ssaa - sandfdod.mil.za/sasoldier/2004/march2004.pdfnew army emblem 26 street address defence...

Review of Decade of DefenceSA SOLDIERSA SOLDIERThe official monthly magazine of the SA Department of Defence

United todefend

Medal for Unity

CelebratingFreedom

Civil controlover the military

Defence in a democracy

Signing of the Constitution

Pull-out poster:new rank insignia

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23 The birth of the African Union

A major breakwith the past

SAS AMATOLAcomes home

Improving and prolonging lives

Capacity building for PSAP

Top structure: Then and now

Destruction of small arms

Contributing to a free election

Abide by the Codes

Raging floodsswamp Mozambique

Go andmake peace

Launching the new Army emblem

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STREET ADDRESSDefence Headquartersc/o Nossob and Boeing StErasmuskloofPRETORIA

POSTAL ADDRESSSA SOLDIERPrivate Bag X158PRETORIA, 0001

TELEPHONETel: (012) 355-6341 Fax: (012) 355-6399email: [email protected]: www.mil.za/magazines/sasoldier

EDITORIAL STAFF

Acting Editor: Ms Nelda Pienaar

Editorial Staff: Lt Col Fundile SiyongwanaMs Nomonde Vuthela Sgt David NomtshongwanaPO Dennis Ndaba

Text Editor: Mr Eugené Muller

CONTRIBUTIONS: Although all possible care is takenwith articles, the editorial staff cannot take any responsibility forlost articles and photographs.

Reproduction & Printing:Government Printing Works149 Bosman Street, PretoriaTel: (012) 334-4500

Translation Directorate LanguageConsultant: Services

Photo Processing:5 ASU Photo Section

Distribution: Mr Jim Tshabalala Tel: (012) 355-6341

Layout & Design: Mr Werner v/d Westhuizen

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EDITORIAL BOARDCol P. Phiri (Acting Chairperson)Capt (SAN) R.W. HiggsLt Col D. KhumaloLt Col B.A. Mahlabe Ms N. Pienaar

Ms J. RenderMaj R. AikenMaj T.W. CheelaMaj J. du ToitMaj P. LengoasaMr W. van der Westhuizen

Mr A. DzivhaniSgt D. NomtshongwanaPO D. Ndaba (Secretary)

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Review of Decade of Defence

SA SOLDIER is published monthly - 12 issues per year. The views and opinionsexpressed by the authors of articles are those of the authors and do not necessarilyrepresent those of the Department of Defence (DOD). Acceptance and publicationof advertorial and advertising matter in SA SOLDIER does not constitute DODendorsement or warranty in respect of goods or services therein described. TheDOD does not assume any liability in respect of any claims made in advertisements.COPYRIGHT: No article or picture in this magazine may be reproduced withoutthe written consent of the Editor.

For the latest news on defence matters in South Africa, visit our website at: www.mil.za/magazines/sasoldier

FRONT COVER: Enjoy reliving the past! The 2004 Special Edition ispacked with achievements of a decade of challenges.

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S P E C I A L E D I T I O N 2 0 0 4 � S A S O L D I E R

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reedom Day, 27 April 2004, will markSouth Africa's First Decade of Freedom.Therefore I would like to echo the wordsof Mr Joel Netshitenzhe, Chief ExecutiveOfficer: Government Communications(GCIS): "It will be a time to recall27 April 1994 as the day South Africa leftbehind its history of oppression, conflict

and neglect and moved towards reconstructionand development through the building of ademocratic, non-racial and non-sexist State".

As part of SA SOLDIER's contribution towardsthe celebrations the editorial staff of SA SOLDIER compiled a 2004 Special Edition. Thisedition promises to become a collectable. Itreviews the past ten years of the Department ofDefence.

The past ten years posed significant challenges tothe DOD, among them transforming theDepartment and introducing new policies thatare in line with the democratic Constitution andlegislative framework.

Our Department has played an important role inthe normalisation of South Africa's diplomaticrelations globally. Agreements have beenentered into and bilateral structures servicedwith numerous countries in Africa and abroad.Funding agreements were concluded withBelgium, the EU, Italy, the Netherlands andNorway to support South Africa's peace supportdeployments in Burundi.

As part of the requirement for civil control of theDOD it was essential that the Finance Divisionhad to be reconstituted. In 1998 the entirefinance function was demilitarised, and sincethen the Finance Division reports exclusively tothe Secretary for Defence. The Acquisition Policyhas been produced to address the shortcomingsthat were identified by the Joint InvestigatingCommittee into the Strategic Defence Packagesprocess. This will ensure that the CapitalAcquisition process is fair, transparent andallows for strict control in accordance with therequirements of the Public Finance Management

Act. In October 2002 the Anti-fraud Directorate was estab-lished under the command of the Inspector General DOD.

To this end, together with our SADC partners, we havemade huge strides in the last year towards establishing theMutual Defence Pact to ensure that proper early warningsystems and pre-emptive measures to avoid conflict situations are in place.

The SANDF has also played a major role in the develop-ment of the African Standby Force. This rapid responseforce is part of a long-term initiative to ensure lasting peaceand stability in Africa.

Ministerial approval was granted for an exit mechanism,which will form the core enabling mechanism to make thenew service system function effectively in future. Progresshas been made in developing the second part of the new service system, the Core Service System, which will beimplemented towards the end of the year.

In March 2003 the Ministry of Defence, in conjunction withthe Ministry of Water Affairs and Forestry, launchedOperation VUSELELA, which is a project to eradicate alienvegetation from SANDF land. This project is an effort toassist some destitute military veterans by providing themwith a basic income.

The 2004 Special Edition is packed with achievements of adecade of challenges.

SA SOLDIER decided to republish the new rank insignia(pull-out poster) for our South African National DefenceForce. It brings to mind the occasion when Gen SiphiweNyanda, the Chief of the SANDF, issued the first new rankinsignia to the Service/Division Chiefs and Warrant Officersat a high-profile parade at Defence Headquarters in Pretoriaon 2 September 2002. (Poster on pages 20, 22, 27 and 29).

Another added bonus for the Special Edition 2004 is asecond pull-out poster on pages 24 and 25 depicting thetransformation process which the top structure of theDepartment of Defence has undergone.

Enjoy reliving the past!

Nelda PienaarActing Editor

From the Editor's desk

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2004 Review of Decade of Defence

Message from theMinister of Defence

A key message to our fellowSouth Africans is that the economyand security of this country is directlylinked to the situation outside ourborders. It is very clear that wecannot be an "island of prosperity"in a "sea of poverty and despair".Instability on and around our borderswill affect us directly from both asecurity and economic perspective.

We have not abandoned our inter-nal security role. The South AfricanPolice Service (SAPS) has the leadrole in policing the country. TheSouth African National DefenceForce (SANDF) is always on hand toback-up the SAPS and other govern-ment departments when called uponto do so.

al, humility, unity, efficiency, people-centredness and partnership.

Those of you who interact withother government departments andclusters will frequently hear referenceto the Four Big Ideas. These aremajor issues as we progress to thenext decade: social responsibilityframework, performance of state,consequences of social transitionand implementing Nepad.

As part of Government, in thenext decade we want to continue tosupport the national agenda to pushback frontiers of poverty, grow eco-nomic opportunities, provide for asafer South Africa, be a more efficientpeople-centred Government andsupport Africa's renewal in a morepeaceful world.

In this special edition of SASOLDIER we continue the ten yearsof freedom campaign with a flashbackto previous editions of the magazineover the last decade. As a flagshippublication of the SANDF and theDOD it is important that the maga-zine constantly reviews how effectiveand dynamic it is in communicatingrelevant issues to our community.

Mr Mosiuoa Lekota.

he celebrations of SouthAfrica's ten years of freedomare currently underwayacross the country and as faraway as far from our shoresas Germany and the UnitedKingdom. Our tenth anniver-sary, a special milestone in

our history, has captured the imagi-nation of a very large internationalaudience.

The struggle against apartheid inSouth Africa was fought on manydifferent fronts, both at home andabroad, with the common purpose ofrestoring the dignity of humankind,and, ensuring that the spirit andprinciples of democracy prevail inevery corner of the world.

Since the inception of democracyin 1994 South Africa has faced a mas-sive responsibility and challenge tomeet the expectations of our citizensand the international community as awhole. Almost overnight we havetransformed from an isolated, pariahstate, to assume the mantle of aninternational icon of freedom.

