Military bases collapsing
MPs see shocking decay, decline
Erika Gibson Friday, June 7, 2013
The Air Force just two technicians at the Central Flying School in Langebaan in the Western Cape that can repair aircraft. One of them also have only three months experience.
This affects the base's ability to keep aircraft serviceability and thereby help the Air Force achieve its strategic objectives.
This came to light when the parliamentary portfolio committee on defense recently visited Langebaanweg and air force Durban, Bloemspruit (in the Free State), Hoedspruit and Makhado.
The effects of a shrinking air force, especially the suspension of the technical service contract for aircraft maintenance with Denel, is clear from the committee's findings.
The contract was canceled in 2012 and all but a handful of technical specialists were retained.
According to the report, the "dysfunctional" relationship with the Department of Public Works (DPW), which is responsible for the maintenance and replacement of military buildings is the other reason for the "shocking decay and degradation."
So the staff at AFB Hoedspruit go without air conditioning in the offices because the existing equipment is too old to function properly.
It costs more to maintain than the Air Force can afford while the PWD is responsible for its replacement.
The surrounding communities' water consumption also leads to the air base's personnel being chronically without water.
The recent floods in the area of the damaged buildings, with roads and a bridge to the base was washed away. The air force personnel and the community had to combine to have the bridge repaired and the holes in the road filled.
Only 41% of the base's vehicles are serviceable.
The decommissioning of the Denel contract on this basis leads to its aircraft being lost as a strategic asset for the country as specialist maintenance is no longer possible.
The AFB Makhado power station is out of order and the DPW cannot say when it will work again. It exploded earlier this year because of lack of maintenance. Since then the base had to use its low operating budget to pay of R50 000 per day to use generators for the base and keep the neighborhood going.
This affects the operation of aircraft seriously detrimental because both are served by the same budget.
Only 39% of the base's vehicles are serviceable.
The air base in Durban is dilapidated because they have waited eight years for permission to move the base to the new King Shaka Airport. Meanwhile, no maintenance is authorized.
Meanwhile, the aircraft housed 60 km from the "old" basis at King Shaka, with support available at the old base.
The sickbay does not even have an ambulance to transport sick.
David Maynier, DA MP, said the heroic efforts of some base commanders are hampered by the clumsy DOW. "To catch up with the R13bn backlog in infrastructure maintenance, control has to be returned to the military."
http://www.beeld.com/nuus/2013-06-07-basisse-stort-in-duie"
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