ปี 2013 แอฟริกาใต้ประสบปัญหาการเงินอย่างรุนแรง กระทบไปถึงกองทัพอากาศขาดงบประมาณ จึงตัดสินใจหยุดการใช้งานเครื่องบินกริเพนจำนวน 12 ลำ แล้วจัดเก็บในโกดังด้วยระบบสูญกาศเป็นอย่างดี ตอนนั้นพวกเรายังมโนว่าอยากให้ไทยไปซื้อต่อในราคาถูกอยู่เลย

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/143387/half-of-south-africa%E2%80%99s-gripens-%E2%80%98in-storage%E2%80%99.html

Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has conceded that almost half of the air force’s state-of-the-art Gripen jet fighters have been placed in long-term storage. 

Twenty-six Gripen fighters were purchased as part of the controversial arms deal at a cost of more than R10bn, but there has long been speculation that some or all of them would have to be mothballed due to lack of funds to keep them flying operationally. 
The fighters, as well as Hawk trainers, played a critical role in securing South Africa’s air space during the 2010 soccer World Cup. 

When it was first mooted that some of the Gripens be placed in storage in 2010, questions were raised about South Africa’s air defence capability and the legacy of the multibillion-rand arms deal. 

At the time, local defence expert and Jane’s Defence Weekly correspondent Helmoed Heitman said the decision would leave South Africa "vulnerable" should there be an incident. It would leave the air force unable to enforce a no-fly zone, as has been mooted for Sudan’s Darfur region. 

On Tuesday, in response to a parliamentary question by Democratic Alliance MP David Maynier, Ms Mapisa-Nqakula acknowledged that almost half of the Gripens bought were in storage. 

"The South African Air Force (SAAF) has 12 Gripen fighter aircraft placed in long-term storage," Ms Mapisa-Nqakula said. 

แต่แล้วความฝันของติ่งไทยก็ต้องสูญสลาย เพราะกองทัพอากาสแอฟริกาใต้เริ่มมีงบประมาณตามปรกติ พวกเขาจะประจำการเครื่อบินกริเพนรุ่น C จำนวน19 ลำ และรุ่น D จำนวน 9 ลำครบทุกลำ แบ่งออกเป็น 2 ฝูงบินเหมือนสมัยก่อนนั่นแหละครับ ยินดีกับกองทัพอากาศแอฟริกาใต้ด้วยนะครับ

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/paris-south-african-air-force-boosts-gripen-availab-438456/

Previous low availability of South African Air Force (SAAF) Saab Gripen C/Ds has been overcome by bringing stored aircraft back into service, says Lt Col Josias Mashaba, commanding officer of the service's 2 Sqn.

South Africa has 19 single-seat Gripen fighters and nine two-seat D-model examples, most of which are operated by 2 Sqn at Waterkloof air base. At least 12 of the aircraft were put into long-term storage in 2013 because of severe budget cuts.

"Reduced funding means less flying, which means your currency level goes down," Mashaba told the annual meeting of the Swedish Air Force Fan Club in Paris on 18 June. This issue was managed to some extent by flying the remaining aircraft harder, he adds.

"Every country has its ups and downs and has budget cuts," Mashaba notes. "We have overcome them and we basically have all our Gripens up and running."