NEWS & EVENTS - FINANCES
8 April 2024
Denel gets R1.2bn to repair SA Air Force helicopters
Finances
The predicament of the SA Air Force (SAAF) of having unserviceable helicopters could be a thing of the past before the upcoming national elections.
21 February 2024
Real term decline in ‘disastrous’ SA defence budget
Finances
South Africa’s 2024 budget allocation has been revealed to Parliament this afternoon, and it does not bode well for the Department of Defence and South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
21 February 2024
SANDF Budget 2023/24 comments
Finances
Herewith some Tweets (@deanwingrin) I sent earlier this afternoon after the release of the 2024/25 Budget by National Treasury, as it relates to the SANDF:
19 February 2024
SA’s troops in DRC, Mozambique at risk without crucial helicopter service deal
Finances
South Africa has deployed its troops into two wars without renewing a maintenance contract needed to keep its essential attack and transport helicopters flying.
24 January 2024
Use of SAAF aircraft for party political purposes slammed
Finances
The apparent â€"commandeering†of SAAF platforms to transport senior government officials, seemingly including President Cyril Ramaphosa and his deputy Paul Mashatile, to venues for ANC political events, was grabbed with both hands by the opposition DA.
11 January 2024
Millions of rands for ‘best of the best’ for Inkwazi passengers
Finances
The South African Air Force – in other words, the taxpayer – had to cough up almost R139 million over the past five years for, among other things, catering on board Inkwazi, the presidential jet.
30 November 2023
SAAF Command Council hears funding abuse will ground it
Finances
Lt Gen Wiseman Mbambo’s SAAF Command Council strategic work session – the second of the year – acknowledges problem areas and notes an â€"updated strategy†is â€"real progress†with implementation next on the agenda.
31 October 2023
Most SAAF aircraft maintenance contracts only partially funded
Finances
State defence materiel agency Armscor has maintenance contracts in place for most South African Air Force (SAAF) aircraft, but most of these are only partially funded at present.
30 October 2023
South African Air Force Chief highlights challenges of underfunding
Finances
Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo, Chief of the South African Air Force (SAAF), recently spoke to defenceWeb about the challenges faced by the Air Force due to underfunding and the need for increased financial support.
19 October 2023
SAAF in crisis as aircraft serviceability drops to less than 20%
Finances
The continued emasculation of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) was vividly brought to the fore by Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise when answering a Parliamentary question
18 October 2023
SAAF Gripen engine support contract finally awarded
Finances
Armscor has placed a support contract with GKN Aerospace for the maintenance of the SAAF’s Gripen engines, meaning both engines and airframes are now fully supported for South Africa’s fighter jet fleet.
4 October 2023
SAAF just beats austerity adjusted flying hour target
Finances
Implementation of austerity measures at the SA Air Force (SAAF) saw it pass – even if only slightly – a reduced flying hour target for the 2022/23 financial year.
22 August 2023
SAAF aircraft unavailability to be questioned in Parliament
Finances
Armscor’s seeming inability to â€"conclude†maintenance contracts for equipment in SA National Defence Force (SANDF) service, especially aircraft, has reached an untenable point, with questions coming for Defence and Military Veterans Minster Thandi M
21 August 2023
Lack of maintenance contract grounds SAAF C-208 Caravans
Finances
The SA Air Force (SAAF) has had to ground its Cessna 208 Caravan light transport aircraft with age and funding cited as guilty partners.
20 August 2023
SANDF pilots grounded due to unairworthy aircraft
Finances
Pilots from a critical SA Air Force (SAAF) unit are grounded and doing desk jobs because Armscor, the state arms procurement agency, is failing to maintain and repair its aircraft.
28 February 2023
Lack of maintenance funds hits Rooivalk and Oryx serviceability
Finances
Major underfunding means that two of the most important helicopter types in the SAAF – the Oryx transport and Rooivalk attack helicopter – are largely grounded, with only a handful serviceable at present.