South Africa has risen from thedepths of institutionalised terror andsabotage to the moral high ground ofa giant partner and role player in thequest for economic prosperity.Through diplomacy backed up bypeace support operations we havecontributed significantly to stabilisingthe strife-torn areas of our region andcontinent.

South Africa has also emergedas a credible player in the globaleconomy and in internationalsecurity issues. To this end manycountries and multilateral institutionshave increasingly sort the participa-tion of South Africa on issues ofinstitutionalising democracy throughconsultation and broad nationalrepresentation.

TCore messages for 10 years offreedom� Celebration of freedom attained

and thanksgiving.� Pride in our nation's

achievements since 1994.� Forward looking to further

progress, democracy and stability.� Inclusivity of South Africans and

international partners.� Humility in acknowledging that

the management of socialchange is a process of learning.

� Contributions to the "Four Big Ideas".

"Four Big Ideas"� A social compact.� Improving performance of state.� Addressing consequences of social

transition.� Improving the regional environ-

ment and implementing Nepad.

The Department of Defence(DOD) has therefore been prominentin many of the achievements of thiscountry over the last decade. TheDeputy Minister, Secretary forDefence and Chief of the SANDFhave elaborated on the performanceand direction of the department andSANDF in their messages in this edi-tion of SA SOLDIER.

The Government's core messageand dominant theme for the celebra-tions of the last decade is "PeopleUnited for a Better South Africa and aBetter World". I sincerely hope thatthe bright lights of all our celebratoryactivities throughout this year do notblind us from the messages of renew-

As we approach the seconddecade of freedom all of us represent-ing the DOD need to ask ourselveshow we can work in unity to help thedepartment continue to improve itsperformance. We need to aim to beeven more committed soldiers, moreefficient administrators, exemplaryleaders, accountable officials andeven better human beings to help theDOD and the SANDF to be a Forcefor Good.

Mr Mosiuoa LekotaMinister of Defence


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Message from the Deputy Minister ofDefencehuman security issues and mecha-nisms to respond to them. Thatrequires emphasising the security ofpeople along with military security.Many of the changes in the SANDFand the peace support operations onthe continent have anticipated thisemphasis on human security.

The defence review recommendeda smaller, highly skilled, high technol-ogy defence force in which equalopportunities and gender equity arekey indicators of the transformationprocess. During the past ten years wehave seen policies that discriminateagainst our personnel on the basis oftheir race or gender being removedand replaced by those that promoteequality and equity in our workingenvironment.

At present female members enjoyemployment benefits equal to theirmale counterparts. We have also wit-nessed the promotion of a significantnumber of them to senior ranks wherethey are able to participate, at a strate-gic level, in matters affecting theDepartment. Women are now repre-sented in all military musterings,including ships, artillery (light andheavy), submarines, peace operations,pilots and engineering.

The health status of our membersand the management of veterans'issues also impact on the assessmentof our transformation agenda. Wehave aligned ourselves with govern-ment in our fight against the spreadof HIV/AIDS. Our HIV/AIDS aware-ness campaign, Masibambisane, hasbeen broadly acknowledged asinnovative and effective. This yearwe launched Project Phidisa, a uniqueproject to do with clinical research ofHIV and Aids interventions, includingthe use of anti-retroviral therapy for

members of the Defence Force andtheir families. At present two of thesix sites are operational, with theremainder becoming operationalduring the year.

The Operation Vuselela project, inco-operation with the Department ofWater Affairs and Forestry, aims toalleviate poverty among destitute mil-itary veterans, especially those fromthe former Non-statutory Forces, in anumber of provinces by providingtemporary employment with a basicincome. They are given preference inthe recruitment of the Reserve Force.We aimed to ensure that they arefairly compensated for the years theyhave served in their respective armiesthrough the passing of the SpecialPensions Amendment Bill last year.

The African Women's Peace Table,a meeting of women from the defenceand civil sectors of society inSouthern Africa, is making an impacton the perceptions and role of womenin the peace and security agenda forAfrica. Our peace support operationsin support of the AU, SADC andNepad will be increasingly influencedby the recognition of the role ofwomen in the collective security ofAfrica.

Since 1994 we have made progressfrom a policy and transformation per-spective. The next decade of freedomwill be about establishing a broadconsensus around the integrationand balance between human securityand military security. Perhaps thetime will come when we will changeour name to the Department of Peaceto reflect our commitment to theabolition of war in Africa.

Ms Nozizwe Madlala-RoutledgeDeputy Minister of Defence

Ms Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge.

s the countdown towards 27April 2004, the date of the 10years of freedom celebrationsgains momentum, theDepartment of Defence willalso be gearing itself to cele-brate our own 10th birthday

in recognition of a decade of theexistence of the SANDF.

The creation and transformationof the SANDF has been a majorachievement. We have made greatprogress in fulfilling the constitution-al requirements for optimum capabili-ty in defending the sovereignty of theRepublic of South Africa, and byreflecting the philosophy of "Defencein a Democracy", which means adefence force for the people.

This year, however, should notjust be about celebrations of our birth-day or on account of the high-profilesupport of national events. It isimportant that we can reflect a changein the way we think about key issuesto do with professionalism, racialtolerance, gender sensitivity, and theBatho Pele principle.

In May last year the Speaker ofParliament presented the "UnitedNations Report on Human Security -Human Security Now", to PresidentThabo Mbeki in his capacity as presi-dent of South Africa and president ofthe African Union. The UnitedNations has gradually broadened itsunderstanding of threats to globalpeace and security to include massiverefugee movements, HIV/AIDS andserious human rights violations. Thatunderstanding has been expandedfurther to include an array of other

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Message from the Secretary forDefencetogether in the establishment of a newSANDF for a single common goal. Thishas been an outstanding achievement!Parallel to this process but less visible,was the forging of a DOD, therebyestablishing the Secretary for Defence asthe head of department and accountingofficer. This development gave the Chiefof the SANDF the opportunity to focusand concentrate on having full com-mand of the SANDF, while leaving theSecretary for Defence to focus on policyadvice to the Minister of Defence, thusensuring financial management andaccountability, and appropriate mecha-nisms for the acquisition and procure-ment function on behalf of the DefenceForce. Another important element wasto act as the prime interface withParliament and to engage with theexternal defence environment.

These arrangements made forenhanced civil oversight, the cornerstoneof defence in a democracy through thefulfilment of constitutional requirementsand other principal policy documentssuch as the White Paper on Defence, theDefence Review, and the recently pro-mulgated Defence Act. Pursuant to thesedevelopments, transformation policies togovern and better position this organisa-tion were also introduced and imple-mented. Yet a lot still needs to be doneas we enter the next decade, to consoli-date the gains of the first decade!

Most observers have posited that nodefence force in the world, past or pre-sent, has achieved the level and extent ofintegration and transformation in such arelatively short period of time. We arenow well positioned in the internationalcommunity, as an instrument of govern-ment and foreign policy in particular, tobe key role players in the promotion ofpeace and stability for democratictransition in many an African state.

Our forces have been successfullydeployed in many different operations,both internally and externally. Ourinvolvement has been in pure militaryfunctions of deployment in peace sup-port operations, but also humanitarianrelief in the national and internationalspheres. We can mention among the firstsuch as Operation BOLEAS in Lesotho,humanitarian rescue missions as farafield as Mozambique and Algeria.

At present our forces are also on

duty through the United Nations (UN)and African Union (AU) peace supportoperations in Burundi and theDemocratic Republic of Congo (DRC).Together with our regional partners inthe Southern African DevelopmentCommunity (SADC) region, as well asthrough the establishment of theAfrican Standby Force (ASF) and vari-ous other political organs of the AU, weaim to contribute to the fulfilment ofensuring security and stability as aprerequisite for economic prosperity inAfrica - we are guarantors of peace!

The 10 years of freedom celebrationsare taking place across the length andbreadth of our country. All members ofthe SANDF and employees of the DODare urged to be part of these celebra-tions, which also mark ten years of theSANDF. Let us join other governmentdepartments, nationally, provinciallyand locally, non-government organisa-tions and community based organisa-tions, business communities, and all ourpeople.

The year 2004 is also an opportunityto reflect on and review both achieve-ments and challenges, and determinehow we can improve in the decade tocome. To further realise our long termorganisational vision of transformation,there is much more work to be done.My expectation of leaders, commandersand managers within the department isthat they will convey the spirit, messageand purpose of this special year to allthose who report to them.

