The Minister of Defence, Mr. Mosiuoa Lekota, says the Air Force has in the past three years lost 91 pilots and 822 technicians. At present the Air Force has only 20 operational fighter pilots. This is the answer to a question of Mr. Pieter Groenewald of the Freedom Front Plus in Parliament.

"It is clear that the Air Force is busy collapsing. Apart from the concern about the pilots, the true crisis is the huge number of technicians which have been lost. Without technicians airplanes can not be maintained or flown. This is also one of the main reasons why the Cheetah fighter jets were phased out 4 years earlier than originally planned. This situation makes South Africa vulnerable against other African countries such as Zimbabwe", Mr. Pieter Groenewald (MP), chief spokesperson on Defence for the Freedom Front Plus said.

"Minister Lekota acknowledges in his reply that poor salaries and the perception that whites have restricted career opportunities in the Air Force are some of the main reasons as to why members of the Air Force are leaving. The Freedom Front Plus has warned Lekota since 2005 that affirmative action and a restricted budget will lead to the Air Force collapsing. Lekota is now reaping what he sowed", Groenewald said.

Of the existing twenty operational pilots, 17 are white men, one is a white woman and two are black men. The Air Force is also currently training 123 trainee-pilots. In 2005 the Minister also said to a question of Groenewald in Parliament that the Air Force was training 131 trainee-pilots. Despite this, there are only 20 operational fighter pilots. According to the answer of the Minister, the factors drawing people to other countries include less crime, longer careers, immediate citizenship and improved living standards.

MR. PIETER GROENEWALD (MP)

Below are the replies of the Minister to the 2008 and 2005 questions

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY- QUESTION 1181 - WRITTEN REPLY

DATE OF PUBLICATION: FRIDAY, 27 JUNE 2008 - INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO.: 20-2008

MR P J GROENEWALD (FF PLUS) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE

(a)(i) How many (aa) operational fighter pilots and (b) learner pilots are currently in the SA Air Force and (ii) what is the racial composition of these (aa) operational fighter pilots and (bb) learner pilots, (b)(i) how many pilots have left the service of SA Air Force (aa) in 2005, (bb) in 2006, (cc) in 2007 and (dd) during the period 1 January 2008 until the latest specified date for which information is available and (ii) why did these pilots leave the SA Air Force in each of these years and (c)(i) how many technical personnel have left the service of the SA Air Force (aa) in 2005, (bb) in 2006, (cc) in 2007 and (dd) during the period 1 January 2008 up to the latest specified date for which information is available and (ii) why did these technical personnel leave the SA Air Force in each of these years? 

REPLY

(a)(i)(aa) There are 20 operational fighter pilots in the SAAF of which 2 are black male pilots, 1 white female.

(b) There are 4 trainee fighter pilots in the SAAF of which 2 are black male pilots.

(ii)(aa)(bb) 123 pilots are currently under training in the SAAF. The following table indicate the racial composition of the trainee pilots in the SAAF:

(b)(i)(aa)(bb)(cc)(dd) The following table reflect number of pilots who left the SAAF since 2005 to date:

(b)(ii) Financial imperatives are among the main reasons for personnel leaving the SAAF. White members have a perception that there are limited career opportunities within the organization. This prompts them to seek other opportunities elsewhere, moreover for remuneration packages far beyond what the SAAF can offer in order to retain skills.

Since the latter part of 2007 the SAAF has experienced a number of its members seeking employment abroad. It is not necessarily foreign employment agencies' recruitment drives that cause personnel to leave the SAAF, because many of the resignations are linked to contact with colleagues that are already abroad and employed by companies/ organisations that are in search of more qualified and skilled personnel.

Such resignations are often prompted by various personal reasons such as: immediate citizenship, extended flying careers (in the case of aircrew) and other perceived advantages such as low crime, standard of living etc.

(C)(i)(aa)(bb)(cc)(dd) The following table indicate technical personnel that have left the SAAF since 2005 to date:

(c)(ii) The reasons here are the same as those highlighted above in (b)(ii)

ANSWER IN 2005

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY- QUESTION 649- WRITTEN REPLY-FRIDAY, 20 MAY 2005

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO.: 14-2005

8000 MR P J GROENEWALD (FF PLUS) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE

1. (a)(i) How many operational fighter pilots does the SA Air Force have at its disposal and (ii) what is the racial composition of these pilots and (b)(i) how many trainee pilots are currently receiving training and (ii) what is the racial composition of these trainee pilots;

2. Whether he will make a statement on the matter?

8001 REPLY

1. (a)(i) The are 30 operational fighter pilots in the SA Air Force.

 (ii) The racial composition is as follows:

• 26 white;
• 1 white female and;
• 3 african.

(b)(i) The SA Air Force is currently training 131 student pilots.

 (ii) The racial composition is as follows:

• 36 White males;
• 6 White females;
• 68 African males;
• 4 African females;
• 12 Coloured males;
• 2 Coloured females and;
• 3 Indian females.

2. No.

Statement issued by the Freedom Front Plus July 30 2007