Re: Only in Effrika
Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2022 7:44 pm
A Convivial Aviation Discussion Forum for Aviators, Aviatrices and for those who think Flying Machines are Magic.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oerlikon_GDF#HistoryOn October 12, 2007 an Oerlikon GDF-005, an anti-aircraft weapon started shooting by itself. Nine South African National Defence Force soldiers were killed and 14 injured during a training exercise at the SANDF Battle School at Lohatla in the Northern Cape province. A line of eight cannons were engaging a tank hulk in manual ground fire with the guns at low elevation and the maximum traverse of the barrels secured by safety poles and tethers. The rightmost gun jammed while firing and had to be repaired by technicians. Shortly after the gun was cleared to fire again, the gun malfunctioned, entered automatic mode, broke through the traversal-restriction safety mechanisms and began firing, striking the other guns along the firing line. Initial reports suggested that the malfunction was caused when the gun underwent an unexplained hang fire of the explosive 35mm ammunition in the magazines, causing the turret to swing uncontrolled through 360 degrees, firing wildly until it exhausted its remaining ammunition. A statement issued by the South African Defense Minister, Mosiuoa Lekota, however, stated that the gun had inexplicably traversed 90 degrees to the left, breaking through the safety mechanisms, and fired only a 1⁄8-second-long burst, striking all of the soldiers located on the right-hand side of their guns. The accident report published by the SANDF in January 2008 blamed "undetected mechanical failure—which the manufacturers of an anti-aircraft gun allegedly kept secret". The report says the gun malfunctioned because a spring pin, which is the size of a matchstick, sheared. Other sources blamed poor training and safety procedures in the SANDF.
Close on two months after South Africans heard fighter jets in “their” air force were grounded, the situation remains unchanged with a national defence force senior media officer saying “the matter could be finalised in the new financial year”.
Brigadier General Andries Mahapa, who heads the Directorate: Corporate Communication (DCC) of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), was responding to a defenceWeb enquiry.
Early in December Siphiwe Dlamini, Department of Defence (DoD) Head of Communication (HoC), told South Africa the Gripen jet fighter fleet of the SA Air Force (SAAF) was temporarily grounded. The Swedish designed and manufactured, single-engined fourth generation fighters were acquired in the late nineties as part of government’s SDPP (Strategic Defence Procurement Package) to re-equip the SAAF and the SA Navy (SAN).
The grounding of 2 Squadron’s fighters was put down to a lack of funding and maintenance and support contracts not being renewed. This, according to Dlamini, meant no aircraft were serviceable.
Lengthy discussions between the SAAF, Armscor and Saab on the Gripen maintenance contract saw proposals presented, Dlamini’s December statement read, adding these would be reviewed “to ensure the matter is conclusively dealt with by the parties concerned”.
“It is unfortunate discussions took longer than expected as a result negatively impacting on air defence capability.”
Asked if and what action SAAF personnel possibly found to be derelict in the execution of duties as regards maintenance contracts for the Gripens would face, Mahapa told defenceWeb “normal disciplinary steps will be taken if personnel are found to have neglected their duties”.
The grounding of the Gripens was not unexpected with some military aviation observers warning it was coming as far back as 2016. Opinions were expressed implicating defence budget cuts with the poor performance of the SA Rand against particularly the US dollar making spares increasingly expensive. A SAAF decision to implement what it termed “rotational storage” to save wear and tear on aircraft appears not to have been successful – evidenced by the grounding of all 26 Gripens.
The DoD 2021/22 annual performance plan, which runs until the end of the current financial year which ends on 31 March, saw the SAAF, under the plan’s air defence component, allocated R5.9 billion against a projected need of R7.8 billion. The shortfall would adversely impact preparation and provision of combat ready air defence capabilities, as well as the maintenance backlog, maintenance of capabilities and aviation safety.
https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/j ... newsletterEmbattled Denel finds itself not able to trade its bonds on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), another blow to the beleaguered State-owned company (SOC) in the wake of the release of the second part of the Zondo Commission of Inquiry report into State Capture.
SENS (Stock Exchange News Service) of the Johannesburg bourse has it the Centurion headquartered defence and technology conglomerate failed to comply with set down debt listings requirements by not submitting annual financial statements within a stipulated timeframe. To meet this requirement for State-owned entities (SOEs) – and ensure trade in Denel bonds can continue – financial year-end statements must be published and submitted within seven months of financial year-end.