Beyond celebration and thanksgiv-ing we will review the challenges of thelast decade by intensifying transforma-tion. It is important that there is anunderstanding and harnessing of theprinciples of civil oversight and what"defence in a democracy" means. Wemust strive to understand and practisethe principle of service delivery, BathoPele. Let us take ownership and developa sense of belonging regarding ourorganisation by being accountable forevery action so as to fully take chargeand secure our resources. Let us buildand secure the beauty of our countryand protect the good work that has beendone so far. Let us be a Force for Good.

Mr January MasilelaSecretary for Defence

Mr January Masilela.

ooking back ten years ago, itseems like yesterday, and yet somany things have happened. Ithas been a short decade judgingby the extent of achievementswe have attained, but also longdecade in that a lot more couldhave been achieved and manychallenges are ahead of us as we

enter the next decade. What can one sayabout the date 27 April 1994? It is now2004? The DOD has experienced andachieved a lot in the period underreview.

The story begins with the historicinauguration of former PresidentNelson Rolihlahla Mandela in 1994, fol-lowed by the inauguration of the cur-rent President, Mr Thabo Mbeki, in1999. It has now culminated in the 10years of freedom celebrations of 2004.

Government departments will takethis opportunity to celebrate theirachievements and reflect on how toimprove performance as we look aheadto the next ten years of freedom anddemocracy. As a state department, theDOD will also celebrate ten years of itsestablishment, there not having been adepartment before with a DefenceSecretariat alongside the SANDF.

At the outset of this first decade offreedom our progressive agenda musthave seemed to many a purely politicaland theoretical exercise, with littlechance of success in the real world ofdefence. We have proved themotherwise! For us in the departmentwe need first of all to acknowledge oursuccessful initiatives and celebrate thecritical milestones we have achieved inthe consolidation of the principle of"Defence in a Democracy" and thetransformation agenda.

Alongside the national govern-ment's achievement of a successfultransition to democracy since 1994, thedepartment's integration of seven dis-parate forces, statutory and non-statuto-ry, once arch-enemies, has been laudedas one of the most successful integra-tion efforts, even internationally. Allforces committed themselves to work

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Message from the Chief of the SANDFstrong leadership for peace.

In the short space of ten years,South Africa deploys the largest con-tingent of peacekeepers in the region.We provide a task force for MONUCII, Phase III in the DRC, a SpecialistContingent, a Support Contingent,Staff Officers to the United NationsMilitary HQ in Liberia, MilitaryLiaison Officers in Kampala (Uganda),Military Observers in Ethiopia andEritrea respectively, and we lead theAfrican Mission in Burundi.

Even the 1998 Lesotho interven-tion at the request of the Governmentto put down a mutiny, which wasroundly criticised in the media follow-ing the destruction and looting in thestreets of Maseru, achieved itsobjectives of putting an end to theincipient insurrection.

Lesotho is now a stable country,which has had successful electionsand will hopefully never experienceincessant army rebellions thanks tothe SANDF and the Botswana DefenceForce. The blood of those we lost inthe brief encounter with the mutineershas not been in vain. We salute themand all those who have paid the ulti-mate price of duty as we celebratethese ten years.

The strides we have made wouldnot have been possible if the SANDFwas not a dedicated, committed andprofessional force with disciplinedsoldiers.

In the important corridors ofdecision-making in the world, suchas the United Nations and the AfricanUnion, where considerations ofdeployments of soldiers in troublespots are made, the SANDF featuresamong the most preferred.

The main ingredients for the suc-cesses were a clear vision, determinedleadership and a disciplined forcewell supported by a Government thatbelieves in the worth of a defenceforce, and its role in supporting a new

democracy and the AfricanRenaissance. To this end Governmenthas, in spite of pressing socio-economic priorities ensured awell-equipped and technologicallyadvanced SANDF.

Another very importantingredient has been the strong civiloversight over defence provided byParliamentary Defence Committees,a Defence Ministry ensuring politicalguidance and a Defence Secretariatthat provides policy direction, and ajudicious fiduciary function for theDepartment of Defence and theSANDF.

As we celebrate our tenthanniversary, we reflect proudly onthe milestones that we, together withthese role players and the SouthAfrican society have helped toachieve, such as the Constitution, theWhite Paper on Defence, the DefenceReview, the Defence Act, the Code ofConduct and the White Paper onPeace Missions.

While we bask in the glory of ourachievements and the warm embraceof our people and the continent, letus not forget the challenges that lieahead. There are many moredemands for us to reach out in peacemissions. Let us prepare. Let us reju-venate and strengthen the ReserveForce and recruit the right people inthe right numbers. Let us train hard;let us be firm on discipline; let ustake care of our physical well-beingand our health.

I urge the entire body of theSANDF to continue to uphold thevalues of our new democratic dis-pensation, which underpin the newmilitary ethos we adhere to. Let usmark the next ten years with moreand greater advances for the SANDF.

Happy tenth anniversary!

Gen Siphiwe NyandaChief of the SANDF

Gen Siphiwe Nyanda.

y no strange coincidence, thebirth of our democracy tenyears ago was also the birthof the South AfricanNational Defence Force.

Forged in the main out ofthe forces of the liberationmovement and the former

apartheid era Defence Force, theSANDF typifies the new order andthe spirit of reconciliation and trans-formation in the South Africa oftoday.

The ten years that we celebrate asa new Defence Force are ten years ofmajor milestones and achievementsagainst great odds. They are as mucha "miracle" as our new democracy,which has seen the country emergefrom the brink of anarchy anddespair to a flourishing democracy ofhope and pride.

From tentative and even tumul-tuous beginnings as we grappledwith the myriad problems of integra-tion and transformation, such asingrained mistrust, resistance tochange, residual racism, unrealisticexpectations, and faltering discipline,we have advanced to become a proudDefence Force marvelled at by many.

Today we stand shoulder toshoulder with the best in the world,and head and shoulders above manyothers.

Our Defence Force has pioneereda groundbreaking intervention inBurundi which many detractors and"experts" had doomed to failure.Burundi, which before the facilitationof the peace process by formerPresident Nelson Mandela wasteetering on the brink, now lives inhope, and stands as a testimony ofhow a determined professional forcecan reinforce the political will of a

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First for voluntary service

Facing thefuture

or the first time in thehistory of the South AfricanDefence Force young menthroughout the whole spec-trum of the South Africanpopulation reported formilitary service. This new

voluntary military service intakemarked the beginning of a new era inthe Defence Force.

FPreviously, under the national ser-

vice conscription system, only whitemen were called up for military ser-vice. This has now changed dramati-cally and the compulsory intake forwhites has disappeared. Womenwere also selected in small numbersto undergo training in 1995. (For moreinformation please read the article aspublished in Paratus, March 1994, p 4).

United todefend

Rooivalk making headlines

he SANDF will beestablished as a balanced,modern and technologicallyadvanced military forcecapable of executing itsassigned functions. TheSANDF consists of all mem-

bers of MK and Apla, the defenceforces of Bophuthatswana, Transkei,Venda and Ciskei, as well as the SADefence Force and will comprise botha permanent force and a part-timecomponent. Every member is to betrained to comply with internationalstandards of competence and theforce must sustain an apoliticalculture. (For more information pleaseread the article as published in SALUT,May 1994, p 30-40).

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he Sub-council on Defence(SCD) was appointed toassist the TransitionalExecutive Council (TEC) in1993. Its primary object wasto promote the preparationfor and transition to a demo-

cratic order in South Africa. The SCDheld its first official meeting in CapeTown on 22 December 1993.

The SCD was advised and assist-ed by a Joint Military Co-ordinatingCouncil (JMCC) on which all forcecommanders participating in the pro-cess served. The JMCC was chargedto formulate a defence strategy basedon an analysis of the RSA's defencesituation and perceived threats for theperiod 1994 to 2004.

Various working groups wereestablished under the JMCC toresearch, discuss and analyse thedefence situation, formulate defenceand executive strategies, as well asplan defence programmes and drawup a budget. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, May 1994, p 20-21).

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aking headlines" is cer-tainly no exaggerationwhere the Denel/AtlasAviation Rooivalk andthe all composite ACEturboprop trainer areconcerned.

At the Dubai 93 air show in theUnited Arab Emirates where theRooivalk and the ACE were displayedabroad for the first time, the frontpage headline of Aviation

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The envy of many…

International News was: "SouthAfrica's big Rooivalk makes a boldDubai debut". In the face of interna-tional competition the media consid-ered South Africa's Rooivalk thehighlight of the helicopter show. TheSA Air Force took delivery of twelveRooivalk helicopters at the rate of twoa year, starting in 1998. (For moreinformation please read the articles aspublished in Paratus, March 1994,p 36-38 and SALUT, April 1997, p 32).


