Project Thusano, a South African-Cuban training initiative, is rebranded as Project Kgala amidst R1.7 billion in irregular spending. The Department of Defence justifies the change as a necessary continuation of historical ties while promising better cost management. Nonetheless, the Auditor-General’s report raises concerns about efficiency and benefits for the SANDF.
The South African initiative for skills transfer, previously known as Project Thusano, has been renamed Project Kgala, despite reports of R1.7 billion in irregular expenditure associated with the former project. Originally signed in January 2012, Project Thusano’s contract concluded earlier this year, with the revised project commencing in January and presented by the Department of Defence and Military Veterans (DoD) to their Portfolio Committee recently.
Project Thusano engaged South African and Cuban cooperation in transport and medical training services for Department of Defence personnel. The DoD has defended Project Kgala as crucial for continuing the historical ties established in the previous project, noting Cuba’s ability to sustain military capabilities despite fiscal challenges. The viabilities of Project Kgala emphasize enhancing professional skills within the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
Financial implications indicate that while Project Thusano cost R3 billion over a decade, the new Project Kgala is projected at only R537 million over five years. However, the Auditor-General (AG) persistently highlighted the irregular expenditures, with R1.7 billion noted as spent erroneously on services such as vocational training and medical education due to insufficient analyses and inadequate financial documentation by the DoD.
The DoD has claimed improvements, assuring that fees are reduced, costs are capped, and administrative efficiencies introduced. Changes regarding vocational training, previously categorized as irregular expenditure, will now be recognized as foreign learning opportunities. The current contract solely corresponds with the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces to deliver technical services to SANDF.
The AG’s assessments pointed out failures and inefficiencies throughout Project Thusano, indicating excessive costs for Cuba-allocated training versus local education. For instance, students sent to Cuba faced high failure rates in local integration courses, and vehicle repairs by Cuban personnel lacked proper documentation.
The DoD underscored the necessity of the partnership with Cuba, attributing domestic training inadequacies to the local industry’s inability to meet defense personnel training standards. Political representatives have expressed skepticism about the transition from Thusano to Kgala, calling into question whether South Africa truly benefited from the investment or whether merely renaming the project represents a lapse in accountability.
In conclusion, Project Thusano has been rebranded as Project Kgala, despite its troubled history marked by substantial irregular expenditures. While the Department of Defence posits that the new initiative will be more cost-effective and efficient, significant skepticism remains regarding the effectiveness of the training and benefits derived from the partnership with Cuba. Continued scrutiny is warranted to ensure accountability and alignment with South Africa’s defense training objectives.
Original Source: www.citizen.co.za
