South Africa's government removed sections from a report on its 1999 purchase of fighter aircraft, helicopters, ships and submarines, which recommended it delay some of the acquisitions, Business Day said, citing the report.

A draft version of the Joint Report into Strategic Defense Packages, written by a team of specialists advising government on the 30 billion rand ($4.9 billion) purchase, contained clauses recommending the acquisition of 28 Gripen aircraft from Sweden's Saab AB be postponed, the newspaper said. South Africa's air force does not have enough pilots to fly the new fighters, the daily newspaper said.

The Gripens and 24 Hawk training aircraft ordered from BAE Systems Plc, Saab's biggest shareholder, accounted for more than half of the cost of the arms package, Business Day said.

The draft report also said there were ``fundamental flaws'' in the selection of successful bidders for the aircraft, 30 helicopters, four frigates and three submarines, Business Day said. The clauses did not appear in a final report released by the government in 2001, the paper said.

With acknowledgements to Stewart Bailey and Bloomberg News.