Publication: Cape Argus
Issued:
Date: 2007-12-05
Reporter: Henri du Plessis
Critical shortage of trained staff stymies operation of navy's
multimillion-rand fleet
Budget problems are causing a severe shortage of skilled staff that is
crippling the operation of South Africa's new R1.5 billion
submarines *1, bought in the scandal ridden *2
arms deal.
The staffing shortage at the dock, described as "critical" by a top defence
expert, has prompted the DA to call for the cancellation of the delivery of the
third and final submarine from Germany, scheduled for May next year, in order to
reduce operational costs.
At present the navy has had to allow for the staff shortages in its overall
operational plan.
Respected defence analyst Helmoed Romer-Heitman of the military magazine Jane's
Defence Weekly says the situation is critical and the Defence Force's
recruitment system is failing the navy.
Already, one of the two new submarines in Simon's Town is mostly idle in the
dockyard, while the other is operational.
Simon's Town dockyard sources allege that there are proposals that one of the
two submarines should be mothballed, as the navy is not able to afford running
all three, even before the third boat has arrived.
But officers deny this, saying the process of mothballing or preserving a ship
for future use is in itself too expensive given the budget limitations.
DA MP Eddie Trent, the party's spokesman on the arms deal, slammed the
government for forging ahead with the deal without making sure the equipment
bought could be used effectively.
Senior naval officers admit that the navy has launched its own recruitment drive
to make up numbers.
The navy admits that the lure of much better remuneration in the private sector
is irresistible to highly qualified sailors in the middle-management level
aboard the ships.
The offshore oil industry of West Africa especially has drawn away large
numbers, while recruiting drives are not yet succeeding in bringing in suitable
replacements.
Rear Admiral Hanno Teuteberg, the navy's director of fleet force preparation,
said it was not true that the navy was planning to mothball one of the
submarines.
"We have planned our business plan in such a way that we can make most effective
use of the boats in terms of our budget."
Teuteberg said it would cost the navy R34.3 million a year
to operate the "total submarine system" *3, which included running costs,
crews, fuel, training and maintenance.
This came to an average of R7.8m a boat.
In the navy, a petty officer (equal to a sergeant in the army) with 10 years'
service serving ashore, earned R88 000 a year as a basic salary. Aboard
submarines, this rose to R90 000 a year.With acknowledgements to
Henri du Plessis
and Cape Argus.
*1 R1,5 billion each in 1999 Rands,
probably about R3 billion each in 2007 Rands.
*2 The SA Navy was not looking to acquiring new submarines
in 1997. Getting new frigates was the most it expected and the most it could
afford.
Getting new submarines was something forced down the SA Navy's throat by the
Government so that Thabo Mbeki and the ANC could enjoy the largesse of the
supplying company, in this case Ferrostaal.
This is similar to the Government forcing 28 new fourth generation Gripen
fighter jets down the throat of the SA Air Force. The SAAF were simply not ready
to begin replacement of the newly acquired 38 Cheetah C fighter jets.
In reality South Africa does not need coastal submarines and the SAN cannot
afford to operate them.
This was very well known in the mid-1990s and the Chief of the Navy was
explicitly warned about this by experts in, inter alia, 1996.
*3 R34,3 million a year is actually very modest.
A frigate costs about R750 million per
year per vessel to run over its lifespan.
It is impossible that a submarine can cost only 5%
of the running costs of a frigate.
This is surely per boat. But even this amount is very, very low.