Defence Act, 2002 (Act No. 42 of 2002)

Chapter 2 : Department of Defence

14. Functions of Chief of Defence Force

Purchase cart Previous page Return to chapter overview Next page

 

Without derogating from any function of the Secretary for Defence contemplated in section 8, the Chief of the Defence Force

a)is the principal adviser to the Minister on any military, operational and administrative matter within the competence of the Chief of the Defence Force;
b)must comply with any direction issued by the Minister under the authority of the President as contemplated in section 202(2) of the Constitution;
c)is responsible for formulating and issuing military policy and doctrines;
d)must execute his or her command by issuing orders, directives and instructions, and by giving commands;
e)is responsible for the direct management and administration of the Defence Force in an efficient way, including the effective utilisation and the education, training and development of all members of the Defence Force, and employees of the Department where so required by the Secretary for Defence;
f)is responsible for the execution of approved programmes of the budget for the Defence Force;
g)must supply the Secretary for Defence with such information with regard to the Defence Force as may be requested by the Secretary for Defence;
h)is responsible for the employment of the Defence Force in accordance with an authorisation in terms of section 201(2) of the Constitution and section 18(1) of this Act;
i)is responsible for the training of members of the Defence Force to act in accordance with the Constitution and the law, including customary international law and international agreements binding on the Republic;
j)is responsible for the maintenance of such military response capability as may be authorised by the Minister;
k)is responsible for planning for contingencies which may require the use of the Defence Force;
l)must manage the Defence Force as a disciplined military force; and
m)is responsible for the development of a non-racial, non-sexist and non-discriminatory institutional culture within the Defence Force in accordance with the Constitution and departmental policy on equal opportunity and affirmative action.