It cost taxpayers R600-million to keep 561 black soldiers, who violently stormed the Union Buildings in 2009 to protest against poor wages, on special disciplinary leave
SANDF has spent R10-million on legal fees and R7-million a month since 2009 on the soldiers' combined salaries
SA National Defence Force chief General Solly Shoke yesterday said the soldiers would be recalled on an individual basis, at a time and date to be determined by the military.
Shoke would not state whether the troops will be disciplined when they returned.
"We will cross that bridge when we get to it. Anything is possible," Shoke said.
Shoke also refused to state if the soldiers would return to their units, which include combat units.
He said he had made his decision, "because I am tired of having to pay these troops while they sit at home doing nothing".
The SA Defence Union's national secretary, Pikkie Greeff, said the SANDF had spent R10-million on legal fees and R7-million a month since 2009 on the soldiers' combined salaries.
"That's a total of R570-million to keep these soldiers at home over seven years."
Last month former chief justice, Sandile Ngcobo - sitting as chairman on the SANDF disciplinary inquiry into the Union Buildings protest - ruled that the SANDF's attempts to evade the military courts were "impermissible".
Ngcobo's ruling effectively blocked any military plans to discipline the soldiers in a civilian court.
Greeff added that a prescript in the military' s code requires that a disciplinary matter be brought before a military court within three years.
"That's passed a long time ago," he said.
Shoke said: "Every time we tried to have these members disciplined they went to [Sandu] and went to court. This delayed proceedings.
"What we will be doing is going back to the courts to have boundaries over the jurisdiction of military and civilian courts clearly defined once and for all."
Greeff said that by recalling members individually, the SANDF was circumventing the union.
"We're worried that if they can't all be found they will be charged with abscondment."
http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2016/05/25/Armys-R600-million-wound
ALSO WATCH:
■ Police used rubber bullets and teargas to contain Over ONE THOUSAND striking black soldiers - who tried to gain access to the Union Buildings in a violent 2009 march - demanding better pay.
Several vehicles were damaged and a military vehicle petrol-bombed.
The South African National Defence Force fired them.
ALSO WATCH:
■ Police used rubber bullets and teargas to contain Over ONE THOUSAND striking black soldiers - who tried to gain access to the Union Buildings in a violent 2009 march - demanding better pay.
Several vehicles were damaged and a military vehicle petrol-bombed.
The South African National Defence Force fired them.
■Soldiers and Police fight each other in Pretoria streets
http://afrikaner-genocide-achives.blogspot.co.za/2009/08/soldiers-and-police-fight-each-other-in_26.html
■
Read more here
#StopWhiteGenocideInSA #BlackViolenceContinuesInSA
