Filling Armscor’s R1.3m shoes

Cape Town - R1.3 million could buy the average South African woman some pretty fancy footwear, but at Armscor, it’s bought little more than the prototype of a court shoe.

But while the shoe may be plain, it’s designed to be comfortable, the Department of Defence says.

In response to a parliamentary question by DA MP David Maynier, the department has confirmed that state-funded Armscor has spent five years and R1.3m on developing a comfortable court shoe for the female members of the SANDF. It is likely to be a few months before the parastatal completes its “Cinderella project”, which was first reported in Weekend Argus earlier this year.

“The research and development… is directed at improving the fit, comfort and protection afforded by the female court shoe that is part of the official SANDF uniform office dress for females,” the response says.

It adds that “a number of specialists”, employed full-time by Ergotech, contributed to the project part-time.

Essentially the team, using measurements of SANDF members, developed a “last”, a foot model around which leather is shaped, creating the shape of the shoe.

Maynier said yesterday Armscor could “surely be put to better use” than developing a comfortable shoe.

“The SANDF’s budget has been cut to the bone causing major capability gaps which may have cost lives in the Central African Republic.

“I find it hard to believe that a commercial footware manufacturer would not have been able to produce a comfortable female court shoe,” he said.

While this may not be a Cinderella story for Armscor, perhaps it is the fairy-tale ending SANDF members like air force Lieutenant Colonel Ruth Nyadii have been praying for. Last year, Nyadi found herself in hot water for appearing in a shopping centre wearing a fetching pair of pink, fluffy slippers while in full uniform.

Weekend Argus

• Armscor: for when the shoe, er, fits