Defence department does not want to be drawn on Inkwazi "shadowing" claim

07 July 2016 - 18:29 By Ernest Mabuza

The department of defence could not confirm or deny a report last week that President Jacob Zuma will travel to France using two jets‚ one acting as a back-up. defenceweb reported last week that Zuma and his entourage will travel in a leased business jet that is due to arrive at Waterkloof Airforce Base "within days".Presidential jet under scrutinyDemocratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane has made a formal application to gain access to the maintenance records of the presidential jet to verify claims that the aircraft is unreliable. The report claims that the presidential jet Inkwazi will “shadow” the leased jet in case it develops problems.Ex-SAA pilot says causes of president’s jet unreliability need to be probedA retired South African Airways (SAA) senior captain says he is alarmed by reports that the presidential jet needs to be replaced because it is unreliable. Department spokesman Siphiwe Dlamini said defenceweb did not contact him to ask about this.“We are not aware of this. The fact that defenceweb did not contact me is the problem. You cannot come to me and ask to verify the story‚” Dlamini said.The department has announced in the past it is not normal protocol for it to disclose the operational planning relating to the movement of the country’s political principals undertaken through the SANDF.Defence analyst Helmoed Heitman said the SA Air Force had done shadowing in the past.One notable incident was in January 2012 when the air force chartered two standby planes for Zuma when he travelled to the United Nations in New York. At the time‚ the air force said it would continue to act responsibly by providing a plan B with standby abroad‚ especially for time critical and very important missions.“I would not have thought shadowing was unnecessary when going to a country where you can get another plane quickly. If there is a problem with Inkwazi‚ why is it shadowing?” Heitman saidHeitman said he also did not understand why Inkwazi had problems as it was a relatively new aircraft which was bought in 2001.Heitman said the problem with Inkwazi could be its size‚ depending who was travelling with the president. In its configuration‚ the Inkwazi has seating for about 13.Inkwazi had limitations because of its size and its limited fuel capability‚ where a president might need a bigger delegation for conflict resolution on the continent.He said the president‚ in that scenario‚ would require an aircraft that would accommodate all the ministers and the protection and support staff and did not need to refuel in a country where there was no guarantee of fuel supply.“There is a case to be made for a bigger aircraft‚ which could be used as a tanker as well as an ordinary transport aircraft.”Heitman suggested the SA Air Force buy Airbus A 330 multi role tanker transport aircraft and let South African Airways Technical - the country’s maintenance‚ repair‚ and overhaul organisation - handle their servicing.“I don’t understand why Inkwazi is serviced in Switzerland and not by SAA Technical.”Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and her deputy Kebby Maphatsoe will accompany Zuma on the state visit to France.The minister will be leading a military delegation to France for the commemoration of 100 years of South Africa’s participation in the First World War where South African troops died and are buried in Arque-laBataille and Delville Wood...

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