“The requirements further stipulate that one month after the end of the seven-month period the JSE will consider suspension of the Issuer’s (in this instance, Denel) securities. Debt security holders are referred to the JSE’s announcement dated 3 November 2021 in which it was confirmed the Issuers listing of debt securities was under threat of suspension.
“The Issuer announced on 29 October 2021 its board of directors made the decision to defer publication of the annual financial statements and that will be combined with publication of the 2022 financial information. Considering the aforementioned and after due process and consideration, the JSE made the decision to suspend the Issuer’s debt securities with immediate effect,” according to the SENS statement.
The non-appearance of the financials was highlighted in December by Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow deputy public enterprises minister Michele Clarke. She said it was “yet another indication Denel simply doesn’t have either the financial or operational capacity to meet deadlines of any sort”.
Last October, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan told Parliament Denel was “experiencing serious liquidity challenges”. Denel, he said in an official announcements, tablings and committee report (ATCs), “is in the process of exploring various options in respect of the future of the company. Consequently, they are not able to prepare and submit the 2020/21 annual report and annual financial statements”.
In a 2 February SENS notice, Denel said it experienced a delay in processing two interest payments due on 31 January. They are for R688 000 and R107 million.
“Denel and its shareholder are currently finalising the necessary approvals for the payments which will be made as soon as approvals are in place,” the company said.
Also last year Gordhan said National Treasury allocated Denel R2.9 billion to pay its government guaranteed debt and this would save Denel R250 million a year in interest payments.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced Denel would be getting an extra R2.9 billion in the 2021 Medium Term Budget, to cover debt, during his medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS) on 11 November.
Earlier this week Bloomberg quoted Gordhan as saying government is committed to rebuilding Denel. “How this will be done in refloating Denel still has to be determined.”
While it is settling its government debt, Denel owes staff and suppliers in excess of R1.5 billion and will face court action again next week over unpaid salaries.
From an internationally respected company in the defence and technology sectors to one “almost on its knees today” is one of many damning phrases in the 140-page report of the Zondo Commission into Denel.
The report was yesterday (Tuesday 2 February) handed to The Presidency along with Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s report on Transnet.
Former Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown and former Denel board chair Daniel Mantsha are named on numerous occasions for their “contribution” to allowing State Capture to run riot at the defence and technology conglomerate.
Parts of the Zondo Denel report echo an assertion by Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to the National Assembly in 2019. He said Denel was “a case study in damage visited on a State-owned enterprise by State Capture-driven corruption and thievery”.
The index of the report is wide-ranging and includes the contract for production of a new Badger infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) for the SA Army under Project Hoefyster. Other lowlights in Denel’s recent history listed are VR Laser; “Guptas begin efforts to capture Denel through VR Laser”; Brown replaces “all but one” of Denel’s non-executive directors; “Denel board chair touts Guptas to Denel CEO at Saxonwold compound”; Denel pays “very large cash settlements to suspended executives”; and the Denel/Asia venture; ending with “capture of Denel established”.
Evidence heard by the Zondo Commission was the 2015 Denel board, under Mantsha’s chairmanship, in part, failed to carry out its fiduciary duties in suspending three executive, failing to ensure disciplinary enquiries were held within a reasonable time and failing to agree to proposals made by the suspended executives. Had this been done allegations would have been “tested expeditiously” and the matter resolved without undue delay.
Zondo’s recommendation is for law enforcement to conduct further investigations with a view to “possible prosecution” of people who were Denel directors in 2015. Mantsha and three unnamed directors, the report states, showed themselves to be unfit to hold directors’ positions and follow-up investigations in this regard with a view to having them declared delinquent should be initiated.
Zondo’s Denel report ends by stating: “Denel itself, the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) would all have standing to consider appropriate proceedings against Mantsha and other erstwhile member of the 2015 Denel board shown to have abetted him in his efforts to capture Denel for the Guptas”.
The current Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa recommends Denel, Gordhan’s department and the CIPC consider bringing “appropriate proceedings”.
The Russians are trying to expand their influence in Africa. For example take the case of Mozambique: While Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claims that Russia is only trying to forge economic and security ties with the country of Mozambique, the truth tells a different story. Russia is sending proxy troops into the country — and they haven’t been faring well.
