The SAAF Forum

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Ok back on topic.


From monday (actually from this past thursday already really) there are no Anti poaching, fishery license and research patrols. And no matter who gets the job now it will take some time to get the DAF fleet back too 100% operation. So why has no one in government been fired for this?

If dismissal at government level for malfeasance was the norm there would be no politicians.

Well it final the navy has the boats. For how long no body knows. I only hope that we get enough money to run them. The navy is short on cash has is.

Could you please explain what you mean? Has the Navy taken posession of the boats?
Full sentences and even one or two complete paragraphs would really be appreciated, with links to reliable sources if possible.

Put it this way. I am on Algoa and all the other ships have are manned by navel staff 24 hours and if I say to much I could go to jail. But the times had a piece where they mentioned the fact that the memorandum of understanding was signed and that part of it was that the Navy would. Man both the Patrol and research boats and Insure they are maintained and are sea worthy.



http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2012/0 ... gh-and-dry

Thanks for the details.

Defenceweb has the info:

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?o ... Itemid=233

I must say I was really surprised that the SAN has to manage the three research vessels as well as the four patrol vessels.

Where on earth they will get the crews from, I don't know. Bridge watchkeepers and engine room watchkeepers have always been rather scarce and we will have to find 7 OC's, something like 21 bridge watchkeepers, minimum, 7 engineering officers (mix of Lt Cdr, Lt and WO's) and then a bunch of chief and PO stokers as well. I very much doubt we have these people floating around. Headache.

Rewind back to my original plan which was to try and recruit the current Smit crews into the SAN reserve and then to call them up for a year to do their old jobs. Whether it would be attractive to all of them is a good question. I don't know what Smit used to pay or what their leave arrangements were.... usually merchant sailors get a few months leave (not just one month!) for every period they spend at sea. Have heard of six months on, six months off. Very hard for us to match that, but that's the sort of thing we'd have to match.

Crew is not a problem there are SAN ships that are not sailing and when they get dry docked they do not need a large crew. The problem is that we do not know the ships. It took us 2 days to find every thing on Algoa and what switches what on. And the ERATS must trace systems. And we had to clean her up it was not navy standard in any way. Cleaning will take some time.

Some info

All boats have OC,s and MEO's(even if temporary) plus Quarter masters and ERATS.

They are run like navy ships with Duty watches and every thing. They are basically Navy ships only missing the navel ensign. For doing a handing and taking over in a few hours instead of a few months we did bloody good.

Used to be, at least in Safmarine, 6 months on and 3 months off - which looks good until you realise that more than a month and a half of that leave merely covers the Saturdays and Sundays worked.
And in the engine room the average officer worked a 12 hour day - two watches and then day maintenance work of 4 hours. So the three months leave does not usually cover overtime worked.

I never said the merchant service was a bed of roses!

But, when the frigates deploy to Mozambique for months on end, what kind of leave do those guys get when they get back? If it is still just the normal 30 days per year, then the SAN's leave arrangements after a long deployment is a really rough deal by comparison, that's all I'm saying.

If these DEA ships are going to be at sea a lot (I mean upwards of 150 days a year, or something like that), then they will be some of the hardest working ships in the navy and the SAN might be advised to look at their crews' leave arrangements. Fat chance of it actually happening, though, sorry sob

Hey, I just had a thought.

Defenceweb mention Africana, Algoa and Ellen Khuzwayo.

But what about the new SA Agulhas? She's still in Finland doing sea trials (presumably with a Smit crew or a manufacturers' crew or whatever), but, surely, when she gets back to SA, she will be the SAN's for a year as well.

Any idea, Sob?

When one joins the navy the government immediately declares war on your off time. They own you 24 hours a day, seven a week, etc. I very much doubt anyone will be getting more than the 30 days a year - if you can ever actually get 30 days a year.

That is so true. But, seriously, the SAN is a bit un-enlightened about this.

The Royal Navy have both seagoers leave and post-operational leave. And the USN get "post tour leave". I don't know the details of how much they get, but it is something that should at least be considered.

The Chief of Human Relations of the SANDF is quoted on Defenceweb as saying he wants to improve conditions for scarce skills personnel.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?o ... Itemid=108

Will it actually happen?

Never.

You get 1 day leav per week deployed plus allowances. I think a 150 day deployment would be great.


No news on agulls but i am only a AB.