Simon’s town dockyard a headache for Armscor

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In his final report as acting chief executive of Armscor Sipho Mkwanazi notes “challenges of insufficient capacity, capabilities and funding are still experienced” with regard to the dockyard at Simon’s town.

Since ownership of the facility was moved from the SA Navy to the government’s defence and security acquisition agency some years ago, the dockyard has been a problem child. On the plus side the man who was in May this year replaced by Kevin Wakeford as chief executive points out it has met its obligations of service delivery in accordance available resources and the performance management agreement with the Sa Navy.
“A global service provider with extensive experience and expertise in transforming, operating and managing dockyards successfully” was appointed to undertake a modernisation study to improve efficiencies at the dockyard. It recommendations are under review according to the 2014/15 Armscor annual report released in the fourth week of October.

The report also points out “during the 2014/15 financial year the dockyard continued to be marred with challenges of insufficient capacity, capabilities and insufficient funding. The challenge, however, is that the funding gap still exists to maintains a baseline support capacity. The dockyard resources reflect a shortfall in both its human and technical capability necessary to fill its intended capability to support the SA Navy upkeep capability”.

Manpower levels are “well below” the minimum needed to ensure maintenance and repair support and the dockyard has also lost capacity in the technical domain – “a critical support requirement”. Making matters worse is that employment of permanent labour has been “impossible” due to funding restraints.

Adding to the headache the dockyard has become is that its primary facilities and infrastructure have “been in existence for over a hundred years”. This, the annual report states, means continued upkeep support.
“The drydock, synchrolift and other equipment are essential in supporting the required maintenance of the SA Navy fleet and it is imperative these strategic assets be maintained in operational condition.
“Significant financial injection is required, both in the immediate and long term, to ensure restoration and recapitalisation of infrastructure which has suffered from unsustainable upkeep. The immediate requirement is to stop the wave of decline and address restoration of primary facilities including the drydock, synchrolift and cranes along with integrally associated equipment,” the report states.
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