Arms Probe Homes in on Bank Records [Independent Online, 2001-04-05]

Publication: Independent Online Issued: Date: 2001-04-01 Reporter:

Religious Leaders Query Arms Deal

Publication	Independent Online
Date	2001-04-01
Web Link	www.iol.co.za

Religious leaders have raised concern over the arms deal in a meeting with President Thabo Mbeki, questioning both the Government's spending priorities and the allegations of corruption dogging the deal.

The meeting in Pretoria on Tuesday saw 28 leaders of various faiths and denominations questioning how the Government could justify spending *1 an estimated R43-billion on arms procurements when South Africa was wracked by poverty *3.

"Our concern is the extent of poverty in the country," they said.

With acknowledgment to Independent Online.

A blast from the past.

*1      I have it on very good authority (from yesterday) that the average operating cost over its 30 year lifespan in Europe for a frigate *2 is €220 000 per vessel per day, 365 days per year.

*2      And what we bought are frigates, not corvettes.

*3       That is :

R2 068 000 per day or over R750 million per year per vessel, or :

over R8 million per day or over R3 billion per year per squadron of four vessels, or :

over R90 billion per squadron of four vessels over the 30 year lifespan.

Submarines are even more expensive to operate than frigates and jet fighters are even more expensive to operate than submarines.

For years I've been saying that the acquisition cost of a modern weapon system *3 is only 5% to 20% of the lifecycle cost.

These figures make it look like the acquisition cost of the Valour-class frigates is some 13% of their lifecycle cost.

This is not to say that I do not believe that a modern country should not have any modern weapon systems or that a maritime nation with some 3 000 km of coastline and an Exclusive Maritime Zone ((EEZ) of some 600 000 km² should do have any maritime protection force.

But what I do say is that when acquiring a modern weapon system is that one should purchase very carefully *4, with one's eyes wide open, on'e coat cut strictly according to one's cloth and not from the highest briber.

*4 Also budget a little for some spare parts and a little local support expertise *5.

*5 Also not from the highest briber.

Now put that in one's pipe and smoke it.

Some among us clearly did - or did not - as the case may be.