Armscor quizzed on high level projects

[LazyLion]

Controversial plans by the department of defence to buy a VIP presidential jet have not been handed on to Armscor, the state-owned arms procurement agency told MPs on Thursday.

Neither were two other projects involving the acquisition of transport aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), acting Armscor CEO Sipho Mkwanazi told Parliament's defence portfolio committee.

He was responding to a question by Democratic Alliance MP David Maynier, who wanted to know the names, current status and budget of four projects involving the acquisition of transport aircraft, UAVs, offshore patrol vessels, and a new VIP jet for use by President Jacob Zuma.

Maynier noted that the "high-level" projects were not mentioned in Armscor's latest (2013/14) annual report, but it was in the public interest that the status of the projects be known.

Mkwanazi told the committee that Armscor was busy only with the department of defence's requirements for offshore patrol vessels.

"What has been mentioned [by Maynier], are not projects that are already with Armscor, with the exception of the offshore and onshore [vessels], in terms of the [project's] requirements.

"The others that have been mentioned, for instance the VIP jet, are not yet with us. And then the other one... the UAV project, I'm not sure whether it's with Armscor or not. The transport aircraft, it's also not with us."

He said that only once the defence department had finalised its requirements was a project handed on to Armscor.

"Then Armscor starts working on that project based on the requirements that have been finalised by the [department]. The one that has been finalised by the department of defence is the offshore and onshore patrol boats."

He could not say what the budget was for the vessels "because [this] is determined by the response of the industry as soon as we have gone out on an RFO [request for offer]. Then we get the RFO processed and know how much it's going to cost."

Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula indicated last year that National Treasury had allocated money for the purchase of a new VIP jet, at a reported cost of R2 billion, for use by Zuma.


Source : Sapa /rod/ks/lp
Date : 16 Oct 2014 18:00

 

[Fingolfin]

Uruk-hai level projects

 

[Compton_effect]

The VIP jet will be bought, the transport aircraft and drones will be shelved for next year.

 

[HAL 9000]

"Zuma's R2bn VIP jet deal dodgy" - David Maynier

Public Protector must investigate dodgy R2bn Zuma VIP jet deal

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will request the Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, to investigate the acquisition of a new Boeing 777-200 LR "Long Range" business jet for President Jacob Zuma.

The defence department is reportedly in the process of acquiring a Boeing 777-200 LR business jet for President Jacob Zuma as well as a Bombardier Global Express 6000 for Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.

The Boeing 777-200 LR business jet is a monster of an aircraft designed to carry up to 300 passengers. The aircraft reportedly held the record for the longest non-stop flight for a commercial airline.

The total cost of the Boeing 777-200 LR business jet is reportedly US$235 million (+/- R 1.99 billion) and the cost of the Bombardier Global Express 6000 is reportedly US$28 million (+/-R 237 million). The total cost of both aircraft is therefore US$ 263 million - approximately R 2.2 billion.

It is simply wrong to waste nearly R2billion on President Jacob Zuma's new business jet when so many people in our country are poor. We could provide nearly 24 000 houses for families who do not have shelter with the R2 billion being blown on a new Boeing 777-200LR for President Jacob Zuma.

Moreover, why does President Jacob Zuma need a new jet when his existing jet - the Boeing Business Jet ("Inkwazi") - is in mint condition after undergoing a three month scheduled maintenance period at great expense in Switzerland in 2011?

It is also of major concern that the defence department appears to have circumvented normal tender procedures. There are several questions about this deal including:

* Why was Professor Sipho Seepe, ministerial adviser to former Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu, reportedly the "middleman" in the deal to acquire the aircraft?;

* Why was no competitive tender issued for the acquisition of the aircraft so that all potential suppliers could have had an opportunity to submit proposals for the supply of the aircraft?; and

* Why was Armscor, the defence department's acquisition agency for capital equipment, not primarily responsible for the project to acquire the Boeing 777-200LR for President Jacob Zuma?

There is something very fishy with the deal to acquire a new Boeing 777-200 LR business jet for President Jacob Zuma.

The DA will, therefore, request the Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, to investigate the deal to acquire a Boeing 777-200 LR business jet for President Jacob Zuma and a Bombardier Global Express 6000 for Deputy- President Kgalema Motlanthe. This is beyond wasteful expenditure and should not be allowed to happen.

Statement issued by David Maynier MP, DA Shadow Minister of Defence & Military Veterans, June 29 2012


http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politi...b/en/page71654?oid=309151&sn=Detail&pid=71616