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The success of the disposal and management of excessive stock in the Department of Defence lies with the cooperation of all stakeholders including the army, air force, navy and medical health services.

South African National Defence Force Chief of Logistics, Major-General TA Ntsibande said this while addressing members of the Portfolio Committee on Defence in Parliament today, on the progress made by the SANDF regarding the management of excessive stock.

The move by defence department to dispose of stores, estimated at R70-billion for the 1996/7 financial year, followed the 1998 Standing Committee on Public Accounts' (SCOPA) recommendation of a comprehensive investigation into the stockholding of the SANDF.

He said during the year under review 171 disposal plans were being managed by all the services and divisions of the Department of Defence valued at R 4, 812-billion.

The SA Army is managing 31 plans to the value of R2, 445-billion, the Air Force, 98 plans valued at R1, 695-billion, the Navy is managing 34 plans totaling R648, 2-million and the Military Health Services currently has eight plans costing R29, 229-million.

'It has been decided that a process will be followed whereby once the Department of Defence has made the final decision to dispose of specific systems, parts thereof or items of will be offered to ARMSCOR for sale,' the Department of Defence said in a statement.

The Department of Defence envisages ARMSCOR to market and sell the stock and dispose of Category 1 equipment.

'As soon as the Affordable Force Design has been approved by the Minister of Defence, the SA Army will determine surpluses and initiate a second major wave of disposals,' Major-General Ntsibande said.

Items to be disposed by the army include, amongst others, combat vehicles, infantry and artillery systems, air defence artillery, obsolete women's clothing and general commodities.

The Air Force plans to dispose of Impala 1 and 2, Mirage E, Cheetah C and D aircrafts, Aloutte 111 helicopters, Boeing 707, C-47 TP Dakota aircrafts and a variety of spares, engines, armament and tools.

The SA Navy will dispose of spares at depots, and either sell or demolish several TON Class Minesweepers, Warrior Class strike crafts, Daphne Class submarines, Support ships, small boats and obsolete depot stock.

The Military Health Services is to dispose of Nutria material and uniforms, vehicles, signal equipment, Rinkhals and Metro ambulances and old SAMHS Rank Insignia.