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The British came to South Africa

Unitas medal

he Commander of the BritishMilitary Advisory TrainingTeam in South Africa(BMATT SA), Brig DickTrigger, and a small team ofstaff officers, arrived inSouth Africa on 14 May 1994.

Brig Trigger headed the Britishteam of 31 members who acted asmonitors and as adjudicators whenplacement or appointments weremade in all four Services of the newSANDF. The presence of BMATT inSouth Africa arose from the integra-tion of various forces into theSANDF. (For more information pleaseread the article as published in SALUT,June 1994, p 38-39).

Tpotentially dangerous situa-tion was averted when inthe midst of the 1994 elec-tions, the SANDF assistedthe IEC with the printingand transport of more thansix million additional ballot

Bring out the ballot

Strict security measures applied during the handling of ballot material.

he plight of homeless and starv-ing people in Rwanda sparkedspontaneous support from thepeople of South Africa. In aninitiative endorsed by the thenPresident Nelson Mandela, vari-ous religious groups, including

Christians, Muslims and Jews co-ordinated a project known as OperationMERCY. The Operation began on 12July 1994 when the first batch of 31 tons

The need is great

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South Africans answered the call for assistance. Tons of food and clothingstreamed in countrywide for delivery to Rwanda.

of food and medical supplies wasflown to Mwanza, Tanzania, by twoHercules C 130 aircraft fromWaterkloof Air Force Base inPretoria. The same Hercules C 130that was used on 12 August 1993for an emergency relief operation inSomalia was used for Rwanda. (Formore information please read the articleas published in SALUT, August 1994,p 10-11).

embers of the SANDFwere issued with the newUnitas Medal commemo-rating the first non-racialelections in South Africa'shistory (27 April), culmi-nating in the inauguration

of Mr Nelson Mandela as the coun-try's President on 10 May 1994. Themedal was awarded to all the mem-bers who served within the nation'sarmed forces from 27 April to 10 May1994. (For more information please readthe article as published in SALUT,December 1994, p 12-13).

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The Unitas Medal.

papers. (For more information pleaseread the article as published in SALUT,June 1994, p 23-24).

AReview of Decade of Defence

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The eagle has landedhe new SA Air ForceHeadquarters was officiallyopened on 16 September1994. During the openingfunction a statue of an eaglewas unveiled, which waspresented by the Pilatus

Company of Switzerland. This wasthe company responsible for the pro-duction of new training aircraft to beused by the SAAF. The eagle in flightsymbolises strength and determina-tion, qualities which epitomise theSAAF and its new headquarters. (Formore information please read the articleas published in SALUT, November 1994,p 42).

he new SANDF celebratedits newfound freedom with aspectacular parade held inPolokwane (previouslyPietersburg) on 11 November 1994.

Although elements of theSANDF took part in the inauguationof President Nelson Mandela on 10May 1994, this was the first DefenceForce parade since the SANDF cameinto being on 27 April 1994.

It was also the first occasion thatthe then President, Mr NelsonMandela, who was Commander-in-Chief of the SANDF, had the oppor-tunity to review a parade incorporat-ing all elements that comprise theSANDF.

President Mandela described theparade as a milestone, not only in thehistory of South Africa's militaryformation, but in the history ofSouth Africa itself.

He said it was well known thatthe SANDF was presently integratingseven military forces into one nation-al defence force. To ensure legitimacyof the SANDF on the national level, itwas important that the integrationprocess should be all inclusive andfair.

The SANDF must be trulyrepresentative - a defence force by

Celebratingfreedom

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An aerial photograph of the new SA Air Force Headquarters.

The first showing of the new colourful SANDF.

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the people for the people. President Mandela also awarded a

Honoris Crux Decoration to CplSimon Alexander during the parade.Cpl Alexander distinguished himselfby performing a deed of braveryduring a military operation.

The President further awardedeleven Unitas Medals, the first to be

awarded since its inception on 4 November 1994. According to thePresident the Unitas Medal, a symbolof unity, will be awarded to all mem-bers who made a meaningful contri-bution to the establishment of a unit-ed defence force. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, December 1994, p 10-11).


1995


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The RDP's own Army

ome 1 200 former politicalprisoners embarked on theSAS OUTENIQUA on10 February 1995 en route toRobben Island as part of thefirst ever reunion since theirrelease. The SAS OUTENI-

QUA, as the main transport vessel onthis occasion, was assisted by threeLee-cat diving tenders, three Deltalanding craft and three Namacurraharbour protection launches. It wasthe largest number of passengers evertransported by her since the SA Navybought the ship in February 1993.

Four Oryx helicopters from 22 Squadron at AFB Ysterplaat wereinvolved in this event. The SAMHSMedical Rescue Team on board wasprepared for any medical situationand looked after the well-being of allthe passengers. (For more information Civil control

over the military

Former political prisoners visited Robben Island

S

he Interim Constitution cre-ated a new order in SouthAfrica in the form of aconstitutional democracy.Civil control over the mili-tary is a hallmark of ademocracy. To enhance this

control, the TEC decided that a DODbe established of which the SANDFwill form a component. The DODwill be managed and administeredthrough a balance model Ministry ofDefence of which a DefenceSecretariat will be a component withthe specific purpose of enhancingcivil control over the SANDF. It wasenvisaged that by mid-May 1995 theDefence Secretariat structure shouldhave been approved by the PublicService Commission and proposedstatutory amendments should be inprocess at Parliament. (For moreinformation please read the article aspublished in June 1995, p 46-47).

t the official launching of theService Corps on 31 January1995 at the DunnottarMilitary Base, the late Mr JoeModise, the then Minister ofDefence, said: "The ServiceCorps provides an opportu-

nity for the men and women leaving

military life to gain vocational and lifeskills. These skills will enable them tobe employed in RDP-related develop-ment and maintenance projects." Atthe opening, the Republic of Chinaannounced the grant of R141 millionto the Service Corps to establish aVocational Training Centre next to the

TA

The late Minister Joe Modise talks to twovolunteers of the Service Corps.

Dunnottar Military Base inGauteng. At the launch,the Minister overseeing theRDP, Mr Jay Naidoo, saidthat the RDP now had anarmy of its own with thetransformation of a seg-ment of the SA Army intoa service for the people.The Service Corps can helpwith South Africa's unem-ployed, who are mostlyyoung and unskilled peo-ple. (For more informationplease read the article as pub-lished in SALUT, March1995, p 28-29).

Some called it the largest ever naval landing on the coast of South Africa.

please read the article as published inSALUT, March 1995, p 12).


1995


14

Bridging the gap SAMHSAcademyopens

Friendship through sport

ne of the principal factorsgoverning the speed ofintegration is bridgingtraining. The majority ofthe ex-Non-Statutory Forcemembers have been trainedfor irregular warfare, and

the agreed strategy for the SANDFcalls for conventional training.

Preparing ex-NSF members fortheir new role in the SANDF is doneby means of bridging training. Allmembers of the SANDF must begiven the opportunity to achieve the

8 September 1995 symbolisedthe dawning of a new era inthe history of the SA MedicalService, as it was the officialopening of the SA MedicalService Academy.

This establishment of theAcademy has resulted in the accom-modation of all the training in the SAMedical Service within one traininginstitute where the full spectrum ofmilitary development training isprovided currently. In particular theAcademy is now in the position toprovide a medical staff course topotential staff officers of the SAMedical Service (now known asthe SA Medical Health Service).

Furthermore this also curbs theexpenditure on training while sup-porting functions of all training unitsare consolidated. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, November 1995, p 24-25).

ifty years after the end ofWorld War II and the ratifi-cation of the United NationsCharter, the first MilitaryWorld Games took placefrom 6 to 15 September 1995in Rome.

The Military World Games areCISM's contribution to these

O2

Fcommemorations and proof of thefact that, through its motto"Friendship through Sport", CISM issending a message of peace aroundthe world. The first Military WorldGames brought together servicemenfrom around the world, many ofwhom have been divided for decadesbecause of ideological or political

barriers. Zagreb, capital of Croatia,hosted the second Military WorldGames from 8 to 17 August 1999,while the third Military World Gameswas held in Catania, Sicily from 30November to 14 December 2003. (Formore information please read the articlesas published in SALUT, November 1995,p 36 and July 1999 p 56).

"international standards" called for inthe Interim Constitution.

Before commencing with bridgingtraining each ex-NSF member must beplaced, eg be assigned to a service, toa corps (branch) to a mustering andreceive a rank in the SANDF. This isdone on grounds of education,military training, age, experienceand evaluation reports from the NSFconcerned and from a pre-screeninginterview.(For more information pleaseread the article as published in SALUT,June 1995, p 35-48).

