MAF History

South Africa has played a key part in the activities of MAF from the early beginnings. South African pilot Steve Stevens with wife Kay joined the original MAF programme in Sudan in September 1950. He was followed by a fellow ex-SAAF pilot, Gordon Marshall, two years later when Steve lost his licence after suffering a detached retina. The Stevens family went on to the UK where Steve was the MAF Home Secretary for many years while Gordon continued serving MAF in a variety of roles across Africa along with his wife Jean, until their retirement. Their contribution cannot be underestimated in those early difficult and lonely days. Of particular note were Gordon’s efforts in developing operational flight standards and orientation programmes for new pilots while many older people in the UK still mark their original contact with MAF from a church presentation led by Steve.

Other key South Africans were: David (& Beryl) Luke who was the very first Chairman of the then MAF SA Council and who was also actively involved with the development of the programme; and Hennie & Adri Steyn who served in Sudan and East Africa and were later transferred back to South Africa where MAF UK began work in 1970 in the Transkei. Hennie provided piloting and technical skills and later, during 1980, superseded Dave Luke as Chairman of the MAF SA Council as a result of Dave Luke’s ill health. Beryl Luke continued with her bookkeeping duties. MAF SA became independent in 1972. Stuart King continued as General Director of both organisations, MAF UK and MAF SA until his retirement.

The Transkei programme supported medical work and administrative needs of several Missions based in Transkei. The flying started in 1971with a Cessna 180 that was transferred from the MAF programme in Ethiopia.

During 1972 Jim Cole-Rous was appointed full-time Deputation Secretary for MAF SA and later, accompanied by his wife Rowena, took over the running of the programme in the Transkei from Hennie and Adri Steyn.

In 1976 a Cessna 185 was purchased which was funded by the local Transkei Government. The Transkei programme ended in mid 1979.

After joining MAF SA in 1974, Dave and Merle Richardson started the Lesotho programme in 1980. Due to the political situation in South Africa at the time, MAF SA invited MAF USA to take over and develop the programme.

As MAF SA no longer had a programme of its own, the interest and support of the Christian people was kept alive with news articles and stories collected from other MAF’s working in Africa. This information was then shared through MAF’s magazine and news bulletin.

Gordon Marshall was appointed Director of MAF SA in 1982 and Ron (& Mansel) Bennett replaced Hennie Steyn as Chairman of the MAF SA Council at the end of 1984. At this time, MAF SA and MAF US carried out a further survey of missions in Transkei. As a result MAF US restarted the Transkei programme in 1983 using the Cessna 185 aircraft. This time the flying was to specifically meet the needs of the missions working there. However, due to the lack of sufficient interest from the missions the programme was closed one year later and the aircraft returned to Lesotho.

A new programme for Transvaal was started in 1987 with the same aircraft, this time on loan for two years. The flying hours slowly increased and were exceeding 100 hours in 1989, when the Cessna 185 was sold and a Piper Cherokee six purchased. During the years that followed flying continued and the programme slowly gathered strength.

In the early 1990s, flying in Transvaal reduced, but needs in other areas increased. After peaceful elections in 1994 flying into other parts of Africa became the main focus of the programme as South African churches and mission organisations were now able to move “into Africa”. (Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia, Malawi)

It is interesting to note that the wives of these significant men also played active roles throughout the years of development; administration, financial accounting and/or hospitality.

In 1993 MAF Europe responded to a request for help from MAF SA and seconded Tom and Tineke de Waal to their main office in Edenvale, Johannesburg where Tom became the Director of MAF SA.

In 1996 the Piper Cherokee was sold and with the help of MAF Canada was replaced by a Cessna 210. A second Cessna 210 was purchased in 1997 with funds from MAF UK.

Tom de Waal handed over his responsibilities as Director of MAF SA in April 2000 to John (& Tanya) Boyd. Tom then became the Managing Director of Mission Aviation Service (MAS) until Jan 2003.

During 2001, John Boyd was actively involved with a significant and strategic donation from John & Rosemary Lancaster of the UK, which enabled the purchase of a Cessna 208B Caravan aircraft and construction of hangar and office facilities at Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg. This first Cessna 208B started flying in July 2001 and in the first year flew 556 hours. Two-thirds of that first year was commercial flying which kept the costs down for missions and created good relationships for the future use of the aircraft.

John Boyd was also instrumental in initiating a fund-raising project with MAF Scotland for a second Cessna 208B in 2001 - aptly named “Caledonian Connection”.

In March 2003, Mark Faus (MAFC) was appointed the General Manager of MAF SA and CEO of the flight operation, Mission Aviation Services (MAS).

It is interesting and significant to note that over the years, MAF SA has both helped and been helped by MAF Europe, Canada and USA.

It is also important to note that through the years, the contribution of the “MAF wives” may be less spectacular but without it the work would have been severely hampered in all areas.  Facing the unexpected - hospitality of guests; monitoring the radio; keeping the accounts in addition to the regular responsibilities of raising a family; maintaining the vital balance between family and MAF business – these have all been vital to MAF’s service to mission and church.