# S.Africa Considering Youth National Mil Service Option



## The Bread Guy (5 May 2010)

From allafrica.com:


> Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has revealed a plan to set up a national service to provide training and instil discipline in youth.
> 
> Briefing the media ahead of her Budget Vote speech on Tuesday, Sisulu said she hoped to draw up a bill within a year, but cautioned that the national service would not be compulsory.
> 
> ...



From iol.co.za:


> South Africa faced a crisis if it did not rescue a generation of youths who lacked jobs and purpose, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said on Tuesday as she asked for a national consensus on "an unavoidable national service".
> 
> Tabling her budget in Parliament, Sisulu said national service would afford the 50 percent of South Africans aged between 18 and 24, who had neither jobs nor hope, a chance to acquire skills, respect and discipline - something "not found in abundance in our youth today".
> 
> ...



Some like the idea....


> The Young Communist League of SA has welcomed the possible re-introduction of military service for out of school youth.
> 
> "The Young Communist League of South Africa welcomes and applauds the highly anticipated decision by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu, to formally propose to Parliament the military service for out of school youth," the League said in a statement on Wednesday.
> 
> ...



...and some not so much:


> Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu's idea of introducing a form of voluntary National Service is not possible, according to the Parliamentary leader of the Freedom Front Plus, Pieter Groenewald, who doubles as the party's defence spokesman.
> 
> There is simply not enough money to do it, he said on Tuesday, after the minister had spoken.
> 
> ...


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## McG (5 May 2010)

So, this is basically South Africa establishing its own Army Cadets?


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## GAP (5 May 2010)

> "The military's existing budget is already showing a shortfall of R3 billion ($405M CDN) and in the next two years the shortfall will be R4 billion ($540M CDN) up to 2012."
> 
> "From this it is clear that the defence force and the country will not be able to afford a national military service." ....



They can`t afford not to....if they don`t do something to employ or use those youth, someone will, and they may not like the end result.


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## The Bread Guy (5 May 2010)

MCG said:
			
		

> So, this is basically South Africa establishing its own Army Cadets?


18-24 year olds are a touch old for "cadets" - more like "Katimavik" without the civilian option.



			
				GAP said:
			
		

> They can`t afford not to....if they don`t do something to employ or use those youth, someone will, and they may not like the end result.


For sure!


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## Retired AF Guy (18 May 2010)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> 18-24 year olds are a touch old for "cadets" - more like "Katimavik" without the civilian option. For sure!


 
While the intentions sound good (training to young unemployed adults), who knows what could happen down the road. Could end-up as a private army for the ruling party.


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