Air force’s capacity deteriorating, says DA
The defence force’s price tag for transporting VIEs would continue to rise as long as the air force’s capacity deteriorated, the Democratic Alliance warned yesterday.
“The SAAF faces a major crisis owing to shortages of pilots and technicians, as well as a lack of maintenance of airfields,” DAB defence spokesman Roy Jankielsohn said in a statement.
He was commenting on the continuing controversy over Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka’s chartered flights for official business, because there were no pilots available to transport her on the SANDF Falcon 900 jet.
Airfields at major SAAF |bases were in a state of disrepair, including at Waterkloof, because of lack of maintenance, Jankielsohn said. It appeared that air force funding was the main reason for their deteriorating|capacity. Between 2004 and October 2006, a staggering 535 technicians and 70 pilots had resigned from the SAAF, Jankielsohn said.
“The SANDF’s exit mechanisms, designed to get rid of white individuals, together with racial quotas for senior positions, is to blame for this situation.”
The SAAF now faced a crisis |of who would 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 were costing taxpayers billions of rands over the next few years, Jankielsohn said.
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14 Décembre 2006 à 19:25 dans
- zsandf (anglais)