To streamline the integration process it has undergone several changes,specifically administrative.

Members of participating countries gather at the Studio Deu Marni before entering the Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony of the first Military World Games.


1996


15

Volunteer toservice

uring a press conferenceheld at Defence Headquar-ters in Pretoria, the late MrJoe Modise, the thenMinister of Defence, launch-ed the new voluntary part-time service system. For the

SANDF the system is an indispensableelement for the protection of ourcountry's sovereignty, territory andpeople. In terms of the Constitution,the SANDF shall comprise both a per-manent force and a part-time reservecomponent. These components formone Defence Force that will jointlydefend the RSA. The Draft Whitepaper on Defence, published for pub-lic comment in August 1995, statesclearly that "for political, strategic andeconomic reasons", the SANDF will bean all-volunteer force. (For more infor-mation please read the article as publishedin SALUT, January 1996, p 22).

Defence in a democracy

White Paper on Defence

Dollowing South Africa's firstdemocratic election in April1994, the SANDF was estab-lished through the integra-tion of former StatutoryForces and Non-statutoryForces. The integration of

these forces, some of which were onceenemies-in-arms, is a powerfulsymbol and practical demonstrationof South Africa's commitment tonational reconciliation and unity.

The Government has prioritisedthe daunting task of addressingpoverty and the socio-economicinequalities resulting from the systemof apartheid. The Reconstruction andDevelopment Programme (RDP)stands at the pinnacle of national poli-cy and, consequently, defence policy.

The Government is equallycommitted to national reconciliationand unity. One of the most dramaticillustrations of this commitment wasthe formation of a new Defence Policyfor SA.

The Constitution provides theDOD with its mandate and

Fdetermines political responsibility andaccountability for the Defence of theRepublic. The Defence Act elaborateson the provisions of the Constitutionand provides the legal framework forthe execution of the defence functionof the RSA. The White Paper onDefence presents the policy of theGovernment on defence matters andhow the RSA will pursue its nationalsecurity objectives.

The White Paper on Defence pro-vides the basis for a Defence Review,which elaborates on this frameworkin considerable detail. The DefenceReview entails comprehensive long-range planning on such matters asdoctrine, posture, force design, forcelevels, logistic support, armaments,equipment, human resources andfunding. Members of the JointStanding Committee on Defence andcivilian experts participated inconducting the Review.

The final product was to bepresented in Parliament. (For moreinformation please read the article aspublished in SALUT, July 1996, p 16).

n 8 May 1996 a WhitePaper on National Defencefor the RSA was tabled inParliament by the late MrJoe Modise, the thenMinister of Defence. It wasapproved by Parliament on

14 May 1996 and will reflect theGovernment's overall policy ondefence. The aim of the White Paperwas the formulation of a new defencepolicy and the transformation of theDOD. It is also a historic document,as for the first time in South Africa'shistory defence policy has beenshaped by substantial inputs fromParliament, members of the public,non-governmental organisations and,of course, the DOD. Its principal pur-pose is to inform citizens and otherstates, particularly those in Africa, of

OSouth Africa's new defence policy.The Paper looks at civil-military rela-tions, with reference to the constitu-tional provinces on defence; trans-parency and freedom of information;defence intelligence; the structure ofthe DOD; military professionalism;civic education; the responsibilities ofGovernment towards the SANDF;and the rights and duties of militarypersonnel. The White Paper alsofocuses on certain topical issuesregarding the SANDF, such as thecreation of the post of a militaryOmbudsman, education and training,SANDF deployment in co-operationwith the SAPS, and internationalpeace support operations and landand environmental issues. (For moreinformation please read the article as pub-lished in SALUT, July 1996, p 17-19).

On 8 May 1996 a White Paper onNational Defence for the RSA wastabled in Parliament.


1996


16

Introducing new camouflage

he SANDF won a goldaward in the NationalProductivity Institute's(NPI) productivity competi-tion on 2 September 1996.

The NPI ProductivityCompetition is an annual

event, which gives national recogni-tion to the best productive use ofresources in the country. This is ameans of encouraging organisationsto operate more productively in order"to ensure higher and sustainable eco-nomic growth" for South Africa "andtherefore more job opportunities anda higher standard of living for all itscitizens".

The SANDF has been involved inthese competitions on tactical andoperational levels for several years,but competed on a corporate level forthe first time in 1996.

Productivity is an integrated partof the total Strategic Planning Process

SANDF wins gold for productivity

Tand the Strategic ManagementProcess. Unlike private enterprise,productivity within the SANDF isnon-profit service driven, althoughsimilar techniques and principles areapplied to achieve it.

On the strategic level scarcities aremanaged. All planning projects andactions initiated on this level result inthe comprehensive managementinformation becoming timeouslyavailable to corporate management(the Defence Command Council) thusensuring effective decision-making.

The productivity improvementprogramme of the SANDF, whichinvolved everybody in the SANDFfrom the Chief of the NationalDefence Force, right down to the mostjunior soldier, was started during themiddle eighties and gained momen-tum during the early nineties. Majorachievements were recorded from1993 to 1996.

The combined non-quantifiableresults achieved are difficult toexpress in monetary terms as theyinclude, for example, operational pre-paredness, the preservation of humanlives and the natural resources savedduring humanitarian operations.

The combined quantifiable resultsof the productivity improvement andimplemented projects during thethree-year period were: � tangible savings of R467 million, � intangible savings of R1.6 million, � cost avoidance of R165 million to

R315 million.These achievements were realised

during environmental changes, suchas the massive integration exercise ofseven different armed forces and thedeployment of personnel to assist theSouth African Police Service withcrime prevention. (For more informa-tion please read the article as published inSALUT, October 1996, p 20-21).

oldier 2000 - an innovativepersonal dress and equip-ment system for the SAArmy was unveiled at apress conference held atthe SA Army College inAugust 1996.

Soldier 2000 was not a suddendecision. In July 1993 the then Chiefof the SA Army, Lt Gen GeorgMeiring, announced that the SAArmy was exchanging its old Nutriafield dress ("Browns"), for a newhigh-tech camouflage uniform.

On 29 January 1998 the thenChief of the SA Army, Lt Gen RegOtto, presented the new camouflageuniform to the then Chief of theSANDF, Gen Georg Meiring, toenable the soldier to function opti-mally under all climatic and geo-graphical environments in SouthernAfrica. (For more information pleaseread the articles as published in SALUT,October 1996, p 32-34 and March1998, p 64).

S

Some of the articles that are included in the Soldier 2000 system.


1997

17


Signing of the Constitution

Major changes for the militaryhe former Minister ofDefence, the late Mr JoeModise, announced a majorreorganisation and restruc-turing of the DOD at its topadministrative levels on 11February 1997 in Parliament.

It had been decided, inter alia, thatin order to give the civilian Secretaryfor Defence the necessary authorityand responsibility, he needed to be

Tn 10 December 1996 SouthAfricans and the worldcommunity witnessed thehistoric signing of theConstitution of the RSAinto law by the thenPresident, Mr Nelson

Mandela, in Sharpeville. The newConstitution, which was crafted bythe Constitutional Assembly, underthe Chairmanship of Mr CyrilRamaphosa, and approved by theConstitutional Court, came into effecton 1 April 1997.

The new Constitution gives theSANDF a clear mandate. It spells outa legal and binding set of instructionsin terms of which the SANDF is toconduct its activities.

The SA Air Force added colour tothe momentous occasion with a fly-past performed by three Alouette IIIhelicopters, two Oryx helicopters andone Rooivalk helicopter, each trailingthe National Flag. (For more informa-tion please read the article as published inSALUT, February 1997, p 10-11).

O

On duty at the stadium.

Blue Eagle is Africa's hopeur country has come underincreasing pressure sincethe 1994 elections to play aleading role in peace-keeping missions insub-Saharan trouble spots.

With this in mind, itcan indeed be said that history was inthe making in April 1997 when theSANDF, for the first time ever,

Oparticipated in a fully-fledged,multinational peacekeeping exercise.Exercise BLUE HUNGWE, or BLUEEAGLE, took place at the NyangaTraining Area in neigbouringZimbabwe from 1 to 20 April 1997.

The aim of the exercise was toenhance regional African liaison, co-operation, military skills and interop-erability by means of a multinational

joint field training exercise in the tac-tics and techniques of internationalpeacekeeping. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, May 1997, p 40-41).

both the Head of the Department andthe Accounting Officer.

