Cuts take navy down to the bare barnacles
LAND FLEET: Backlogs and budget cuts mean the navy in Simon’s Town has to scrap about 25% of its vehicles THE South African Navy is becoming a scrapyard — of both vessels and vehicles — amid massive budget cuts and questionable maintenance deals.
Even as the government moves to build six brand-new patrol vessels and a state-of-the-art hydrographic survey vessel to bolster the ailing fleet, the navy confirmed this week it is battling to keep its existing fleet in the water.
At a briefing in Simon’s Town, navy chief Vice Admiral Samuel Hlongwane said senior managers were having to be increasingly creative to offset a R5-billion budget cut in military spending across the army, air force and navy.
It also emerged this week that the navy — already unable to fill 2 000 staff vacancies — may have to shed a further 600 jobs, casting doubt on its ability to protect South Africa’s 4 000km coastline and 1.5 million square kilometre exclusive economic zone.
This week the Sunday Times established that:
Simon’s Town naval dockyard, run by Armscor, has a critical skills shortage due to an exodus of personnel. Trades such as welding, sailmaking, upholstery and boilermaking are fast dying out;
Two of the arms deal frigates have been cannibalised for parts to keep the other two semi-operational. The SAS Mendi has been tied up since December 2011, and only the SAS Amatola has had a meaningful refit — at a cost of at least R400-million. The navy funded the refit out of its operational budget. Sources say it could cost as much as R10-billion to get the frigates fully operational;
Despite having more than 2 000 vacant “active posts”, a further 600 jobs could be lost due to a cut in the human resources budget. Reserve force callups could become a thing of the past;
As many as 400 naval vehicles — about 25% of the fleet — are being scrapped, due largely to a dire shortage of spare parts at the navy’s transport workshops. Budget cuts mean mechanics are no longer able to do even basic car services. There is also a huge backlog in disposing of vehicles via public auction; and
The government has turned to German arms manufacturer thyssenkrupp, which supplied the frigates and submarines, to take over maintenance work with Denel’s new maritime division. Cuban mechanics are being contracted to work in mechanical workshops, much to the annoyance of local skilled artisans.
There is also widespread concern within the ship-repair sector over the procurement process for naval maintenance following a shake-up in service providers.
Several sources also claimed crucial repair work previously done in-house was being sub-contracted, sometimes to little-known companies with no naval track record.
At the media briefing this week, Hlongwane said: “We are being affected — we do what we can do with the little that we have. It does affect the maintenance of the vessels.”
Rear Admiral Asiel Kubu, head of naval personnel, said staffing levels were unlikely to improve and could be reduced due to a National Treasury directive to cut costs. “We can still function, but not to the level that we want,” he said.
Reservist call-ups would also be affected, he said, resulting in a further loss of skills and experience. “Even that option will be challenging in future because it is also linked to the HR budget.”
Deputy chief of the navy Rear Admiral Guy Jamieson denied any official probe of sub-contracting activities, which he claimed were occasionally required to get access to the necessary expertise.
The navy did, however, confirm an increase in “traffic” through the vehicle workshop in nearby Dido Valley, which resembles a vehicle graveyard. Flag Officer Fleet Rear Admiral Bubele “Bravo” Mhlana said: “One might be seeing an increasing number of vehicles at the depot, as a result of a decision to rebuild internal capacity to maintain our own vehicles.”