'Technical challenges' blamed for delayed response to E Cape floods

DEFENCE Minister Angie Motshekga has blamed technical challenges for the delayed deployment of the South African Air Force (SAAF) to assist during the devastating floods that took place in the Eastern Cape last month.

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

This emerged when Motshekga was responding to parliamentary questions from the EFF and the DA amid the continued underfunding of the SAAF.

DA MP Patrick Atkinson said it took a full week after the onset of the devastating floods in the Eastern Cape for the SAAF to deploy a single Oryx helicopter to assist with flood relief efforts.

EFF MP Carl Niehaus noted with concern that the SAAF was not deployed during the critical early stages of the floods in Mthatha and other parts of the Eastern Cape, and that the response was limited to one helicopter two weeks later.