Four South African pilots are ferrying medical supplies and emergency aid workers to Iraq while some of their countrymen are fighting alongside coalition forces.
The pilots work for SA air freight company Rossair, which undertakes contract work worldwide for the Red Cross.
Tamara Rifai of the Red Cross said on Tuesday from Kuwait City the four pilots were signed up last week to help with emergency aid.
Johan Bouchaudstet, Manie Grobler, Alan Elston and Grant Huson are based in Kuwait City, from where they fly to Iran, Syria and Jordan in Red Cross aircraft.
Rifai said the Red Cross had warehouses in these countries and pilots flew supplies or staff wherever they were needed.
Their contract was specifically linked to Red Cross aid work in Iraq.
For this purpose Kuwait City had become the organisation's main base along supply routes to Iraq.
Rifai said no civilian flights were allowed in Iraq, which was why Red Cross supplies had to be transported by truck.
The first large convoy comprising mainly medicines and water was due to leave on Wednesday morning.
Not fired on ... so far
"The destination is Basra. Our fieldworkers there gave us a precise account of critical shortages in hospitals. We already know there is a major water shortage."
A plant which supplies water to Basra and the entire southern Iraq region was damaged by coalition bombing a few days ago, leaving the area without water.
Rifai said that, as early as two days ago, Red Cross engineers went to the plant with Iraqi officials and government permission to try to repair it.
She said the pilots hadn't flown much yet because they had not been in the region long.
"But, we expect things to get busy," she said. "For instance, we have food and emergency supplies for about 180 000 people which they will help transport."
"So far, they have not been fired on in the air, although this remains a great danger, and is a concern for us. The pilots do all they can to follow safe routes."
Rossair pilots also helped the Red Cross with emergency aid work from neighbouring Pakistan during the invasion of Afghanistan.