The Chief of the SANDF willhenceforth be the commander of themilitary force. The Chief of theSANDF and the Secretary for Defencewill thus function at the samehierarchical level, but with separateresponsibilities.

The creation of a new integratedhead office of the Ministry of Defence,

with significant cost and efficiencyimplications, was also announced.

Where defence functions werepreviously carried out at DefenceHeadquarters level and duplicated inthe respective Services, the separateadministrations will now be amalga-mated into one new top level adminis-trative structure. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, April 1997, p 15).


1997


18

First "Big Bang" in Africa

Co-operation for a greener military environment

ome 4 700 anti-personnelmines were blown up at theAlkantpan Testing Range atCopperton on 21 May 1997.Altogether 550 kg of explosives were used todestroy the mines. The

then Minister of Defence, the late MrJoe Modise, emphasised SouthAfrica's commitment - "We want togive the world the assurance that, inthis country, anti-personnel mineswill never be manufactured again forwar". Some mines were kept in stockfor research and development pur-poses. A total of 5 000 high explosiveanti-personnel mines will be used forresearch and deployment and 13 000practice anti-personnel mines fordemining training. (For more informa-tion please read the article as published inSALUT, July 1997, p 12-13).

Mr Ronnie Kasrils, the then Deputy Minister of Defence, looks at an armyboot after it was in an anti-personnel mine explosion.

S

he establishment and activities of the RSA-USAEnvironmental SecurityWorking Group has beenone of many success storiesin the Logistics Division over the past decade.

The Environmental SecurityWorking Group (ESWG) got down towork and at the outset identifiedseveral areas for co-operation. Rightform the start it was agreed that weshould work towards producinglasting products that would also bemade available to other militaries inthe world.

The two countries work on anequal footing and both contributeequally to the joint projects. Thiscontributed largely to the success ofthe ESWG. The Americans do havebilateral relations for environmentalsecurity with scores of countries.However, they regard the SouthAfrican ESWG as one of the mostsuccessful and productive. On 10February 1999 the then South AfricanMinister of Defence, the late Mr Joe

Modise, and the US Secretary forDefence, Mr Cohen, signed theMemorandum of Agreementregarding Co-operation on MilitaryEnvironmental Matters during a cere-mony in the Castle in Cape Town. Anenvironmental management confer-ence was held at the Kwalata GameLodge, north of Pretoria, in August2003. The conference was attendedby 120 delegates from 26 countriesfrom five continents, the first globalconference on this subject. The confer-ence was a huge success and the

participants were impressed by theSouth African hospitality and thearrangements for the conference. Thelatter was largely due to the dedicatedefforts of the RSA project officer, LtCol Hannes Potgieter, and his largeteam of co-workers. The conferencelaid the foundation of a worldwidenetwork of military environmentalpractitioners. It was fitting that thisconference was co-hosted by the twooldest countries with formal militaryenvironmental management pro-grammes, the USA and the RSA.

The US Secretary for Defence, Mr Cohen (left), and the then South AfricanMinister of Defence, the late Mr Joe Modise, at the signing ceremony of theMemorandum of Agreement.

T


1998


19

Body creates support forvolunteer ethos

8 November 1997 marked theendorsement of the NationalDefence Liaison Council(NDLC) when Mr WarrenAlexander Morten Clewlow,Executive Chairperson ofBarlow Ltd, was appointed as

Chairperson of the newly inaugurat-ed NDLC. With 33 driven members,

Fight against HIV/AIDS New ranksfor someofficers

Air power is versatile

he fight againstHIV/AIDS gainedmomentum on

n account of confusionwith regard to the rankinsignia and rank nomen-clature of the SANDFGenerals/Flag OfficersandBrigadiers/Commodores,

especially when they interacted withother defence forces, the MilitaryCommand Council decided on a newrank insignia and nomenclature forthese officers in the SANDF.

In essence, the changes amount tothe inclusion of the ranks Brigadierand Commodore in the General/FlagOfficers' rankings and changes to therank insignia and forms of address tobe implemented on 1 April 1998.

It also necessitated an amendmentto the General Regulations of theSANDF in order to legalise the newrank structure. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, February 1998, p 19).

ir power is a versatile tooland while it cannotreplace surface-basedactivities, it is an invalu-able complement to suchmeans. Air power is andwill remain a vital com-

ponent of a balanced military forceboth in defence and in security build-ing," said the late Mr Joe Modise,former Minister of Defence, in 1997.

1the NDLC became a high-poweredbody that has created significant sup-port for the volunteer ethos. Restingon the shoulders of each member isthe responsibility to create a climatefavourable to voluntary part-timemilitary service. The NDLC's respon-sibilities are those of an independentvoluntary, advisory and consultative

O

Ms Prudence Mabele, a representative of theNational Association of People Living withHIV/AIDS (NAPLWA) lit a candle of hope.

A“The SA Air Force presented aviationwings to all newly qualified aviationpersonnel throughout the SAAF atthe Central Flying School inLangebaanweg on 29 January 1997.The pupil pilots were the first groupto train and qualify on the newPilatus PC7 MKII Astra, whichreplaced the Harvard training air-craft.

The last flight of a Puma heli-

copter in the service of the SA AirForce was at 17 Squadron atSwartkop AFB on 15 July 1997. ThePuma helicopters were sold andreplaced by Oryx helicopters. After21 years the sound of F1 AZ Miragesin the service of the SAAF was heardfor the last time at Hoedspruit on 25November 1997. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, February 1998, p 32-33).


body. On its activities depends thesupport and enthusiasm of employ-ers, organised labour and the commu-nity at large. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, January 1998, p 16-18).

19 November 1997with the launch ofthe South AfricanCivil Military

Alliance to CombatHIV/AIDS. The eventmarked the formation ofthe first formal structurewhich will join the civiland military communitiesin the fight against the dis-ease in Southern Africa.The formation of this bodywas a result of the resolu-tion taken during the ThirdAfrican RegionalWorkshop on HIV/AIDSPrevention on MilitaryPopulations held inWindhoek, Namibia, inMarch 1997. (For more infor-mation please read the articleas published in SALUT,January 1998, p 28-29).

T

RANKSA NATIONAL

OF

1998


21

Medicine in the forefrontn the November 1997 issue,SALUT published a comprehen-sive article on chemical warfare.Lt Gen Niel Knobel, the thenSurgeon General, elaborated onSouth Africa's defensive capabili-ty with regard to chemical

weapons.Peacetime support operations by

the South African Military Servicewere given a boost with the develop-ment of the world's first two portablex-ray machines that can be used safe-ly by trained military medical person-nel in battlefield conditions and inrural areas where minimum infras-tructure exists. (For more informationplease read the articles as published inSALUT, November 1997, p 42-47 andFebruary 1998, p 42).

I

A member of 7 Medical Battalion ina protective suit during a chemicalwarfare exercise.

Right-sizing the Public Service

Englishchosen asoperationallanguage

n October 1995 the Cabinetdirected that personnel numbersin the Public Service should bereduced. The Public Service wastoo large and needed to be ratio-nalised. In order to give effect tothe policy framework contained

in the White Paper on theTransformation of the Public Serviceand other Government directives, anagreement was entered into with therecognised employee organisations inthe Chamber of the Public ServiceBargaining Council at central level.

The agreement, inter alia, provid-ed for the right-sizing of the PublicService through the implementation

I

ith the advent of ademocratic constitutionin South Africa, onewhich recognised lan-guage rights and consid-ered the linguistic andcultural diversity of the

nation, the DOD formulated a newlanguage policy to fit the times.

The Directorate Language Servicesubmitted a number of drafts tostakeholders.

On 17 February 1998, Draft 4 ofthe policy proposals was discussedwith the Joint Standing Committee forParliament on Defence (JSCPD) and anumber of inputs were obtained fromthis body. The majority of respon-dents within the DOD also acceptedthe proposal unreservedly.

The thread language for the DODshall be English. A link language hasbeen integrated into the general func-tioning of the Department in order topromote the efficient functioning ofthe DOD. (For more information pleaseread the article as published in SALUT,June 1998, p 14).

Wof a voluntary severance package,which would apply until a sufficientresponse had been elicited, afterwhich it should be withdrawn.

Therefore, in terms of sections3(2)(a)(i) and 42 of the Public ServiceAct, 1994, the Department of PublicService and Administration recom-mended that with effect from 1 May1996 serving members be afforded theoption of requesting that their servicesbe terminated on a voluntary basisand that a special severance packagebe paid to those officials whose appli-cations were approved. (For moreinformation please read the article as pub-lished in SALUT, June 1998, p 56-60).

