Cash clips South African Air Force’s wings

Even as it celebrated its 104th birthday with a formal parade and flypast at Air Force Base Swartkop in Centurion yesterday, the South African Air Force (SAAF) is struggling to stay aloft, having had its wings severely clipped by budget constraints.

The SAAF can’t play its full role because there is not enough money, according to its chief, Lieutenant-General Wiseman Mbambo.

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While most of the SAAF’s airworthy planes – two VIP transport jets, three Gripen fighters and four Hawk trainers, as well as current and museum helicopters, took part in the flypast – the reality was 85% of its fleet has been grounded for years because there is no money for basic maintenance.

The Prestige Parade coincided with the annual Air Force Day celebration and saw demonstrations by SAAF members in various aircraft, like the Rooivalk, Oryx and BK 117, as well as two Alouette helicopters, a Gripen fighter plane and Hawks.

Many questions still hang over the force following the shocking revelations of the state of affairs within the SAAF. But Mbambo was optimistic and said the SAAF would participate in the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2024 expo on 18 to 22 September.

“Our air readiness is not the same as it was when we had full funding. It’s limited across all capabilities,” he said.

Mbambo couldn’t give a number of how many aircraft couldn’t fly but said it had reduced capabilities across the different platforms of the base.

The SAAF aimed to field all its capabilities during the upcoming AAD 2024. “We are working hard as a build-up towards that.

“This is what we are expecting, but the funding remains an issue.

“Our minister of defence and military veterans (Thandi Modise) has also indicated these challenges of underfunding.

“Yes, there is an impact on how we manage the situation in between and we are hoping that those messages of underfunding will gradually improve as we go forward,” he said.

“I would like to be frank about the ranking [of the SAAF compared to other air forces] without taking a position.

“The question of ranking is subject to a lot of variables and factors, and some of those factors are debatable.

“It would be dicey and controversial to rank the combat capabilities of various air forces.

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“Overall, if you look at the budget allocation toward defence across many countries on the continent, few countries are there in terms of positive level – those countries have a better ability to access,” Mbambo said.

“Those who are not in a good space will be in a lesser position – it’s pure mathematics.”

Prof Jaco Barkhuizen, head of the department of criminology at the University of Limpopo, said it was concerning that the SAAF cannot indicate how many fixed-wing aircraft were airworthy.

“The SAAF plays a crucial role in the security of the borders and ensuring the defence of the borders’ air,” he said, asking how it could secure the country’s airspace with the reduced capacity.

“From a crime point of view, it would be easy for drug smugglers to fly in, land and ship drugs in and out of South Africa if our airspace is this compromised.”