REACTION BY THE SA NATIONAL DEFENCE UNION TO THE SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL's JUDGMENT DECLARING THE DISMISSAL OF 664 SOLDIERS UNLAWFUL

PRETORIA, Thursday, 28 AUGUST 2014

SANDU is elated at the SCA judgement, handed down on 28 August 2014, wherein the attempted dismissal by the SANDF, by way of newspaper notices to 664 SANDF members, was declared unfair and unlawful.

SANDU also welcomes the express finding that the SANDF's contention, that the members constituted a risk to National Security, is without foundation (a copy of judgment can be accessed here - PDF)

The members concerned have now spent one month short of five years on so-called special leave, at a total salary bill of almost R450m, and have successfully defended two attempts at unfair dismissal at an additional R6m in legal costs to the taxpayer. The special leave was effected pending outstanding litigation, which has now been completed.

SANDU sincerely calls on the Department of Defence to immediately recall the affected SANDF members to work, as they are eager to render service to South Africa, and the country can hardly afford to effectively operate on a shortage of 664 soldiers, most of whom are Infantry soldiers with specialised combat training and years of valuable experience.

Statement issued by Adv JG (Pikkie) Greeff, SANDU national secretary, August 28 2014

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