Voluntary military service would help ease jobs crisis

The Times Editorial: Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu's proposal to introduce voluntary national service for young South Africans deserves serious consideration.

Briefing journalists yesterday ahead of her budget debate in the National Assembly, Sisulu took pains to distance the envisaged system from apartheid-era conscription, saying it would be aimed primarily at instilling discipline and patriotism in young volunteers.

Referring to the recent spate of angry service-delivery protests, Sisulu said: ''I don't think our country, with the potential it has, and the history we've had, can afford to have an angry youth on the streets.

''The unemployed [have] no hope, no prospects that their lives will get any better. If we can harness this energy [of protest] and turn it for good, like all other countries use their defence force for, I think we will benefit.''

This is a compelling argument.

We desperately need disciplined, motivated young people, and the formal sector simply isn't creating enough jobs for school-leavers.

But a comprehensive system of voluntary military service will be hugely expensive, even if it is implemented in phases over an extended period.

Equipping, housing, feeding and, most important, instilling military discipline in the volunteers - another Union Buildings-style troop-protest fiasco just doesn't bear thinking about - will require sustained, large-scale investment.

Could it be that Sisulu floated the idea as a sweetener for her requested massive military budget increase?

''We ask for a budget of around 2% of GDP [it's currently 1.3%]," she said during the debate on her budget vote. ''Unless this is done, we will not be able to fulfil our role as a critical and credible partner in influencing events in our region and the international community.''