SANDF VIP fleet under spotlight in Parliament
Date: 13 December 2010
The South African National Defence Force VIP fleet came under scrutiny in Parliament today. Defence and Military Veterans Minister Lindiwe Sisulu says it is in urgent need of attention. The VIP aircraft transports all former heads of state.
Answering a parliamentary question by the Democratic Alliance, Minister Sisulu says her department often has to charter planes for VIPs, when the official fleet has to undergo maintenance.
This is becoming an expensive exercise. The Minister says it would be cheaper to replenish the fleet because there are no plans in place to acquire new aircraft.
Sisulu has also revealed that South Africa has 23 fighter pilots to fly its compliment of Gripen and Hawk fighter jets. The Gripens only have ten pilots.
According to a defence analyst, Helmut Heitman, this is not enough. Heiitman says ideally, South Africa needs a pool of forty pilots to sustain the Gripen compliment.
He says the fact that South Africa is not in a war situation, means it will not affect the country immediately. However, it may affect peace missions which South Africa is involved in.
Source: SABC News
