Mumbanga could, however, not confirm that the helicopters would be given to Namibia instead. “We still need to contact relevant authorities before we can confirm these decisions,” said Mambanga. The decision, which is yet to be officially communicated to the Namibian government, was announced in the South African and Zimbabwean media, early this month. According to the Beeld and The Zimbabwean media reports, final approval for the donation to Namibia is still pending. However, the aircraft and parts, manufactured in France, are packed and ready to be shipped to Namibia. The French government has also approved the deal as a security measure to prevent the helicopters from falling into the wrong hands. While the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, said she could not comment on an issue that had not been communicated to her, Minister of Defence, Nahas Angula told The Namibian on Tuesday that the donation would greatly benefit the country, especially during times of flood and health campaigns.

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