The Freedom Front Plus has discovered through parliamentary questioning that an Air Force major dismissed in 2018 for severe hate speech was quietly reinstated barely one year later, raising serious questions about military disciplinary procedures.
Major M. V. (Vincent) Mohlala, who was stationed at Wonderboom military base in Pretoria, was dismissed from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in May 2018 following inflammatory social media posts made after the murder of emeritus professor Cobus Naudé (76).
In his social media posts, Mohlala wrote: “Now it’s white people’s turn. They (the murderers) should have actually taken out his eyes and tongue so that the last people he could see were his murderers…”
Following a military investigation that found Mohlala guilty of the charges, he was dismissed from the defence force on 18 May 2018.
Quiet reinstatement raises questions
The VF Plus recently received information that Mohlala had been reinstated and submitted a parliamentary question to Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga, requesting confirmation and the reasons behind the decision.
Minister Motshekga confirmed that Mohlala was reinstated on 14 May 2019 – barely one year after his dismissal – but provided no explanation or background regarding the reinstatement decision as requested.
The VF Plus noted that action was only taken against Mohlala in 2018 after the party raised concerns about the matter during the defence force budget debate in parliament.
Military leadership’s previous position
In a letter dated 17 May 2018, the then Chief of the Defence Force, General Solly Shoke, clearly outlined the reasons for Mohlala’s dismissal:
“It has come to my attention that you have uttered words on social media containing serious racial allegations. This showed hostility and disgust based on race. This behaviour is a serious violation of military discipline and the code of conduct for SANDF members. It is furthermore contrary to the behaviour expected from a senior officer of the defence force. The words you uttered brought the defence force into disrepute and therefore your services are terminated with immediate effect.”
VF Plus Chairman and spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans, Wouter Wessels, indicated that the party will seek clarity from the minister on whether General Shoke’s views and statements are no longer considered valid.
The party is demanding comprehensive answers regarding the reasons for Mohlala’s reinstatement, particularly given the serious nature of the original charges and the strong stance taken by military leadership at the time of his dismissal.
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The case raises broader questions about consistency in military disciplinary procedures and the handling of hate speech within the South African National Defence Force.
Novanews directed the following questions to Motshekga’s office, but has received no response:
- Given that Major M.V. Mohlala was dismissed in May 2018 for hate speech that the then Chief of Defence Force described as ‘serious racial allegations’ that ‘brought the defence force into disrepute,’ what specific criteria were met and what compelling reasons justified his reinstatement in May 2019? Please provide details of the decision-making process, including who authorised the reinstatement and what assessments were conducted.
- Does the Department still consider General Solly Shoke’s 2018 assessment that Major Mohlala’s conduct constituted ‘a serious violation of military discipline and the code of conduct for SANDF members’ to be accurate? If so, how does the reinstatement align with maintaining consistent military disciplinary standards, and what message does this send regarding the consequences of hate speech within the SANDF?
- What specific remedial, educational, or rehabilitative measures, if any, did Major Mohlala complete between his dismissal and reinstatement? What safeguards have been implemented to prevent similar incidents, and how does the Department ensure that reinstatements of personnel dismissed for hate speech do not undermine public confidence in military discipline and values?”
