Airforce has a shortage of technicians
Date: 3 October 2005
The following is a (very) rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:
The resignation of a large number of technicians from the airforce has had a negative impact on the already low flight safety record of the organisation.
Statistics from the flight safety board of the airforce show that the low levels of capabilities of technicians towards technical subjects could lead to accidents and incidents.
According to technicians, motivational levels are at their lowest point. Altogether, 113 technicians, of which 77 were related to aircraft, resigned last year. Another 26 resigned during May and a further 15 in April.
According to the technicians, the current situations holds a big danger to flight safety because experienced members must maintain the aircraft. In an airforce evaluation, it was warned that current and future aircraft systems, such as the Hawk and Gripen, may not be able to be kept in a safe and reliable condition.
The low morale by some units is worsening because the current members must work overtime. They are not paid for any overtime work and, further, the support services are also lacking. A a result of a lack of military vehicles, members have to use their own vehicles for official duties. They have to work in T-shirts and, in some cases, borrow overalls, because the clothing store by the unit does not have a supply of clothing in stock.
The Department of Labour has already closed some of the workshops because of unsafe conditions. Elsewhere, aircraft hanger doors cannot close.
Salaries that are no longer market related and drawn out corrective action is also contributing to members frustration.
Affirmative action has caused most of the technicians in the Sergeant to Flight Sergeant rank group to stagnate, while junior members are promoted above them. As a result of the system of representation for access to command courses, only a portion of the white technicians attend the courses, which means it takes even longer to be promoted. The same system affects attendance to foreign courses and related visits.
Drastic action must be taken, otherwise the units that must support the new Agusta helicopter, as well as the Hawk and Gripen aircraft, will have difficulty doing so. If this does not happen, it could mean that 28 Squadron, the primary freight transport squadron in the airforce, could shortly be without technicians.
