Gaolathe Galebotswe

"The Minister of Defence should always brief his colleagues and take them on board."

"That nothing will happen is pathetic, to say the least. What if it happens? The military would be the laughing stock. National security is a priority among other priorities like education, poverty, unemployment and so on. The BDF ‘s fighter capability is compromised at the moment."

"We could be having an army that is not fit for the purpose due to its unreadiness. In this rough terrain you always have to maintain a certain level of readiness for ‘just in case’ purposes but I am afraid the BDF is lagging behind while repeated efforts by the army to sensitise the powers that be about this seem to be falling on deaf ears. We proposed force modernisation, including air assets or fighter jets. It was not General Khama who was behind procurement of Gripen fighter jets, as many were led to believe. It was the BDF’s idea following a thorough security assessment. A decision was taken by the BDF that we needed to conscientise our principals that it is no longer profitable to keep the current assets or fighter aircraft. Operation and maintenance costs were high and not sustainable."

"But we have relegated that to history and the debate about our readiness at that time has turned into mere academic exercises. In short, we have learnt nothing. We thought we were fine with a makeshift army thinking we were not a threat to anybody."

"They know my views on this subject."

"Procurement is not the prerogative of the commander of the BDF. Procurement has a structure and it is not ad hoc. Procurement structures are in place now and working well. These structures involve the BDF, the defence minister and the permanent secretary. The minister presents to Cabinet as well as the Defence Council….While I was the commander, I stopped the middlemen who are also called agents, from calling the shots. Agents are only needed when you need more information about certain equipment."

"A soldier’s duty is to protect the nation, its people and its interests."

"These incidents tarnish the military’s reputation and disgrace the nation."

"What we are seeing today – soldiers turning their weapons on defenceless civilians, is an act of cowardice and a sign of moral decay. This issue needs urgent national attention."

"The army enforces strict firearm handling protocols."

"When someone is determined to commit a crime, it is difficult to prevent it. The real issue is not firearm security but a deeper societal problem."

"Their role is to defend the country’s sovereignty from internal and external threats, guided by discipline, professionalism and a strict code of conduct."