPA HK en die MPA HK. ‘n Totaal van vyf en
tagtig deelnemers uit ‘n totale sterkte van een hondrerd twee en sewentig (172)
S MPA lede, het deelgeneem in die steekproef. Nege en sewentig het vraelyste
voltooi, met een en vyftig was onderhoude gevoer en ‘n getal van vyf en veertig
het aan albei deelgeneem. Onderhoude was gebruik as opvolg sessies tot
deelnemers se antwoorde op vraelyste. Die vraelys was gestruktureerd, die
onderhoude was semi-gestrukureerd, aangesien daar toegelaat was dat
deelnemers kommentaar kon lewer, om beswaar aan te teken, om antwoorde te
beklemtoon en om vrae te stel tov die transformasie proses in beide die SANW
en in die MPA. Om tred te hou met die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode, die
semi-gestruktuurde navorsing is kategorieë, neigings en patrone in die
antwoorde uitgelig.

Daar is gevind dat MK en APLA lede wie geintegreer het in die voormalige Vloot
MP’s hulle ewekniee van die voormalige Leer MP’s’ tot ‘n groot mate
verbygesteek het. Die twee groepe is nie vergelykbaar nie, in rangvlakke,
ondervinding, opleiding, houding en kennis van die organisasie nie.
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Daar was ook vasgestel dat meeste praktyke wat plaasgevind het in 1999 by die
W CSC en nog steeds voortgesit word in die MPA, die SANW beleide
weerspreek en krimineel is. Vooroordeel, rassisme, liederlike taal en geslags
ongevoeligheid was algemeen, en was deel van die organisasie se kultuur.

Dit is aanbeveel dat Weitzer se voorgestelde oplossing vir die transformasie van
dwang organisasie in ag geneem word. Dit is ‘n deeglike en volledige
transformasie van die sekuriteits apparaat deur wetgewing omdat siviele kontrole
nie genoeg is om die voornemenheid van demokratiese magte te waarborg nie.

Sleutelterme

Transformasie
Integrasie
Amalgamering
Militêre Polisie Agenskap (MPA)
Voormalige uMkhonto weSizwe (MK)
Voormalige Azanian People Liberation Army (APLA)
Voormalige Nie-Statutêre Magte (Ex-NSF)
Voormalige Suid Afrikaanse Weermag (Ex-SADF)
viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NO.

Preface i

Statement i

Summary iv

Opsomming vi

Table of Contents vi

List of Tables xvi

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 Research Goal 3

1.3 Rationale for the Research 3

1.4 Research Aproach 5

1.5 Determining the Research Focus 7

1.6 Research Design 8

1.7 Sampling 9

1.8 The Interviews 10

1.9 Clasifying Respondents 13

1.10 Ethical Isues 15

1.10.1 Consent 15

1.10.2 Validity Asesment 16

1.11 Research Limitations and Constraints 16

1.12 Layout of the Research 18

1.13 Conclusion 21
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CHAPTER 2: THE SOUTH AFRICAN MILITARY: FROM APARTHEID
SADF TO THE TRANSFORMING SANDF

2.1 Introduction 2

2.2 The Guiding Strategy 23

2.3 Splits within the White Community 25

2.4 Political Resurgence and Security Retrogression 26

2.5 The Progenitors Re-incarnate 29

2.6 Transformation of the Public Service 33

2.7 Analytic Framework 35

2.8 Policy Framework 37

2.9 Conclusion 39

CHAPTER 3: THE EMERGENCE, STRUCTURING, AND RESTRUCTURING
OF THE MILITARY POLICE IN SOUTH AFRICA

3.1 Introduction 41

3.2 The Organisational Culture of the Army 42

3.3 The Organisational Culture of the Navy and the Air Force 45

3.4 The Emergence of the Organisational Culture of Army MPs 47

3.5 The Emergence of the Organisational Culture of Naval MPs 49

3.6 The Transitional Period: April 1994 – April 1999 51

3.7 The Amalgamation Process: April 1999 54

3.8 The Establishment of the Military Police Agency 56

3.9 Conclusion 57
x
CHAPTER 4: THE FUNCTIONING OF THE MILITARY POLICE AGENCY

4.1 Introduction 59

4.2 New Discourse 61

4.3 The Mission of the Military Police Agency 63

4.4 The Vision of the Military Police Agency 64

4.5 The Strategic Profile of the Military Police Agency 65

4.6 The Military Police Agency Philosophy 65

4.7 The Functions of the Military Police Agency 66

4.8 Functional Diferentiation 67

4.8.1 Crime Prevention 68

4.8.2 Crime Inteligence 68

4.8.3 Crime Investigation 68

4.8.4 General Policing Duties 69

4.8.5 Corectional Incarceration 69

4.9 The Geographical Organisation 70

4.10 The Southern Military Police Region (S MPR) 72

4.10.1 Composition 72

4.10.2 Mision 73

4.10.3 Vision 73

4.1 Conclusion 74