President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed 11 Ministers and Deputy Ministers to serve on the National Conventional Arms Control Committee for a five-year term. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni will act as chairperson, while Andries Nel, Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, will serve as deputy chairperson.
These appointments are made in accordance with Section 5(1) of the National Conventional Arms Control Act of 2002. The committee’s mandate, outlined in Section 4 of the Act, is to implement government policy regarding the trade in conventional arms. It aims to establish and maintain a legitimate, effective, and transparent control process that complies with international law.
The committee is tasked with regulating the trade in conventional arms and protecting South Africa’s economic and national security interests. Additionally, it seeks to foster national and international confidence in the control procedures, with the authority to conduct investigations and inspections related to arms trade both inside and outside the Republic.