Sisulu Must Open Up, Not Cover Up Airbus A400M Details
(Source: Democratic Alliance of South Africa; issued Oct. 16, 2009)
The Democratic Alliance believes that Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Lindiwe Sisulu is dead wrong: information about the dodgy Airbus A400M arms deal should be made public and investigated by a special multiparty ad hoc committee of Parliament.
Yesterday the minister claimed that information about the dodgy Airbus A400M arms deal should not have been made public because it was embarrassing and compromised diplomatic relations.
But it now emerges that the minister was briefed and informed about the Airbus A400M deal. The fact is that the minister was informed and has known about the risk posed by the Airbus A400M arms deal for months.
The minister appears to be reverting to her default position which is to cover up rather than to open up.
The key question is this: why, if the minister knew about the massive risk posed by the Airbus A400M arms deal, was the parliamentary portfolio committee on defence and military veterans not informed?
The latest revelations about the Airbus A400M arms deal raise even more questions including:
-- whose interests were really served with revelations today that deputy correctional services minister Hlengiwe Mkhize and former Major-General Jackie Sedibe are directors of Aerosud, a local company with an interest in the Airbus A400M arms deal?;
-- what is the real cost of the eight transport aircraft, given the Airbus claim that the R47 billion price tag is exaggerated?;
-- why was there a failure to provide for maintenance costs of the transport aircraft?; and
-- why in the first place was there no tender process for the acquisition of the eight Airbus A400M aircraft for the South African Air Force?
The public has a right to know not only how we got into the Airbus A400M mess, but also how we are going to dig ourselves out of the Airbus A400M mess.
That is why we need to urgently establish a multiparty ad hoc parliamentary committee to investigate the Airbus A400M arms deal.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: According to the Oct. 17 edition of South Africa’s Independent On Line, Armscor's general manager of acquisitions Sipho Mkwanazi said the new R47bn price tag for South Africa’s eight A400Ms includes estimates for the full maintenance and life-cycle cost of the aircraft, spare parts, retention of skills and the SANDF having to pay for private freight charters for six years while it waits for delivery. These figures are contested by Airbus, but the company has not issued its own figures.) (ends)
Establish A Special Ad-Hoc Committee of Parliament to Investigate Airbus A400M Deal
(Source: Democratic Alliance of South Africa; issued Oct. 15, 2009)
The Democratic Alliance believes that a special ad hoc committee of Parliament must urgently be established to investigate the Airbus A400M arms deal.
Yesterday Sipho Thomo, Chief Executive Officer of Armscor, under pressure from the DA, revealed that the cost of procuring eight Airbus A400M heavy lift aircraft for the air force had increased from R17 billion in 2005 to R47 billion in 2009. The R30 billion cost overrun is itself nearly equivalent to the total defence force budget in the 2009/2010 financial year.
The contract for the acquisition of the eight aircraft was signed with Airbus Military (AMSL) on 28 April 2009 for delivery between 2010 and 2012. There were several departments - including the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Public Enterprises, Department of Transport and Department of Defence - that participated in putting together the Airbus A400M arms deal. The contract was part of a nine nation co-operative programme - including Britain, Germany and France - to produce the Airbus A400M. The Airbus A400M programme was soon in trouble and suffered from serious delays, causing the first flight of the aircraft to be delayed to late 2009.
The Airbus A400M arms deal must now not only be terminated, but it must also be investigated. The public have a right to know how it is that we are about to spend R47 billion on eight Airbus A400M aircraft.
Because so many departments were involved in the Airbus A400M arms deal, it will be impossible for the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans to by itself properly investigate this matter. The most effective way to investigate the Airbus A400M arms deal will therefore be to establish a multiparty ad hoc parliamentary committee so that all the departments - including the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Public Enterprises, Department of Transport and Department of Defence - can be called to account to Parliament.
I will therefore be proposing a motion at the next sitting of the National Assembly, calling on the House to adopt a resolution to establish a multiparty ad hoc parliamentary committee to investigate the Airbus A400M arms deal. (ends)
Terminate the Airbus A400M Deal Now
(Source: Democratic Alliance of South Africa; issued Oct. 14, 2009)
The Democratic Alliance believes that the programme to procure eight Airbus A400M strategic heavy lift aircraft for the South African Air Force should be terminated due to estimated cost overrun of R30 billion.
The Chief Executive Officer of Armscor, Sipho Thomo, revealed this morning during a portfolio committee on defence and military veterans meeting that the cost of the procurement of the eight aircraft had increased from an estimated R17 billion to R47 billion.
This means that unless the programme is terminated, the ordinary taxpayer will be forking our nearly R6 billion per aircraft.
The estimated cost overrun is:
--greater than the initial cost of the procurement of South Africa's strategic defence package; and
--nearly three times the total budget for the air force in the 2009/2010 financial year.
The original contract for the delivery of the aircraft, which was never put out to tender, was signed on 28 April 2005 for delivery over 2010 and 2012. The Airbus A400M was to be produced as part of a nine nation consortium cooperative programme which included South Africa.
We have already spent R2.9 billion on the Airbus A400M.
We have to get out while we can.
The DA therefore calls on the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu, to:
--withhold the R1.1 billion pending payment to Airbus;
--begin negotiations to terminate the procurement of the aircraft; and then
-- launch a full and independent enquiry in the Airbus A400M deal. (ends)
Statement on COSATU's Attack on President Lekota in the Airbus Scandal
(Source: Congress of the People, COPE; issued Oct. 17, 2009)
The Congress of the People takes note of the opportunistic attack by COSATU on COPE President Lekota and Alec Erwin. The suggestion that these two individuals are responsible for the proposed transaction to purchase the Airbus transport aeroplanes, is just plain silly. Surely even the COSATU leadership can understand that the Cabinet assumes collective responsibility for such decisions.
COPE supports the call for a review of the proposed procurement decision, not because there is any evidence of wrongdoing, but because the reported price escalation needs to be explained. At this point our country may not be able to afford to purchase these aircraft, even if they are so desperately needed.
This review should also take into account the potential job losses locally if the contract is cancelled, as some of components for all these aircraft are manufactured locally.
While South Africans must remain vigilant and the officials in charge of executing these decisions held accountable, we should not jump to premature conclusions or make hasty decisions.
While this sort of populist response has become the order of the day in the ruling party and its alliance partners, citizens must make their minds up on the basis of facts. (ends)
-ends-
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... frica.html
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A coisa já desandou demais para esse projeto. Nem precisa torcer contra. 
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