Introducing the ombudsmanntroducing the ombudsman - awilling listener, vigorous investi-gator, master persuader and skil-ful mediator. Internationally, theconcept of the ombudsman hasproved to be of great value andit seems to be a laudable and an

effective institution.The general idea of an ombuds-

man is to provide a means of investi-gating and reporting on cases wherethe individual feels he or she has been

Ibadly treated by the administration ofthe DOD.

This ranges from cases of corrup-tion, bias, unfair discrimination,harshness and the misleading of amember of the public as to his or herrights, to unreasonable delays in deal-ing with matters, as well as generalhigh-handedness.

In response to a perceived need todeal with corruption in South Africa,the Office of the Advocate General

was created by Act 118 of 1979 beforeAct 104 of 1991 rechristened it as theOffice of the Ombudsman.

Both statutes have been repealedand replaced by the Public ProtectorAct No 23 of 1994 as a law subordi-nate to the South African InterimConstitution, the latter which gave ita very strong mandate. (For moreinformation please read the article aspublished in SALUT, September 1998,p 40-43).


1999


23

Joint trainingis the sensibleoption

any a buzzword stemsfrom the process whichwe have come to know astransformation. One ofthese is "jointness".

The then Acting Chiefof Joint Training, Brig Gen

Ashwin Hurribunce, says that the callfor maximum jointness in the DOD -in all its facets - originated from theOffice of the Minister of Defence andcoincided with the requirement ofjoint training.

Soldiers were called upon toaccept the fact that they jointlycontribute towards an outcome, andthat they work together as a team toproduce an outcome.

Thus jointness becomes a state ofmind where soldiers feel part of abigger team, that each soldier has aparticular role to play and that theircontributions come together in aharmonious fashion to ensure thatthe DOD wins the battle. (For moreinformation please read the article aspublished in SALUT, February 1999,p 12-13).

M

Capacity building for PSAPuring 1997 the BritishDefence Advisory Team(BDAT) representative, DrIan Hamil, offered assis-tance in the capacity build-ing of Public Service ActPersonnel (PSAP) to the

then Secretary for Defence, Mr PierreSteyn. Two programmes were identi-fied, namely the Higher ManagementProgramme for Deputy Directors andthe Senior Management Programmefor Directors.

The UK Ministry of Defence out-sources this training for their selectedcivilian members to AshridgeManagement College. The AshridgeManagement College has a reputa-tion as one of the world leaders in tai-lored executive development pro-grammes (rated 25th in the worldand 7th in Europe).

Project Clipper was established in January 1997 as an initiative toimprove the training and

development opportunities of thecivilian component of the DOD.

High potential managers from theRSA DOD have been attending theUK MOD's Management Develop-ment Programmes at Ashridge in theUK for the last five years. To date 109senior and middle management staffmembers have successfully under-gone these programmes. To extendthe opportunity to many more man-agers as cost-effectively as possible,the UK and RSA DOD invitedAshridge to run similar programmesin South Africa.

Last year was the second year thatthe programme has been run in SouthAfrica, but for the first time as a jointprogramme - a welcome initiativewith key managers attending fromthe Department of Foreign Affairs.Altogether 38 participants attendedthe programme, 24 from the RSADOD and 14 from the Department ofForeign Affairs. Following the suc-

D cess of the inaugural programme,Ashridge ran a second two-dayClipper Alumni Programme in SouthAfrica for members of the RSADOD who have attended Ashridge ineither the UK or RSA over the lastfive years. This was a genuinealumni event to revitalise ratherthan merely follow up the mainprogramme, and was aimed atrefreshing the thinking about leader-ship, and to share experience inapplying their knowledge andbuilding a network of key managers.

Fltr: Mr Ronnie Kasrils, the then Deputy Minister of Defence, Brig J.J. Keeling, Commander of BMATT SA, and Mr Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister.

uring his visit to SouthAfrica, the British PrimeMinister, Mr Tony Blair,attended a medal paradeheld in honour of theBritish Military Advisoryand Training Team

(BMATT SA) at the Castle of GoodHope in Cape Town.

The then Deputy Minister of

Defence, Mr Ronnie Kasrils, awardedtwelve members of the BMATT SATeam the Unitas Medal.

The medals were in recognition oftheir invaluable contribution towardsthe formation and building of SouthAfrica's new SA National DefenceForce. (For more information please readthe article as published in SALUT, March1999, p 7).

British soldiers honoured

D



Then

The late Mr Joe Modise, the firstMinister of Defence in the newSANDF.

Mr Ronnie Kasrils, the first DeputyMinister of Defence in the new SANDF.

Mr Pierre Steyn, the first Secretaryfor Defence in the new SANDF.

Lt Gen Hattingh Pretorius,the first Chief of the SA Army in the new SANDF.

Lt Gen James Kriel, the firstChief of the SA Air Force inthe new SANDF.

V Adm Robert Simpson-Anderson, the first Chief of theSA Navy in the new SANDF.

TRANSFORMATION OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE

Gen Georg Meiring, the firstChief of the new SANDF.

Lt Gen Niel Knobel, the firstSurgeon General of the newSANDF.


Now

TOP STRUCTURE OF THE DOD TOP STRUCTURE OF THE DOD TOP STRUCTURE OF THE DOD

Mr Mosiuoa Lekota, the current Minister of Defence.

Ms Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, the current Deputy Minister of Defence.

Mr January Masilela, the currentSecretary for Defence.

Lt Gen Gilbert Ramano, the current Chief of the SA Army.

Lt Gen Roelf Beukes, the current Chief of the SA Air Force.

V Adm Johan Retief, the current Chief of the SA Navy.

Gen Siphiwe Nyanda, the currentChief of the SANDF.

Lt Gen Rinus Jansen vanRensburg, the currentSurgeon General.

1999


26

Now ReserveForce

Destruction of small arms

ince World War II the Part-time Component, as it waspreviously referred to, hasbeen known by a succes-sion of names, namelyActive Citizen Force,Citizen Force and Part-time

Force. Various terminologies areused in existing legislation and policydocuments. A considerable amountof research has been done on interna-tional nomenclature and it was foundthat the term "Reserves/ReserveForce" was the most commonly usedand understood term as opposed to"Part-time Component" which is notused internationally. On 2 February1999 the Minister gave his approvalto change, inter alia, "Part-timeComponent" to "Reserve Force".(For more information please read thearticle as published in SALUT,April 1999, p 32-33).

outh Africa became one ofthe first countries in theworld to destroy its stockof anti-personnel land-mines and is in theforefront with its latestinitiative. This followed a

statement made by the late Mr JoeModise, the then Minister of Defence,that by the end of 1999 South Africawould have destroyed 262 667redundant, obsolete, unserviceableand confiscated small arms of variouscalibres stored by the Department ofDefence. South Africa became one ofthe first countries in the world todestroy its stocks of anti-personnellandmines, and is again in theforefront with this latest initiative.

xercise BLUE CRANE start-ed on 7 April 1999 at thethen SA Army Battle Schoolin Lohatlha. The aim was todevelop and maintainAfrica's own peace opera-tion organ, the duty of

which would be to carry out militaryintervention to stop bloodshed andhuman suffering where reason anddiplomacy have failed. It wasstressed that the main aim of theexercise was to enhance the capacityof the SADC forces to participate inpeace support operations. Some 3 949soldiers from SADC countries, suchas Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique,Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe,Tanzania, Swaziland, Malawi,Lesotho, Mauritius and South Africashared expertise and experience inthe quest for peace and prosperity.The first concrete steps towards thisgoal were taken in 1997 when SADCmember states sent their soldiers toZimbabwe for a historic peacekeep-ing training exercise, Exercise BLUEHUNGWE. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, April 1999, p 18-21).

SS

E

This action arose because the SAGovernment was well-aware of inter-national concern relating to the issueof small arms proliferation and theincreasing need to take definite andprogressive steps to curb theproliferation of small arms.

The issue of small arms prolifera-tion is thus a legitimate concern forthe international community.

South Africa had publiclyaffirmed its support for the UNReport on Small Arms and hadexpressed grave concern about theimpact that the proliferation of smallarms is having on civil societies inSouthern Africa. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, April 1999, p 6).

Ensuring tomorrow's peacetoday


1999


28

Navy Office opens

Peace restored in Lesotho

he new structure of the SANavy, viz the Navy Office,which reflects the SANDF'stransformation process cameinto effect on 1 April 1999 inPretoria. In the new structurethere will no longer be a

Chief of Naval Operations and aChief of Naval Support commandingunits at the coast from Pretoria.

