Radio silence: How SAPS botched R427m helicopter procurement
This lack of radios seriously undermines the crime-fighting capabilities of the helicopters
26 July 2023 - 14:04
UPDATED 22 July 2023 - 22:50
The SA Police Service (SAPS) has spent more than R400m on seven new helicopters to fight crime, but they have stood idle for more than six months because they lack tactical radios, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The Airbus H125 Squirrels, which were supposed to replace 13 older helicopters that had been decommissioned or sold, are unable to communicate with ground forces during police operations, limiting their use in search-and-rescue missions or VIP transport, the sources said...
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