Politics.za: Labour Minister: Bring Back Conscription

Labour Minister: Bring Back Conscription

Farrel — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 14:49:00 -0600

Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana suggested a unique solution to the crime problem. Conscript the youth!

The worrying trend whereby our youths are involved in the current spate of armed robberies and other related violent crimes that are ravaging our country could be reversed once they join the army.

Only one small problem. Once the youth leave their 2 years learning to kill (which is the primary aim of the army right?) and go back to their impoverished homes what exactly are they going to do? The military execution and usage of assault weapons during cash-in-transit heists have shown that ex-soldiers/cadres aren’t exactly averse to returning to a crime.

Update: Claims against SANDF set to cost taxpayers

Hundreds of South African soldiers have been accused of killing, torturing and assaulting the very people they are supposed to protect – and taxpayers might have to fork out almost a billion rands in civil claims.

"Labour Minister: Bring Back Conscription" by Garth

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 09:04:48 -0600

Sorry about the appearance of my previous post. I don’t know how it happened!

"Labour Minister: Bring Back Conscription" by Garth

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 08:58:11 -0600

‘2 years learning to kill (which is the primary aim of the army right?) ’.

Primary aim of a defence force is to protect the citizens of the country. Killing should only be a last resort. Of course, I am not sure how this fits in with the SANDF, who seem very confused about what it is they should be doing.

"Labour Minister: Bring Back Conscription" by Darren

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 13:07:27 -0600

I agree entirely, conscription of any sort is nothing less than state-sponsored slavery, albeit of the temporary sort. Absent a dire national emergency, such as all out war, I don’t think it should even be considered.

Besides, in the context of the military itself, conscription would be a seriously bad idea as it would degrade its quality, discipline and effectiveness even worse than it is today. Simply put, volunteer soldiers will always be more motivated and better disciplined than conscripts, as the latter have no particular desire to be in the military at all.

Another thing Mdladlana hasn’t considered is the expense of conscription. Right now the SANDF is struggling to create an effective force under the existing budget and that’s with only 70 000 active personnel and 3500 new recruits per year. Increase that annual intake tenfold with conscription and the costs of training, housing, feeding and equipping those soldiers will rise by a similar ratio. Where will the money come from?

That’s all aside from the fact, as you pointed out, that two years of military service is hardly likely to prevent crime at all, it’s just giving those who’re inclined to do it the kind of skills they really shouldn’t be getting.

On another level, this highlights a problem in the way the SANDF is perceived by many at the highest levels in South Africa. Rather than being seen as a small and professional military force staffed by motivated volunteers, it’s regarded as a state-sponsored source of employment, no different to any other government department. This is somewhat disturbing, because if a senior cabinet minister like Mdladlana can’t understand why conscription is a bad thing and the SANDF isn’t just a source of employment, can we really expect any better governance of the SANDF in years to come?

"Labour Minister: Bring Back Conscription" by Farrel

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:41:48 -0600

I would rather they just teach those skills in secondary school rather make people do two years of ‘civil service’ they’d rather not do over and above their schooling.

If one was qualified to go to tertiary education you still have to do it? If so conscription will basically be nothing more than making the poor and uneducated do our dirty work for free.

"Labour Minister: Bring Back Conscription" by www.wozafriday.com

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:32:20 -0600

He is wrong to believe that conscription into the army will solve all the country’s crime woes, but 2 years national service is NOT a bad idea. By national service, I mean exactly that, serving your country for two years. That does not necessarily mean joining the armed forces, rather doing civil service work, in hospitals, prisons, national parks, schools etc and potentially gaining valuable training in a field which may ultimately equip an individual to obtain employment in the work place following their two year stint.