SA Air Force ineffective: DA

The SA Air Force (SAAF) can transport VIPs or be combat ready, not both, said the Democratic Alliance (DA) on Wednesday.

"The few remaining resources that the SAAF has will either have to be used for transporting VIPs or maintaining combat readiness. It cannot do both," said DA MPL Roy Jankielsohn.

"The fact is that there is a crisis in the SAAF that has once again been highlighted by the hiring an aircraft for R4.55 million to take the Deputy President (Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka) to the United Kingdom, while the SAAF has already acquired aircraft at a huge cost to do so."

The defence ministry, responsible for the deputy president's travel arrangements, said earlier that the SA National Defence Force had hired the plane for Mlambo-Ngcuka's flight without top-level authorisation, and that this had nothing to do with Mlambo-Ngcuka.

Jankielsohn said the SAAF faced a major crisis, as its airfields were not being maintained properly and between 2004 and October 2006, 535 technicians and 70 pilots had resigned from the SAAF.

"The SAAF now faces a crisis of who will fly and service not only VIP jets, but also the 24 Hawk lead-in fighter trainers, 26 Gripen advanced light fighter aircraft, eight Airbus A400m aircraft, four maritime helicopters, 12 Rooivalk helicopters and the various other aircraft that are costing taxpayers billions of rands over the next few years," he said.

"The lack of funds, together with the loss of skills, means that our air force is operationally ineffective."

On Wednesday, Mlambo-Ngcuka's spokesman, Thabang Chiloane, said he was not able to comment on the issue as it was a defence force responsibility.

He said Mlambo-Ngcuka's use of commercial flights "depends on defence's security clearance".

Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota is in the Democratic Republic of Congo and his spokesman, Sam Mkhwanazi, was not available for comment.

Sapa