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A board of inquiry should be set up to look into the recent emergency landing of Deputy President Motlanthe in the DRC. As facts come to light about the seriousness of the incident, a number of questions need answering. Material facts were omitted from the official report of the incident which concealed its seriousness. Due to the potential risk to the Deputy President of South Africa, there should be a full and open investigation. Right now it looks as if facts are being hidden, perhaps to save the blushes of officials. Among the questions that should be answered are:

Why the aircraft stopover was planned for the Central African Republic rather than elsewhere with better facilities;
How the aircraft crew were allegedly misled by air traffic control in the CAR;
Why a landing had to be made unannounced at a darkened airstrip;
How badly the plane was damaged on landing.

Until mere months ago the airstrip where the plane landed was in the hands of Congolese rebels. The area is unstable and together with the emergency landing the potential for tragedy was enormous. The consequences of what appears to have been a major failure of planning seem to have been avoided by the cool actions of reserve force pilots. They should never have been put in this position. I have submitted a written question in parliament to establish whether an enquiry will be held and if so, when it will be reporting.