22 February 2023
SANDF Budget 2023/24 comments
Finances
Herewith some Tweets (@deanwingrin) I sent earlier this afternoon after the release of the 2023/24 Budget by National Treasury, as it relates to the SANDF.
22 February 2023
No real increase in already stretched defence budget but boost for border security
Finances
National Treasury has not given the Department of Defence (DoD) any real increase in funding over the next two years, but R3 billion is being allocated to strengthen border security.
21 November 2022
Armscor having difficulty lining up SAAF maintenance contracts
Finances
As the Department of Defence’s defence material acquisition agency, Armscor is trying to make sure that maintenance contracts are in place to keep the SAAF’s aircraft flying in spite of budgetary and other challenges.
2 November 2022
Finance Ministry must assist if SANDF is to retain sharp end on land and at sea
Finances
Given the miserliness with which the national defence force is treated by the Ministry of Finance’s National Treasury (NT) it’s not surprising the latest recommendations by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) in
19 September 2022
Lest we forget
Finances
In a poignant ceremony on Sunday this week, the South African Air Force (SAAF) and the SAAF Association paid tribute to all South African air personnel who died in service of their country
25 August 2022
Will SAAF Gripens ever fly?
Finances
The sharp end of the SAAF " its Gripen fighters " have been grounded for over a year and, despite encouraging words to the contrary, there appears to be only slow progress in bringing them and those who fly the combat jets back to any semblance of operati
22 August 2022
Dlamini defends Presidential charter flight
Finances
The Department of Defence (DoD), in the form of its Head of Communication (HoC), came out with verbal guns blazing to defend a chartered aircraft taking President Cyril Ramaphosa and his entourage to a Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit
14 August 2022
SA National Defence Force in dire straits
Finances
Amid calls for the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) to be deployed to riot-stricken areas, the harsh reality is that the army barely has the capacity to get helicopters into the air or fill vehicles with fuel.
23 February 2022
Gripen support contract unaffordable
Finances
The latest support contract for the South African Air Force’s (SAAF’s) Gripen fighters that was offered by Saab is beyond the budget of the Air Force and Armscor is currently negotiating to reduce the price. In the meantime, the Gripen fleet remains groun
Denel gets R1.2bn to repair SA Air Force helicopters
Finances
The predicament of the SA Air Force (SAAF) of having unserviceable helicopters could be a thing of the past before the upcoming national elections.
Real term decline in ‘disastrous’ SA defence budget
Finances
South Africa’s 2024 budget allocation has been revealed to Parliament this afternoon, and it does not bode well for the Department of Defence and South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
SANDF Budget 2023/24 comments
Finances
Herewith some Tweets (@deanwingrin) I sent earlier this afternoon after the release of the 2024/25 Budget by National Treasury, as it relates to the SANDF:
SA’s troops in DRC, Mozambique at risk without crucial helicopter service deal
Finances
South Africa has deployed its troops into two wars without renewing a maintenance contract needed to keep its essential attack and transport helicopters flying.
Use of SAAF aircraft for party political purposes slammed
Finances
The apparent â€"commandeering†of SAAF platforms to transport senior government officials, seemingly including President Cyril Ramaphosa and his deputy Paul Mashatile, to venues for ANC political events, was grabbed with both hands by the opposition DA.
Millions of rands for ‘best of the best’ for Inkwazi passengers
Finances
The South African Air Force – in other words, the taxpayer – had to cough up almost R139 million over the past five years for, among other things, catering on board Inkwazi, the presidential jet.
SAAF Command Council hears funding abuse will ground it
Finances
Lt Gen Wiseman Mbambo’s SAAF Command Council strategic work session – the second of the year – acknowledges problem areas and notes an â€"updated strategy†is â€"real progress†with implementation next on the agenda.
Most SAAF aircraft maintenance contracts only partially funded
Finances
State defence materiel agency Armscor has maintenance contracts in place for most South African Air Force (SAAF) aircraft, but most of these are only partially funded at present.
