Latest news with #MondeLobese
eNCA
an hour ago
- Business
- eNCA
Treasury shoots down SANDF funding criticism
JOHANNESBURG - National Treasury is responding to criticism from Navy Chief Admiral Monde Lobese. He accused Treasury of sabotaging the SANDF during a Joint Standing Committee of Defence meeting. Lobese says Treasury cannot operate like a super department or a government on its own. The SANDF has been allocated 1.7 percent of the country's GDP, just over R57-billion. But, Treasury has hit back, saying it's wrong to suggest the department is responsible for the army's funding crisis. It says Cabinet decides on allocations. In addition to funding distributed for this financial year, the SANDF has also been allocated R4.3-billion in the 2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and R5.5-billion for early retirement for the current and next financial years.
eNCA
an hour ago
- Business
- eNCA
Treasury fires back at SANDF funding criticism
JOHANNESBURG - National Treasury is responding to criticism from Navy Chief Admiral Monde Lobese. He accused Treasury of sabotaging the SANDF during a Joint Standing Committee of Defence meeting. Lobese says Treasury cannot operate like a super department or a government on its own. The SANDF has been allocated 1.7 percent of the country's GDP, just over R57-billion. But, Treasury has hit back, saying it's wrong to suggest the department is responsible for the army's funding crisis. It says Cabinet decides on allocations. In addition to funding distributed for this financial year, the SANDF has also been allocated R4.3-billion in the 2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and R5.5-billion for early retirement for the current and next financial years.
IOL News
10-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
Hawks eye Kommetjie submarine tragedy
During the one year anniversary of the September 2023 tragedy, Chief of the Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese hosted a memorial for families renaming of submarine buildings in their honour. Image: Henk Kruger /Independent Newspapers 'I JUST want to give one last, hard fight for my wife. This will be the last thing I ever do for her and I want to do it right. I want to give it everything." These were the words of Romero Hector, widower of Lieutenant Commander Gillian Hector, one of three South African Navy members who died in the 2023 Kommetjie submarine tragedy. Hector, along with Warrant Officers William Malesela Mathipa and Mokwapa Lucas Mojela, lost their lives during a storm when rough waters disrupted a vertical transfer operation. The incident saw seven crew members swept out to sea, with only four surviving. Lieutenant Commander Gillian Hector, Warrant Officer William Malesela Mathipa, and Warrant Officer Mokwapa Lucas Mojela were killed during a submarine exercise in Kommetjie. Image: File Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The SA Navy on Tuesday handed over a copy of its Board of Inquiry (BOI) investigation report to the Hawks at Naval Headquarters, in Pretoria. 'The engagements were meant to assist the Hawks with their ongoing investigations into the tragic incident wherein the SA Navy lost three of its submariners following a vertical transfer (VERTREP) exercise between SAS MANTHATISI and SA Air Force Maritime Lynx helicopter in September 2023. The Chief of the SA Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese subsequently convened a Board of Inquiry on the incident. This meeting and engagement with the Hawks underscores the Navy's commitment to transparency, cooperation and accountability, as the Chief of the SA Navy has always maintained that the organisation will, within the confines of the laws and regulations, communicate the outcomes of the Board whenever the need arises,' the SA Navy said. The Hawks did not respond to further requests for comment on the status of its investigation by deadline. Romero said the handing of the BOI to the Hawks was welcomed but it still brought him no closer to accessing it, despite requests spanning over a year. In June, he had supported calls to have the report declassified. 'It must be stated that the handing over of the BOI to the Hawks does not mean I will have access to the board. I am still in the same position as it has not been handed over to me and more steps need to be taken to obtain a copy. 'The transparency that is claimed is not true. If it was, I would have also received a copy, as I have been requesting it via the legal system for more than a year. We will write again to the office of the Navy to obtain a copy in order to proceed with our steps in the civil matter. This matter is different to the Hawks (criminal) investigation,' he said. Romero still missed his wife daily. He recently embarked on a cycling campaign titled #Justice4Submarine3, where completed 800 kilometres in four days, capturing and documenting the journey along the way. "It's been a rollercoaster. I miss everything about her. You still dream about that person and then you must wake up and realise this person is no longer alive. We worked together, drove together, went to the gym and ran together. There wasn't a single part of my life that she wasn't part of. Without her, my life feels like one big, empty void. I just loved supporting her. She was a woman with enormous potential in her career, doing what she loved. All I ever wanted was to support her on her journey and I did that for 13 years. "When it comes to closure, I find it very difficult to even look for it. I'm fuelled by the desire and fight for justice. For me, this is a journey of making sure this never happens again, of finding justice for Gillian and the widows of the other two members involved. Right now, I'm 100% committed to that fight. I just want to give one last, hard fight for my wife. This will be the last thing I ever do for her and I want to do it right. I want to give it everything," he said. DA Spokesperson on Defence & Military Veterans, Chris Hattingh the handover of the Kommetjie investigation report to the Hawks was long overdue. It also marked an essential first step toward justice. 