DOD TO BID BMATT FAREWELL

Following the decision by parliament to end the process of integration, members of British Military Advisory and Training Team South Africa ( B MATT) will leave South Africa beginning of March 03.

A farewell function to mark the day will be held on the 28th February 2003 at Meintjieskop at Armscor building.

BACKGROUND

BMATT came to the RSA after the 28th April 1994, after the South African Transitional Executive Council issued a formal invitation to the United Kingdom Government to assist it in the process of integrating seven previously hostile forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

TASKS

BMATT was tasked with the following:

• The validation of criteria and standards for the SANDF as set out by the Joint Military Co- ordinating Council (JMCC) against international norms.
• The monitoring of assessment selection and training across all four Arms of service in the SANDF.
• The adjudication of disputes that could arise between the parties involved in the integration process.
• Supporting the SANDF in the development of a Peace Support Capacity.
• Providing of training assistance and support within resources, on request.

PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED

Nowhere else in the world had there been such experience ,of integrating seven military forces.

No military text book or doctrine was available to predict and govern such a sensitive issue as integration . Problems faced were of a different nature and the following are just a few of them:

• Resistance to change.
• Mistrust between the involved parties. To NSF members it seemed that they were being absorbed and not integrated. The fact that ex SADF bases, uniforms and ranks were utilized for the integration process was the main reason for this feeling.
• Certified Personnel Registry problems experienced. This led, in certain cases, to certain individuals who have been members of the NSF, approximately three years to become members of the SANDF.

The DOD is proud to say that it managed with B MATT’s support to resolve most issues regarding the integration process.

BMATT (SA) MANDATE

The current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was reviewed by the Minister of Defence and it was directed that the mandate of the British Military Advisory and Training Team (B MATT) (SA) would not be renewed, ending 8 years of B MATT (SA) support on the 31st March 2003.