Question NW2328 to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
25 August 2017 - NW2328
Marais, Mr S to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
(1)With reference to the reported flight of a C-130 aircraft of the SA Air Force which was stranded at Recife, Brasilia and landed on St Helena Island, what were the reasons and justifications for the round trip to Havana, Cuba; (2) (a) is it a contractual obligation to provide transport by means of an SAAF aircraft to the Cubans doing service in the country and (b) was it only freight on board or were passengers being transported to Cuba; (3) whether it was only personal freight of the Cubans working in the country or was there other freight on board as well; (4) what was the cost of the round trip flight; (5) how did the use of this aircraft affect the service delivery to the SA National Defence Force by SAAF aircraft, especially the C-130’s?
Reply:
(1) The aircraft was not stranded as reported but had landed for refuelling purposes.
(2) (a) The SANDF/SAAF took on this task as part of its Force Preparations exercise. The main aim was to attend to the SANDF members who had completed training in Cuba and had to be repatriated all their luggage using the C-130 aircraft. It was therefore financially prudent, to transport the Cuban contingent’s luggage as it were destined to the same place instead of flying the aircraft empty on the way to Cuba.
(b) There was only freight on board in the aircraft;
(3) There was only freight on board in the aircraft.
(4) Cost: Flying hours: R 3 325 825.20 (Part of Force Preparations)
Fuel / Handling: R 1 685 267.51
Total Cost: R 1 685 267.51 (R 5 311 092.71).
(5) Aircraft tasked as per daily operations taskings.