{{The DA will ask Parliament’s defence joint standing committee to schedule a meeting to discuss the “crisis” in the SA Air Force (SAAF), spokesperson David Maynier said on Wednesday.}}
He was responding to a news report that 18 Agusta A109 helicopters had been grounded because there was no money to operate them.
“The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula must explain why things have been allowed to deteriorate to the extent that the SAAF Agusta A109 light utility helicopters have effectively been grounded,” the DA MP said.
The aircraft were purchased at a cost of close to R2bn as part of the controversial arms deal.
“The budget for the SAAF’s ‘helicopter capability’ has been slashed from R915m in 2012/13 to R769m in 2013/14,” Maynier said.
“Because of this only 71 flying hours have reportedly been allocated to the operational fleet of approximately 20 Agusta A109 helicopters.”
This meant the helicopter pilots could lose their qualifications as a result of not being able to fly the minimum number of hours needed.
“Ironically, there seems to be no shortage of funds to transport VIPs -including President Jacob Zuma and the minister – on helicopters operated by the SAAF,” said Maynier.
The cost of flying VIP’s since 2009 stood at at least R50m.
“The SAAF are in danger of being reduced to an airborne taxi service for VIPs.”
News24
Leave a Reply