Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing in a ‘shocking state’
Date: 27 June 2025
South African Air Force (SAAF) Mobile Deployment Wing (formerly Air Force Base Swartkop) is battling with a number of infrastructure problems, including a lack of electricity, no runway lights, bad roads, and limited security.
This emerged in response to a parliamentary question posed by the Democratic Alliance’s Chris Hattingh, who wanted to know more about challenges the base has been facing over the last three years.
Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga told him that theft and vandalism have escalated to such an extent that there is no Eskom electricity provision on the base. “This unit falls within the Lyttleton electricity grid. Both main Eskom distribution boxes (sub-stations) were vandalized and day-to-day operations are currently supported by eleven mobile generators of different sizes ranging from 15kVa to 250kVA.”
Motshekga’s reply added that the continued reliance on generator power is not a sustainable short- or even medium-term solution as it carries inherent risks (inability to replace a generator if it should break) and significant costs to the base, the SAAF and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as a whole.
Cable theft has also affected runway lights at the base, with Motshekga indicating there are none working as a result. “There is ongoing discussion with the type of lights to be utilised (commercial-off-the-shelf) for replacement and the way forward. Mobile runway lights are available, if and when required, as mitigation.”
Other services are also shaky at SAAF Mobile Deployment Wing, with units having sufficient running and drinking water, “but very old infrastructure poses the greatest threat in terms of burst and leaking pipes, which contributes to erosion and sink holes in the area. There is also increased pressure on the aged sewerage system. Incidents are therefore more prevalent than before. The base addresses these incidents as they occur. The onus, however, laid with the Department of Public Works in the past and is now with the Provincial Regional Works. This entity does assist in times of emergencies.”
The SAAF Memorial on Bays’ Hill has no water, as it is located higher than the existing reservoir and existing low pressure. Water bowsers and temporary water storage is employed, when required, as a contingency.
Sinkholes are prevalent in the region, and this has impacted the state of roads, particularly at Mobile Deployment Wing Central (AFB Swartkop), East (Snake Valley) and West (SAAF Gymnasium). “The road at the entrance and the service road stretching North to South is in a very bad condition,” Motshekga’s reply read.
To address the state of internal roads, the National Department of Public Works (NDPW) initiated a Dolomite Management and Sinkhole Project in December 2013 but the appointed contractor subsequently went bankrupt, and the project was never completed.
“The road continues to deteriorate due to day-to-day use. The base has been tasked to repair the road. The matter was referred to the Regional Works Formation who has taken over from NDPW. As an interim solution the base is in the process of procuring ‘Wet Tar’, sourcing funds from the respective Forward Structure Elements (FSEs) to repair the most damaged parts of the road,” according to the parliamentary reply. All roads around Snake Valley, with the exception of the entrance, are in “reasonably good condition”.
Regarding security, “the security status is not adequate due to the fact that the incumbent Protection Squadron is insufficiently staffed for its expected task even with the limited Reserve Force members. As a result, OC AF MDW institute a ‘safeguarding’ regimental duty. This duty dictates that all members of the Force Structure Element and Sections at AF MDW Central, East and West do ‘duty’ at their respective Force Structure Elements and Sections to safeguard own assets.”
Reacting to Motshekga’s overview of the state of SAAF Mobile Deployment Wing, aviation and defence expert Dean Wingrin said it is “shocking that an Air Force Base, housing a helicopter squadron, the SAAF Museum Headquarters and Historic Flight as well as an overflow airfield for Air Force Base Waterkloof can deteriorate to such a condition. Yes, electric cable theft and sinkholes are unfortunate, but theft inside the base?”
He believes the Regional Works Formation, which took over from NDPW, appears overwhelmed by the magnitude of work required.
“This is just one base, other SAAF bases and units are also suffering from critical infrastructure maintenance and replacement. As well as other SANDF bases. The defunding of the SANDF does not just affect Prime Mission Equipment (PME). The PME and personnel need support too. It costs a lot to run a military,” he observed.
Republished with permission of defenceWeb
