Admiral's shock SANDF return

A top naval officer who resigned under a cloud more than a year ago after being convicted of fraud and assault is back in the defence force in a senior position.

Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala, the first woman to attain the rank of rear admiral, has been working in the defence secretariat of the SANDF as a reservist since August this year.

She resigned in 2008 after being convicted in the Thaba Tshwane Military Court on charges of fraud and assault after claiming back a laptop from the defence force, which she had fraudulently claimed had been stolen. She also assaulted a subordinate who wanted to search her vehicle at a medal parade in Pretoria.

She was sentenced to a R6000 fine and R15000 was docked from her salary for the money claimed on the laptop.

However, she was "called up" as a reservist in the Defence Secretariat in August.

This is despite Reserve Force regulations, published in the Government Gazette by Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Lindiwe Sisulu in July last year, that nobody with a criminal record can enrol as a reservist.

Reserve force members must also obtain the required security clearance applicable to their rank.

When The Times contacted the Department of Defence in Pretoria last Friday and asked to speak to Litchfield-Tshabalala at the secretariat, an official said she was "not in", but said she would be back at work on Monday.

Repeated calls to the number given as Litchfield-Tshabalala's direct line were not answered.

Department of Defence spokesman Sam Mkhwanazi yesterday confirmed that Litchfield-Tshabalala has been "called up as part of several Reserve Force Members similarly appointed to assist with short-term administrative activities and projects".

The rank referred to in correspondence was that of a senior, "Rear Admiral (Junior Grade)".

The Times has been unable to establish the veracity of rumours that Litchfield-Tshabalala is being lined up for a permanent position.

Mkhwanazi said her call-up was in line with a "mechanism used from time to time when there is a need for temporary interventions".

Litchfield-Tshabalala, who is a former commander of Umkhonto weSizwe in Angola, was appointed as the navy's first female admiral in 2004, and subsequently made director of transformation.

She was the pride of the SANDF when she was honoured as one of Rapport/City Press's top 10 Women of the Year in 2007.

Litchfield-Tshabalala reported her R15000 laptop stolen to military police after a seminar in Johannesburg.

Beeld reported that several laptops were stolen during a lunch break at the conference, but Litchfield-Tshabalala told delegates she was glad she had not brought hers.

Mkhwanazi told The Times: "there is no basis why Rear Admiral Litchfield-Tshabalala may not be called for duty as she left the SANDF voluntarily and subsequently enrolled as a Reserve Force member".

He said she was enrolled in the Reserve Force on January 1 this year, but only started "effective duty" on August 2. This was after publication of the Reserve Force regulations.

The department of defence and military veterans did not respond to questions about the regulations by late yesterday.

The DA's spokesman on defence, David Maynier, said her appointment was "completely inconsistent with the values of the defence force".

Sisulu's spokesman, Ndivhuwo Mabaya, said the ministry "does not comment on operational issues of the SANDF".

When The Times contacted the department of defence again yesterday, a receptionist said she did not have a listing for Litchfield-Tshabalala.