Peskov in October stated: “As far as Mozambique is concerned, there are no Russian soldiers there.” But recently five members of the Wagner Group were killed in an ambush in the country’s natural gas-rich Cabo Delgado Province’s Muidumbe district on October 27. In addition to the five soldiers killed, two vehicles were burned by Muslim insurgents in the ambush.
South African media reports say that four of the dead Russians were decapitated and the fifth died in the hospital. 20 of the local soldiers of the FADM, the Mozambique Defense Armed Forces, were also killed in the ambush.
Muslim insurgents have been growing in sophistication and power and have been targeting the Cabo Delgado district for the past two years. The Mozambican government has turned to the Wagner Group to protect its natural gas reserves there.
But the Russian mercs from the Wagner Group have been ineffective so far in curtailing the violence. Jasmine Opperman, a terrorism expert from South Africa, said in an interview, “the Russians have been caught unaware of this level of sophistication and weapons available to the insurgents.”
The Wagner Group is a private military company owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian oligarch with very close ties to President Vladimir Putin. He’s known as “Putin’s chef” as he owns a vast catering firm as well. With Putin’s aim to expand Russia’s influence in Africa, Wagner Group proxy forces are operating in Sudan, Central African Republic as well as Mozambique. They also have a large presence in Libya and Syria.
Recently the New York Times reported that a meeting in Moscow between Putin, Prigozhin and Madagascar’s then-president Hery Rajaonarimampianina ended with an agreement for proxy military support. Russian operatives were sent to the country to influence the local elections. The security for their operatives was reportedly provided by mercs from Wagner.
Yes they did well there. It is a pity that the police here from Maun were not more active. Armed police arrested the gang of four who robbed us. They said do not run or you will be shot. The one who really beat up Mrs Ex-Ascot ran but they didn't shoot him. They got him in the end but alive.Woody wrote: ↑Thu Feb 24, 2022 9:11 pmBotswana Police do occasionally do something
https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/ne ... y-20220224
RUSSIAN INVASION OF SOUTH AFRICA GRINDS TO A HALT
After three days of chaos in the Port Elizabeth Harbour, where a crane collapsed onto the main Russian navy cargo ship, owing to rust and a "surprising" lack of maintenance resulting in the inability to offload tonnes of ammunition and other equipment.
The Russians finally assembled a convoy of 480 vehicles to push inland towards Gauteng. The convoy proceeded as far as Zwide on the Uitenhage road, where they decided to camp for the night after three quarters of the personnel were struck down with acute dysentery-like symptoms attributed to the local drinking water.
Despite a double perimeter and roving patrols, the Russians woke to find 64 main battle tanks on bricks, missing their tracks. Similarly 123 APC's and trucks, also on bricks, missing their wheels. To add insult to injury, most of their fuel and rations were missing.
Reports of like incidents are emanating from other regions in South Africa.
A Russian spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they grossly underestimated the ability of the local special forces.
I can hear Capetonian saying "hear, hear..."Ian Smith stayed active in Rhodesian, then Zimbabwe politics and wrote two books about the betrayal of his government. He died at the age of 88 in South Africa in 2007, a broken man. His only son and business partner had died a few years previously.
The corrupt, evil and invincible dictator Mugabe hoarded billions and impoverished his country. His opponents were regularly eliminated while the West looked the other way.
Enjoy Hell, you ruthless Monster.
I'm married to a Boere Meisie who was well educated at The University of Pretoria ,whom love dearly, but the actors in the video sound nothing like my wife at all.TheGreenGoblin wrote: ↑Thu Mar 10, 2022 3:58 amAir Afrikaans...
Kudos to the English actresses who nailed the accent to a T.
I have to agree I suppose, getting the Boere accent (your wife is not from Malmesbury is she?) is difficult. I suppose I was being kind, their accents aren't bad in comparison to some dreadful Brit efforts at a Safffer accent I have heard.Seenenough wrote: ↑Thu Mar 10, 2022 6:46 amI'm married to a Boere Meisie who was well educated at The University of Pretoria ,whom love dearly, but the actors in the video sound nothing like my wife at all.TheGreenGoblin wrote: ↑Thu Mar 10, 2022 3:58 amAir Afrikaans...
Kudos to the English actresses who nailed the accent to a T.
My experience is that British actors ,trying to speak like Afrikaners , have trouble rolling their R's and throating their G's