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SAAF’s clipped wings | 85% of Air Force fleet out of action
JOHANNESBURG - It's been uncovered that 85 percent of South African Air Force fleet is out of action, which leaves the country vulnerable to security threats.
The country is surrounded by a lengthy coastline, yet there seems to be no coherent maritime strategy to defend it.
About 233 aircraft have been grounded due to a lack of spares and budget constraints.
DA MP Kobus Marais said if you look at South Africa’s geopolitical positioning in the world, we have an enormous coastline and land borders.
"We have to protect our borders, we have to protect our economy from outside threats, and that might be conventional threats in terms of war but it can also be other threats in terms of our economy, it could be goods brought illegally into South Africa, even people into South Africa.
"It can be that our country is being used by the wrong people as a base, as a go-through base to the rest of the world," he said.
Marais said the ocean economy should also be protected.
"We are being robbed daily of enormous amount of money and goods from our ocean.
"We are also responsible for safety and security and certain rescue for this whole maritime area around South Africa down to the Antarctica," he said.
"So, the moment you cannot fulfill your international obligations it obviously impacts on your image internationally, and how they’ll probably invest in South Africa and seeing South Africa as an international partner."