Parliament, Tuesday, 3 September 2019 – An oversight visit by the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans to the South African Air Force (SAAF) Base in Ysterplaat, Cape Town, today provided the committee with a direct exposure to the functions, capabilities and challenges of the SAAF.
A tour of the base’s “hanger” exposed the committee to the various aircraft and equipment used in operations of maritime support, search and rescue, mountain rescues and peace support. The committee heard that the value chain in the servicing of aircraft is in much need of reconfiguration, that the complex system and the legislative process required for maintenance are often a hindrance to fast and efficient servicing.
A visit to the domestic area and direct interaction with some of the troops highlighted the inadequate and poorly maintained housing facilities occupied by the troops. This especially poses a major challenge to the troops who come from other provinces and are forced to live at the base. The troops also pointed to the challenge of unmarried troops who are not often accommodated on the base due to the unavailability of space and as such, are forced to find alternative accommodation.
Chief of the SAAF, Lt Gen Fabian Msimang, told the committee that the underfunded budget and continuous cuts thereof has immediate and long-term consequences on the SAAF’s mandate of its Air Defence obligations. Some of the repercussions, he said, is the inability to service a number of planes used in rescue operations, hindrance to the recapitalisation of existing old fleet and infrastructure, but also the dire effect on human resources development.
Social responsibility is an area that is also high on the agenda of the SAAF, which boasts a well-established Youth Development Programme (YDF), the “Young Falcons”, which consist of aviation and military activities for the youth. The base also boasts a skills development centre and a self-sustained crèche aimed at supporting force members who have young children, and enable them to have peace of mind and be more focused on operations.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Cyril Xaba, said “the purpose of today’s visit was to get a first-hand experience of what is happening on the ground, to ascertain the challenges experienced by SAAF and to equip members of the committee with the necessary knowledge as to enable them to perform effective and efficient oversight over the next five years”.
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS, MR CYRIL XABA.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Felicia Lombard (Ms)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8285
Cell: 081 548 7011
E-mail: flombard@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour