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The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes it is an absolute disgrace that members of the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans were not invited to today's celebrations of the 90th anniversary of the South African Air Force (SAAF) at Swartkop Air Field in Pretoria.

This is part of a pattern: members of this committee have not been invited to almost any of the key defence force functions since the beginning of the 4th democratic Parliament.

The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu, seems determined to maintain a winning enemies and losing friends approach to parliament which includes:

preventing Chief of the South African Defence Force, General Godfrey Ngwenya, and the service chiefs from appearing before parliament;
preventing members of the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans from visiting military bases; and
not properly answering parliamentary questions on the department of defence and military veterans.

The DA will raise this matter with the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Nyami Booi, at next week's strategic planning workshop for committee members.

The SAAF is celebrating its 90th anniversary at a parade today that will reportedly include: -

aerial displays of fighter jets including the Grippen Advanced Light Fighter and Hawk fighter Trainer;
displays of over eighty aircraft; and
demonstrations by the security squadron on search and rescue operations.

Today's event is more than just a ceremony, but an event designed to demonstrate the State of Combat Readiness of the SAAF. As the portfolio committee is charged with providing oversight of the defence force, being able to assess combat readiness is of paramount concern.

It is therefore a great disappointment that members of the portfolio committee were not invited to see the SAAF in action.