DA reacts to Department of Defence Budget
Date: 27 March 2007
Following the Defence budget speech tabled by Mr Mosiuoa Lekota, Minister of Defence, in Parliament today, the DA responded with speeches of their own. Only those items relating specifically to the SAAF are noted below.
The following is an extract from a speech by Democratic Alliance spokesperson on Defence, MP Andries Botha:
''Under the heading services to be scaled down, suspended or abolished we learn that the Air Force once again is compelled to reduce the one single issue that defines an Air Force and that is flying training hours, but incredible as it may sound only for the actual combat section of the Air Force is this reduction mandated, not for the diplomatic missions which should in any case be funded by Foreign Affairs or the Presidency. The actual words in the strategic plan reads as follows: "This means that according to present strategic priorities, basic flying training and air mobility for diplomatic missions are fully funded, while the output of other air capabilities have again been reduced to fit within the available budget. The reduction in flying hour output affects the extent to which the Air Force can satisfy the air capabilities required by joint operations and other clients, affecting in term their ability to meet force preparation objectives".
As if this is not bad enough, the Department of Defence admits that training of personnel is also affected by deteriorating aircraft systems, that cuts in maintenance activities has led to a reduction of dependability and non compliance with the Health and Safety Act. While it is accepted that a career in the military implies added risk in one's life, this state of affairs is taking matters a bridge too far.
No wonder 70 air force pilots and 350 highly skilled technicians have recently left the air force, especially when long serving and loyal uniformed members are informed by senior officers, some of whom can at best be described as uniformed civil servants, that they will never again be considered for promotion, because the transformation numbers game is the most important policy directive.
It is not pleasant to account these embarrassments but this glaring example of stupid political meddling is also to be found in the other arms of service where the Navy for instance fears that it will not be able to keep its ships at sea if it cannot retain its skilled personnel but it is directed to increase the use of contract workers in the messes when loyal service personnel are stagnating in the ranks.''
The following is an extract from a speech by Democratic Alliance Deputy spokesperson on Defence, Adv Hendrik Schmidt MP:
"The South African Air Force has recently experienced a large scale outflow of highly skilled personnel impacting negatively on operational readiness on the admission of the SANDF itself. In this regard the deterioration of the Boeing 707 system and the Astra basic training aircraft is deplorable faced especially with the reduction of not only pilots in the air force but also a reduction in the number of flying hours - a situation causing a detrimental negative perception amongst air force personnel."