'Choosing to push ahead with a high-risk vertical transfer exercise, despite clear weather warnings and a blatant disregard for critical safety protocols, was more than reckless. It was a decision that cost lives. The evidence now confirms what many feared: catastrophic failures in planning, risk management, and operational oversight directly led to the deaths of Lieutenant-Commander Gillian Hector and her two colleagues. That the Hawks see possible grounds for culpable homicide charges underscores the gravity of the failings on that day. 'Justice delayed is justice denied. The families of the fallen deserve closure. South Africans deserve answers. If negligence is proven, those responsible must be held fully accountable, swiftly and without compromise,' said Hattingh. Cape Times
Eyewitness News
09-07-2025
- Eyewitness News
Board of inquiry wraps up investigation into SAS Manthatisi tragedy
Ntuthuzelo Nene 9 July 2025 | 12:32 From left to right, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, Commander Charles Phokane and the late Lieutenant Commander Gillian Hector. Picture: Supplied/SA Navy CAPE TOWN - A board of inquiry probing the deadly 2023 incident involving a South African Navy submarine off the Cape coast has wrapped up its investigation. Three sailors were killed and a senior officer critically injured when they were washed off the deck of the submarine SAS Manthatisi. READ: SAS Manthatisi tragedy: Widower of deceased SA Navy commander wants answers At the time, the defence department said the crew conducting a vertical transfer (VERTREP) exercise with a South African Air Force Lynx helicopter off Kommetjie was swept off the deck by high waves. The submarine was on its way to Simons Town in Cape Town to take part in a mini navy festival. An inquiry was launched to determine the cause of the tragic incident. SA Navy spokesperson, Theo Mabina, said the report had now been handed over to the Hawks for further investigation. "This meeting and engagement with the Hawks underscores the Navy's commitment to transparency, cooperation and accountability, as the chief of the SA Navy has always maintained that the organisation will, within the confines of the laws and regulations, communicate the outcomes of the board whenever the need arises."
IOL News
22-06-2025
- General
- IOL News
SA Navy concludes World Hydrography Day with a commitment to maritime cooperation
Navy chiefs unite for maritime security at World Hydrography Day celebrations Image: SANDF/South African Navy The South African Navy has wrapped up its celebrations for World Hydrography Day in East London, marking a week of public engagements, ship tours, panel discussions, and ceremonial events. Central to these festivities was showcasing hydrography's vital role in maritime safety, environmental protection, and sustainable economic growth, all under the theme 'Seabed Mapping: Enabling Ocean Action.' A key highlight was the Declaration of Intent, signed by 15 naval chiefs across Africa, including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt, and South Africa, outlining 11 shared maritime priorities to bolster security and cooperation. Throughout the week, naval vessels docked at the Port of East London, allowing residents to explore the Navy's technical capabilities firsthand. The programme also included a panel discussion and hydrography lecture at the Premier Hotel ICC, followed by a cocktail event and book launch aboard the SAS Amatola. During the cocktail reception, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, Chief of the South African Navy, emphasised hydrography's critical importance across various sectors. 'Hydrography plays a foundational role in our maritime security and economic activities. As a nation bordered by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, South Africa depends heavily on its Navy to facilitate trade, defend our sovereignty, monitor maritime borders, and manage ocean resources. 'Hydrography enables safe navigation, supports search and rescue operations, and helps us better understand our vast oceanic territories.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ He further explained that accurate hydrographic data is essential for determining secure shipping routes and combating maritime threats such as piracy and illicit fishing, especially as global sea traffic has increased by 74% year-on-year due to instability in the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Highlighting the broader strategic context, Vice Admiral Lobese noted that hydrography is an international obligation and a key driver of the blue economy, Africa's ocean-based economic development. The Navy also used the occasion to share outcomes from the 5th Sea Power for Africa Symposium, a high-level gathering of naval chiefs, academics, and maritime security experts from over 30 countries. As the continent's only Pan-African maritime forum, the symposium addressed pressing issues such as resilience in security strategies and responses to hotspots, including the Red Sea. A significant outcome of the symposium was the signing of the Declaration of Intent, a commitment by 15 African naval chiefs to prioritise 11 shared maritime objectives, fostering greater security and cooperation across the continent. Vice Admiral Lobese described this as a renewed commitment to collaborative progress, with plans to review developments at the next Sea Power symposium. The event also featured the launch of a new publication, which compiles 15 papers from the symposium. 'The publication was inspired by Nelson Mandela's words describing the sea as 'a vital national interest,' said Vice Admiral Lobese.
