Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

The SA Air Force does not have enough trained pilots and engineering back-up staff to ensure that all its aircraft are fully operational, the Department of Defence has revealed.

That means that many of its aircraft – including those bought in terms of the multi-billion-rand arms deal – are effectively grounded.

The shock revelation comes in a written reply to a parliamentary question by Freedom Front Plus MP Pieter Groenewald, in the wake of warnings by SANDF top brass that the battle to halt the exodus was being lost, prompting op-position MPs to warn that national security could be compromised.

The ministry says that while all specialist aviation musterings have been hard-hit by the high exodus rate, the greatest shortages lie among pilots, flight engineers and technicians.

“The situation is aggravated by the fact that many of the remaining personnel have very little practical experience, thereby creating a false impression of the real situation.”

That means there are very few skilled and experienced staff left to train others.

Figures given in the reply put the critical capability of fighter pilots at a scant 38%, and technicians at 61%. For helicopters, the critical capability of pilots is 72%, while that for flight engineers is 64% and for technicians 68%. For transport aircraft, the critical capability for pilots stands at 68%, for flight engineers 25% and for technicians 59%.

The ministry says the international shortage of aviation experts has played a major role in the loss of skilled staff – and that the SANDF “is not in a good position” to retain their services.

This is because salary packages are not competitive: “Many of the service benefits have been seriously eroded and the SA Air Force is finding it increasingly difficult to generate sufficient flying (time), which is generally a strong motivator.”

An exodus of pilots, flight engineers and technicians has meant that many of the re-maining staff have very little practical experience.

The reply also reveals that “bureaucratic delays” are hampering efforts to retain and attract skilled staff: “While specialist allowances have been introduced, bureaucratic de-lays in updating them very often prevent them from staying relevant.

“The new remuneration package, which would recognise specialists, is only likely to be introduced in two years’ time,” the department says.

In addition, medical benefits have been “seriously compromised” by the “chronic under-funding” of the SA Military Health Service and a major shortage of medical practitioners.

The ministry says another problem is military housing – an important benefit which is needed to cater for military personnel as they’re regularly moved abut the country.

However, there aren’t enough houses available and the quality of the homes has deteriorated because of a lack of funds for maintenance.

The department says it has made requests to the National Treasury for essential additional funding – but that most of these “have not been favourably received”.

This, it says, prevents the SANDF from becoming “an employer of choice”.

In July this year, SANDF top brass reported that the air force had lost 218 technicians last year, on top of the 253 who left for the year before.

The exodus includes experienced pilots. Many are being snapped up by companies in Australia and airlines in the Middle and Far East.