South African Air Force (SAAF) helicopters are still deployed in Mozambique to assist with humanitarian operations in the aftermath of extreme weather earlier this year and have, to date, rescued 759 people and delivering much-needed food and fuel.
The deployment, which started on 18 January and is still active, was done as per the standing SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Joint Operations Division tasking Operation Chariot. It is currently referred to as Operation Climate Change.
As of the first week in March the deployment has seen four helicopters operational, according to information supplied to DefenceWeb by the SAAF Directorate Corporate Staff Services (DCSS) and distributed by the SANDF Directorate Corporate Communication (DCC). The rotorcraft are on the asset registers of 17 Squadron based at the Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing (Oryx), 19 Squadron at Air Force Base (AFB) Hoedspruit (A109), and 87 Helicopter Flying School at AFB Bloemspruit (A109).
The 17 Squadron Oryx leads the individual hours logged at present with 31.2 hours while the A109s have between them logged 40 hours plus of search and rescue. A replacement A109 from an unspecified unit has logged 5.5 hours flying time to date.
Food supplies totalling 2 920 kg have been delivered to needy communities with Jet A1 fuel totalling 920 kg put safely on the ground.
Names and numbers of the deployed SAAF search and rescue team (SRT) cannot be disclosed due to security around the mission, but in January the SAAF said aircrew involved in the Mozambique operations included Oryx Commander Major Jaun-Pierre Hendrick du Preeze, Co-Pilot Major Jacobus Johannes Blom, and Flight Engineer Sergeant Johanna Magrieta Muller. A109 crew were Commander Lieutenant Colonel Zanele Vayeke, Co-Pilot Major Tumelo Motse, Flight Engineer Sergeant Kamogelo Raphiri, Commander Major Simphiwe Moloi, and Flight Engineer Sergeant Scelo Kwanele Mpontshane.
The SRT remains in Mozambique ready to assist if and when called on by Mozambican authorities.
Earlier this month the National Disaster Risk Management Institute (INGD) reported that nearly 870 000 Mozambicans have been affected by flooding in the current rainy season, which runs from October to April. Some 270 people have died, while 399 749 hectares of agricultural land has been lost and 530 000 animals killed, including cattle, goats and poultry. Nearly 7 900 kilometres of roads, 36 bridges, and 123 culverts have been affected. Nearly 7 000 people required being rescued, and thousands remain in temporary shelters.
Heavy rains have been again falling in Mozambique this week, resulting in some ports of entry between South Africa and Mozambique being shut as water levels rise. Flooding has also affected the far northern region of the Kruger National Park.
