Mbeki: Navy Equipment Honestly Obtained [Cape Argus, 2008-09-05]

Publication: Cape Argus Issued: Date: 2008-09-05 Reporter: Sapa

Mbeki: Navy Equipment Honestly Obtained

Publication	Cape Argus
Date	2008-09-05
Reporter	Sapa
Web Link	www.capeargus.co.za

The navy's new frigates and submarines were obtained honestly, based solely on the decisions of national government *1 and informed only by the defence review *2, President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday.

Addressing a presidential parade as part of the first navy presidential fleet review in Simon's Town Mbeki said: "Please rest assured that whatever mischievous story or rumours any among our people and others abroad may choose to propagate, the modern and sophisticated equipment you now control and operate was obtained honestly, based on decision by our national government and informed only by the defence review and the imperative to build a national defence force that would discharge the responsibility prescribed by our constitution," he said.

The transformation process has seen the South African navy make the transition from a poorly equipped force, compromised largely of ageing and obsolete vessels to a first class fleet, which is endowed with cutting-edge technology and staffed by world-class officers and highly trained and competent young men and women *3.

"Today we have a South African navy that has the capacity to accomplish the full range of maritime strategic objectives and missions *4 that are consistent with the domestic and international task which democratic South Africa has set itself".

The review was intended to introduce the new navy fleet to Mbeki, who is the commander-in-chief, and the people of South Africa.

According to Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota, the event should be seen as a culmination of more than a decade of "extremely hard work" by the navy to ensure the new vessels were operational and the personnel competent and professional to crew them.

"This is a very colourful, ceremonial event that is conducted with precision navigation and timing and shows off the navy not only to the head of state, but also to the people of this country," he said.

Friday's review was the first since the navy's 75th anniversary review in 1997, when a number of international navies participated. - Sapa

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With acknowledgements to Sapa and Cape Argus.

*1       This may be a bit more than an admission than it was intended to be.

National government entirely disregarded the official written recommendations of the SA Navy to purchase the Spanish Bazan 590B frigate (and the SA Air Force's decision to purchase the Italian MB339FD jet trainer) as well as that of the Department of Finance in terms of its Affordability Report.

*2      A lie, the decisions of National Government were mainly informed firstly by the "package deal" and "countertrade" bullshit first spun by British Aerospace and then by the "packages deal" and "countertrade" bullshit spun by Thyssen and Ferrostaal.

*3      A myth. Many of the SA Navy's young men and women are so inadequately trained that they have :

come to within a whisker of having sunk the first submarine on its maiden voyage of delivery;
caused many millions of Rands worth of damage to the first frigate within a short time of its delivery;
caused many millions of Rands worth of damage to the first submarine within a short time of its delivery; and
caused much damage to all the frigates systems due to incompetency and negligence.

*4 Another lie, if South African Navy presently had the capacity to accomplish its full range of maritime strategic objectives and missions it would :

not be unable to deploy, operate and support the vessels that it presently has;
not have been seriously lobbying for a 5th corvette for the last 5 years;
not be currently seriously lobbying for acquiring a new sealift vessel instead of a 5th corvette;
not be currently seriously lobbying for acquiring one or two helicopter landing vessels;
not be currently seriously lobbying for acquiring up to none multirole offshore patrol vessels;

But most importantly it is true that the Supply Terms were only a byproduct of the NIP Terms and DIP Terms - the Chief of Acquisitions he said so in early 1999.

What he said is what I have given in evidence and what I said under oath has never ever been challenged in a legal forum.

What is concocted now is only the hopeless flapping of a dying fish, rotting from the head down.