Louisbark helicopter.Photo: Getty
- Denel's contract with the Department of Defense, which covers the cost of technicians and engineers to maintain the helicopter, expired more than four months ago and has not been renewed.
- This jeopardizes the South African army's ability to protect its approximately 4,000 troops deployed in Mozambique and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
- According to Piers Pigou of the Institute for Security Studies, SA “has thrown up its hands for what we cannot deliver”.
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South Africa sent troops into two wars without renewing the maintenance contracts needed to keep essential attack and transport helicopters flying.
In response to questions, Denel said the so-called fixed-cost contract between state-run weapons manufacturer Denel and the Pentagon, which covers the costs of engineers and technicians, expired more than four months ago and has not been renewed. Stated.
This means that around 4,000 soldiers from the South African Army, deployed to fight jihadists in Mozambique and rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, will be flown by Oryx transport helicopters and Louis Barque (Red Falcon) attack helicopters. This jeopardizes our ability to protect ourselves.
The contract lapse is a sign of how out of sync South Africa's ambitions to increase its influence on the continent through peacekeeping operations are with a budget that is struggling to finance everything from the military to upgrading ports and power plants. It's proof.
“Aviation assets are absolutely critical in any counterinsurgency operation, especially in this terrain,” said Piers Pigou, head of the Southern Africa program at the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies. “We have raised our hands for things that cannot be achieved.”
South Africa has been sending troops to Congo as part of the Southern African Development Community mission since December, but the 2,900-troop deployment was only announced in a press statement from President Cyril Ramaphosa's official residence on February 12. . On February 13th, he formally notified Congress in a memo dating back to December 21st.
Mozambique's military will be deployed in 2021 and withdrawn this year.
Denel supplies spares and materials through so-called ad hoc contracts with South Africa's Armaments, the Defense Department's procurement agency known as Armscor, but is also in talks about fixed-cost contracts to provide specialized equipment and equipment for helicopters. are doing. Mike Kgobe, CEO of Denel Aeronautics, said the skills issue was not yet resolved.
“The Oryx and Rooibulk are unique helicopters flown only by South Africa and require specialized technology and special equipment to maintain their capabilities,” Kgobe said in an emailed response to questions. Denel has done such work for the Air Force, but he says he has not been paid.
In October, South African Defense Minister Thandi Modise said only five of the 39 Oryx ships were functional and R2.5 billion was needed to restore the fleet.
In response to a parliamentary question at the time, Mr Modise said three of the 11 Ruibulks could fly “with restrictions” and that the helicopter's avionics system was outdated, adding that R1 billion would be needed to refurbish it. Ta. Of the 97 other aircraft listed in the response, only 17 were operational.
This month, two South African soldiers deployed to Congo were killed by mortar fire, and the Oryx crew was injured by small-arms fire.
