The SA Air Force's fleet will soon become obsolete, fences at some of the main border posts are wholly inadequate, and battlefield surveillance capabilities are minimal.

There is also a lack of sufficient and adequate air support in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to respond to emergencies where the terrain does not allow quick movement on land.

These are just some key findings of two parliamentary committees after an oversight visit to key military installations.

During November last year, the joint standing committee on defence and the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans paid a visit to 1 Military Hospital, the SA Army Main Ordnance Sub-depot Wallmansthal, Air Force Base Waterkloof, and the Beitbridge, Komatipoort and Kosi Bay landline borders.

A report on the three-day oversight visit was released last week.

ONE MILITARY HOSPITAL
The committees observed that the repair and maintenance programme (RAMP) of the 1 Military Hospital in Thaba Tshwane requires around R1-billion to be complete.

MPs also questioned whether the technology acquired would still hold value when the programme is completed.

"One of the main concerns regarding the delays to complete the RAMP is the situation around the first floor of the hospital. The floor should host the new pharmacy, the radiology section, and emergency theatres. The absence of these facilities compounds the dire situation at the hospital.

"The South African Military Health Services did not outsource healthcare services as a cost-saving strategy, but mainly because of a lack of resources and specialised skills to carry out its duties," the committees found.

AIR FORCE BASE WATERKLOOF
The committees heard of challenges, including the airfield lighting and cabling that is not available locally.

"Base support services has encountered vandalism of their fuel decanting facility at Lyttelton, and the rail infrastructure had been stolen [by vandals], which led to the unavailability of rail delivery.

"Obsolete main equipment for the base included fuel points, trucks, specialised road works and maintenance and machinery. The hangars are also very old and require ongoing maintenance and repair.

"Security-related issues include the non-availability of a CCTV camera system; poor access control systems; a lack of a canine capability; and a lack of security vehicles," the report read.

"The SA Air Force’s ageing fleet is very concerning, as it will soon become obsolete, which will further exacerbate the current serious situation to execute their mandate."

BEITBRIDGE BORDER FENCE
The borderline project at Beitbridge has been mired in controversy after the government budgeted R40 million for an inadequate fence that was easily scalable.

According to the committees' findings, the main challenge is the porous border that needs to be covered by the limited number of forces.

"The collusion of members of the security sector with criminal elements as well as the inadequate availability of airframes for the quick reaction is also part of the challenges.

"The damaged border fence and the dry Limpopo River further contribute to the challenges experienced. The limited and kind of vehicles and the ageing fleet that has long lead times for repair and maintenance are also burning issues.

"[The situation] is further exacerbated by the lengthy procurement processes, especially for urgent requirements and the non-availability of sufficient battlefield surveillance capabilities," the report read.

During operation Notlela, one drone was deployed by joint operations but was withdrawn after its completion, the committee heard.

KOMATIPOORT BORDER
At the Komatipoort border, the committees heard of similar problems to that experienced at Beitbridge.

"The poor condition of the border fence, the inadequate number of vehicles which are also aged, and especially the lengthy procurement processes, including for operationally required items such as tyres, are some of the main challenges," the report read.

One of the main recurring issues observed, the committees found, was procurement challenges.

Undocumented persons and cross-border crimes were another major challenge.

According to the committees' report, cross-border crimes were exacerbated by insufficient support and co-operation from neighbouring countries.