South African Air Force Chief highlights challenges of underfunding
Finances
Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo, Chief of the South African Air Force (SAAF), recently spoke to defenceWeb about the challenges faced by the Air Force due to underfunding and the need for increased financial support.
SAAF in crisis as aircraft serviceability drops to less than 20%
Finances
The continued emasculation of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) was vividly brought to the fore by Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise when answering a Parliamentary question
SAAF Gripen engine support contract finally awarded
Finances
Armscor has placed a support contract with GKN Aerospace for the maintenance of the SAAF’s Gripen engines, meaning both engines and airframes are now fully supported for South Africa’s fighter jet fleet.
SAAF just beats austerity adjusted flying hour target
Finances
Implementation of austerity measures at the SA Air Force (SAAF) saw it pass – even if only slightly – a reduced flying hour target for the 2022/23 financial year.
SAAF aircraft unavailability to be questioned in Parliament
Finances
Armscor’s seeming inability to â€"conclude†maintenance contracts for equipment in SA National Defence Force (SANDF) service, especially aircraft, has reached an untenable point, with questions coming for Defence and Military Veterans Minster Thandi M
Lack of maintenance contract grounds SAAF C-208 Caravans
Finances
The SA Air Force (SAAF) has had to ground its Cessna 208 Caravan light transport aircraft with age and funding cited as guilty partners.
SANDF pilots grounded due to unairworthy aircraft
Finances
Pilots from a critical SA Air Force (SAAF) unit are grounded and doing desk jobs because Armscor, the state arms procurement agency, is failing to maintain and repair its aircraft.
Lack of maintenance funds hits Rooivalk and Oryx serviceability
Finances
Major underfunding means that two of the most important helicopter types in the SAAF – the Oryx transport and Rooivalk attack helicopter – are largely grounded, with only a handful serviceable at present.
SANDF Budget 2023/24 comments
Finances
Herewith some Tweets (@deanwingrin) I sent earlier this afternoon after the release of the 2023/24 Budget by National Treasury, as it relates to the SANDF.
No real increase in already stretched defence budget but boost for border security
Finances
National Treasury has not given the Department of Defence (DoD) any real increase in funding over the next two years, but R3 billion is being allocated to strengthen border security.
Armscor having difficulty lining up SAAF maintenance contracts
Finances
As the Department of Defence’s defence material acquisition agency, Armscor is trying to make sure that maintenance contracts are in place to keep the SAAF’s aircraft flying in spite of budgetary and other challenges.
Finance Ministry must assist if SANDF is to retain sharp end on land and at sea
Finances
Given the miserliness with which the national defence force is treated by the Ministry of Finance’s National Treasury (NT) it’s not surprising the latest recommendations by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) in
Lest we forget
Finances
In a poignant ceremony on Sunday this week, the South African Air Force (SAAF) and the SAAF Association paid tribute to all South African air personnel who died in service of their country
Will SAAF Gripens ever fly?
Finances
The sharp end of the SAAF " its Gripen fighters " have been grounded for over a year and, despite encouraging words to the contrary, there appears to be only slow progress in bringing them and those who fly the combat jets back to any semblance of operati
Dlamini defends Presidential charter flight
Finances
The Department of Defence (DoD), in the form of its Head of Communication (HoC), came out with verbal guns blazing to defend a chartered aircraft taking President Cyril Ramaphosa and his entourage to a Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit
SA National Defence Force in dire straits
Finances
Amid calls for the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) to be deployed to riot-stricken areas, the harsh reality is that the army barely has the capacity to get helicopters into the air or fill vehicles with fuel.
Gripen support contract unaffordable
Finances
The latest support contract for the South African Air Force’s (SAAF’s) Gripen fighters that was offered by Saab is beyond the budget of the Air Force and Armscor is currently negotiating to reduce the price. In the meantime, the Gripen fleet remains groun
