Minister Ntshavheni Under Fire for Skipping Parliamentary Meeting Amid Growing Crisis in South Africa’s Arms Export Sector

South African MPs condemn Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni for missing a March 2026 JSCD meeting meant to address the ongoing NCACC arms export permit crisis.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 6:26 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from defenceWeb

Accountability Crisis in Parliament

A scheduled meeting of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) on Friday, March 6, 2026, ended in frustration and political condemnation following the absence of Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. As Chairperson of the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), Ntshavheni was expected to present the 2025 annual report and address systemic failures within the arms export regulatory framework. The Minister cited an incorrect invitation format as the reason for her absence, an excuse the committee secretariat disputed, noting that two official invitations specifying a physical meeting had been dispatched.

Industry Paralysis and Economic Impact

The JSCD’s insistence on the Minister's physical presence stems from mounting evidence of an operational collapse within the NCACC and its administrative arm, the Directorate for Conventional Arms Control (DCAC). Industry stakeholders, represented by the Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association of South Africa (AMD), have highlighted a dire situation: only seven NCACC meetings were held throughout 2025, with no meetings occurring since October. Furthermore, the permit database has reportedly been offline since January 9, 2026, bringing the issuance of export licenses to a complete standstill. This dysfunction has led to canceled contracts, job losses, and threats from companies to relocate their operations offshore.

Political Outrage and Contempt Warnings

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) have led the charge in condemning what they describe as a "deliberate avoidance" of oversight. EFF representative Carl Niehaus labeled the Minister's repeated no-shows as a crisis of accountability that "borders on criminality." Members of the JSCD warned that continued non-compliance could trigger contempt of Parliament charges. DA representative Chris Hattingh echoed these sentiments, accusing the executive of showing "arrogance and disdain" toward parliamentary processes while a multibillion-rand sector of the economy remains in limbo.