SAAF was unaware of who owned Ramaphosa charter plane

28 August 2015 - 14:41 By RDM News Wire

Speculation about the charter flight used by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa for an official visit to Japan prompted the defence minister to make “a rare decision to appear” before the media. This‚ Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said at a hastily convened press conference on Friday‚ was because of “uncertainty and need for reassurance of South Africans regarding an important matter of security and political accountability”.Ramaphosa and a delegation flew to Japan in a Gupta family jet at a cost of millions of rands‚ which besides the cost‚ raised questions as to why a jet owned by a company of which President Jacob Zuma's son‚ Duduzane‚ is a director was used to transport VIPs.Zuma's close relationship with the Gupta family from India was heavily criticised in April 2013 when a plane chartered by the Guptas carrying 270 wedding guests was allowed to land at Waterkloof Air Force Base.A government investigation exonerated Zuma and his cabinet‚ and blamed the landing on ''collusion'' by officials. Only one was sanctioned.Mapisa-Nqakula kicked off Friday’s briefing by distancing the Presidency from any responsibility for chartering the flight‚ saying the “air travel and movement of the (president and deputy president) is a mandated responsibility of the SA Air Force (SAAF)”.This is done by “a dedicated squadron of the SAAF…informed by the requirements that are indicated by the offices of the principal concerned‚” she said.While “the VVIP squadron of the SAAF maintains and operates its own fleet of aircrafts…if these are not available for any reason‚ or not suitable for the specification requirements of a particular travel‚ a suitable aircraft may be chartered to be operated by the SAAF in execution of this responsibility‚” she elaborated.“Two of the important requirements” of Ramaphosa’s trip were “that there must be a minimum of fuel stops en route and that there should be adequate rest/sleeping facilities for the principal”‚ Mapisa-Nqakula added.With the “Boeing 737 (BBJ) of the SAAF” which meets these requirements “not available as it was being used as a higher priority for presidential flights over the period”‚ and other aircraft in the VVIP squadron not having “either the range or the passenger capacity to do the flight…the next option is to charter an aircraft”.Charter contracts are handled by the National Treasury (RT-61 contract) and the “SAAF's only input in this process is to supply a User Requirement Specification (URS)”.Treasury then submits a list of possible suppliers to the SAAF.ExecuJet‚ the second company on the list was used‚ Mapisa-Nqakula said‚ as it “had the Global Express aircraft available which could complete the flight with only one refueling stop as well as carry the required amount of passengers”.“The information provided to the SAAF on the RT-61 contract does not include ownership of the aircraft‚” said Mapisa-Nqakula‚ before adding “that ExecuJet itself doesn’t own and operate its own aircrafts but manages a fleet of aircrafts on behalf of various owners”.“We are also informed that ExecuJet exercises a right of non-disclosure of the third parties ownership of the aircrafts they make available on the RT-61 contract.”The Gupta family had earlier said it was not involved directly in the leasing of the plane to the government delegation."Execujet has an agreement with Westdawn to charter the aircraft on a commercial basis when not in use by ourselves .We are not involved in any of Execujet's arrangements with any other third party and have no knowledge on the detail of any of said third-party arrangements‚" the family's spokesman‚ Gary Naidoo‚ said...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.