Publication: Beeld
Issued:
Date: 2005-08-22
Reporter: Erika Gibson
Reporter:
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Beeld
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2005-08-22
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Reporter
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Erika Gibson
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Web link
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As a result of staff problems and an annual financial
deficit of R5bn, the defence force is, as far as military readiness is
concerned, unable to fulfil its constitutional and African
responsibilities.
Nearly all divisions are affected by this shortfall
and the force's wide range of commitments is sending it towards certain ruin.
This dark
picture emerged from an official report on the
army's *1 operational readiness.
An
information briefing to the portfolio committee on defence, where these details
were released last week, was closed to the media.
The army has been the
worst affected, closely followed by the air force. Although the navy received
new ships and has new submarines in the pipeline, a shortage of operating
capital means that new air force and navy equipment will be
totally underutilised.
It has become impossible to deploy *2 the army's tank, artillery and
anti-aircraft regiments in their primary roles, and they are basically only
being maintained.
Medical orderlies in the SA military health service are
failing their refresher courses on purpose in order not to be deployed to
life-endangering situations in foreign countries.
In Makhado at 2
Squadron, once the air force's star fighter squadron, there are only three
attack instructors to train pilots. As a result, neither the
planes nor the pilots can be fully utilised *2.
As a result of a
critical shortage of pilots and technicians at the helicopter squadrons, only
61% of these positions are filled, while medical shortcomings mean that only 51%
of flight engineers can be deployed in foreign countries.
Medical
problems and the fact that soldiers are only screened once every 12 months for
peace deployments, means that medical classifications are constantly
changing.
As a result, soldiers who are not medically fit, and even
pregnant female soldiers, are being deployed in foreign countries.
The
proposed South African contribution to the establishment of a joint peace
brigade for the SADC, in accordance with the terms of the African Union, will
have to be "carefully managed", according to the report.
The SA military
health service in most instances already does not meet the requirements of the
UN's operational support service.
Logistical support and maintenance of
troops in foreign countries is also insufficient.
As a result of foreign
commitments to the AU and UN, the remaining senior specialists in the different
fields are unable to help with the recruitment, appointment and training of more
specialists.
Sam Mkhwanazi, spokesperson for the department of defence,
said on Sunday night he had not seen the report and also said he did not want to
comment on a closed discussion.
Mkhwanazi said
defence minister Mosijoa Lekota was aware of the report.
With acknowledgements to Erika Gibson and the Beeld.
*1 Army's - or
SANDF's?
This whole sorry mess is a "told you so story". The mess was
ostensibly initiated by Joe Modise with Chippy Shaikh's assistance. Others,
equal and higher, supported the plan to their fullest ability.
When the
new Minister of Defence and new Secretary for Defence came in, they have only
supported the mess created before them and fought vigorously against both the
investigation and any criticism of the Arms Deal.
Uniformed officers who
knew better, kept quiet.
Why is
this?
*2 But whatever it is, it is treacherous.
It should be punishable as such.