Dear Editor
On the eve of the South African Navy Festival in Simon’s Town, Minister Angie Motshekga attempted to shift blame for the severe crisis facing the South African Navy onto the Armscor Dockyard — an entity that falls directly under her portfolio and management.
In response to a written Parliamentary question by Nicholas Gotsell MP, the Minister acknowledged that the Armscor Dockyard has consistently failed to execute crucial annual Maintenance Upkeep Programmes and the Hull Availability Programme, which are essential for the proper maintenance of the Navy’s fleet. She further admitted that the SA Navy is facing a “severe crisis.”
In recent months, the Chief of the Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, made concerted efforts to involve the SA Navy in Russian and Cuban naval exercises. However, one of these exercises – the SAS Amatola’s participation in an Anniversary Parade in St. Petersburg – had to be cancelled due to “constant technical problems.”
The naval festivities in Simon’s Town this weekend, therefore, serve as nothing more than window-dressing for a maritime defence force that is presently incapacitated.
The DA calls on Minister Motshekga to take immediate and decisive action to resolve the Navy’s operational issues, rather than deflecting responsibility. Leadership during this crisis is non-negotiable, and the people of South Africa deserve better.
Regards
Nicholas Gotsell MP
DA Member on the Select Committee on Security and Justice
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