"Henceforth we here in Pretoriawill spend most of our efforts andtime on strategic direction, policy-making, budgeting and control," saidV Adm Robert Simpson-Anderson,the then Chief of the SA Navy, duringthe inauguration of the Navy Office.

A big change is that the NavyOffice will house a dedicated Chief ofStaff (Rear Admiral), who will beresponsible for running the NavyOffice. (For more information pleaseread the article as published in SALUT,May 1999, p 39).

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V Adm Robert Simpson-Anderson, the then Chief of the SANavy, declared the new Navy Office open.

n 15 May 1999 the lastremaining SADC forces inLesotho crossed the borderinto South Africa, markingthe end of OperationBOLEAS. To commemo-rate this auspicious

occasion a demobilisation paradewas held at the DOD MobilisationCentre outside Bloemfontein.

During this event Mr Alfred Nzo,Minister of Foreign Affairs of SouthAfrica, said that Operation BOLEASwas the first peace support operationunder the auspices of the SADC inwhich South African and Botswanaforces were deployed jointly.

Mr Nzo pointed out that peaceand calm had been restored toLesotho and that the legitimate gov-ernment of Lesotho was back in con-trol. Operation BOLEAS was the firsttime, apart from training exercises,that the SANDF had acted in concertwith another regional force. "Thisconcept of joint operations is likely tobe the pattern for the future and will

be a key part of SANDF training fromnow on," Mr Nzo said. (For more

information please read the article as pub-lished in SALUT, July 1999, p 20-28).

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Lt Gen Makhula Mosakeng, Chief of the Lesotho Defence Force, and Gen Siphiwe Nyanda, Chief of the SANDF, in conversation at theLesotho/South Africa border post during the withdrawal of Botswana andSouth African soldiers from Lesotho.


INSIGNIADEFENCE FORCETHE

1999


30

Opt for a fair staffing process

Contributing to a free election and inauguration

he staffing process kickedoff when the Defence StaffCouncil took the decision toopt for a totally open, trans-parent, and participativeapproach to staffing newstructures.

With a few exceptions, all SANDFpersonnel will sooner or later findtheir fate in the hands of staffingboards as the transformation processpushes ahead. The staffing processtherefore emphasises the belief inpeople's rights to decide for them-selves where they wish to serve theorganisation.

Brig Gen Deon van Onselen, thethen Director Military Personnel

he former Chief of CorporateCommunication, Maj GenChris Pepani, released amedia statement on 22 June1999 to thank all thePermanent Force andReserve Force members who

were involved during the 1999 elec-tions and inauguration of PresidentThabo Mbeki.

In keeping with the DOD's visionand mission, the SANDF over theperiod 26 May to 17 June 1999 suc-cessfully safeguarded South Africawith affordable and effective defence,which earned the gratitude andrespect of the nation.

The members of the SANDF wereworking around the clock to ensureeverything would be in place and dryruns were done for various contin-gencies which included all possiblescenarios from worst case to best casescenarios.

Co-ordination included deploy-ment of men and women on theground to the fly pasts which were sogreatly appreciated. It also includedthe training and preparation of all theaccompanying officers for visitingforeign dignitaries.

TUtilisation, emphasised that it is pos-sible to move from an old structure toa new structure under very specificcircumstances. "Circumstances thatjustify the principles of transparency,openness and not having detrimental-ly affected others in the process," hesaid. It must be remembered that thestaffing process was not solelydesigned to serve the transformationprocess. It is designed to be anongoing process for the future in astable end state.

"The DOD commits itself to fair,equitable, transparent and account-able decision-making in consideringcandidates for appointments," saidBrig Gen Van Onselen and added that

staffing boards are constituted inorder to achieve this.

In order to be fair, all applicationsmust be considered, and decisionsmade must be objective and equi-table. The proceedings of the staffingboard have to be recorded. Theserecorded minutes are retained toenable the DOD to deal with everyform of enquiry.

Any candidate who wishes toenquire about the proceedings of astaffing board can do so through theformal channels of command.Staffing will continue as long as it isnecessary. (For more information pleaseread the article as published in SALUT,July 1999, p 12-13).

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The nerve centre of all the plan-ning was the National OperationCo-ordination Centre (NOCOC) inPretoria. There, the SAPS, NIA andthe SANDF worked hand in hand toensure smooth and efficientdeployments and operations.

The total deployment for the elec-tion and the inauguration from theSANDF was sixty aircraft of which 35were helicopters and 21 Volunteer Air

Squadron aircraft. The inaugurationdeployment consisted of fourteen air-craft, including the standby aircraftfor search and rescue purposes andthe reaction force.

The personnel with regard to sol-dier deployments was made up of17 000 Full-time and Reserve Forcesoldiers. (For more information pleaseread the article as published in SALUT,August 1999, p 12-13).

President Thabo Mbeki with his wife, Zanele, at the Union Buildings.


2000


31

Lift the veil on rationalisation

Levelling the playing field

Abide by the Codes

ffirmative action is a processthat has promoted changeand is levelling the playingfield for all to compete.Equal opportunities withoutaffirmative action equals noaction.

Discrimination in Government can

ationalisation was one ofthose buzzwords thatprovoked strong emotionsamong defence forcemembers. Since 1994 theDOD has embarked upon aprocess of integrating seven

former forces, including the Kwa-Zulu Self-protection Force into the

he Codes of Conduct for uni-formed and Public ServiceAct Personnel in the DODwere launched at a militaryparade on 15 February 2000.

The Code serves as aguide in the process of lay-

ing a firm foundation for the buildingof discipline and morale in theSANDF. It contributes to the cultureof the Constitution, which guides thebuilding and strengthening of ourdemocracy. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, April 2000, p 35).

Abe eliminated only if the messagecomes from political leaders and exec-utive managers in all institutions thatdiscrimination will not be tolerated,and that those who wish to act outtheir biases and prejudices and denyequal opportunity will have no placein the Public Service said Col C.P. van

Schalkwyk, SSO Affirmative Actionin 2000. (For more information pleaseread the article as published in SALUT,January 2000, p 13-15).

RSANDF. It became quiet clear that toestablish a restructured, new andeffective DOD, a process of transfor-mation and downsizing/right-sizingwould be necessary.

Personnel structures therefore hadto be made affordable: the 57% spenton personnel became unacceptableand untenable. The plan was to

realign the total Defence budget to aratio of 40% for personnel, 30% forcapital expenditure and 30% for oper-ating costs. This implied that the per-sonnel strength of the DOD had beenreduced as part of the transformationprocess. (For more information pleaseread the article as published in SALUT,March 2000, p 12-15).

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Above: Mr January Masilela,Secretary for Defence, reads theCode of Conduct for PSAP members in the DOD. Mr HermanKasselman, Director CareerDevelopment (PSAP), displays theCode.

Left: Gen Siphiwe Nyanda, Chiefof the SANDF, prepares to addressa packed crowd on the occasion ofthe launching of the Code ofConduct for members of theSANDF. WO1 J.J. Jacobs,Sergeant-Major of the SANDF, displays the Code for all to see.


2000


32

Raging floods swamp Mozambiqueuring February 2000, 14 391people were rescued whenmassive flood waters devas-tated much of Mozambiqueagain. The brave men andwomen of the SANDF,spearheaded by the SA Air

Force, went to their rescue. The opera-tion was known as Operation LICHI.

Throughout the operation theSANDF worked in conjunction withthe Institute for National DisasterManagement of Mozambique andother military forces and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).Operation LICHI was conductedunder the auspices of the Chief ofJoint Operations. It was a joint opera-tion with the SA Air Force, which wasthe main role player, and the SAMilitary Health Service whichprovided military support.

The SA Air Force, however, is nostranger when it comes to assistingflood victims in Mozambique. InFebruary 1996 SAAF helicopter crewscame to the rescue of Mozambicansafter severe flooding had ravaged thecountry. Three Oryx helicopters wereused to rescue some 1 351 people,who were totally cut off from civilisa-tion by the flooding Limpompo, Saveand Olifants rivers. The SAAFdistributed some 59 tons of food andmedicine to the people in the regionsaffected by the 1996 floods. (For moreinformation please read the articles aspublished in SALUT, April 1996,p 46-47, May 1999, p 22-24, May 2000,p 15-17 and July 2000, p 14-16).

D

Scene from the flood in Mozambique.

Develop leaders to make a differencehe Leadership, Commandand Management Practices,Policies, Principles andPhilosophies (LCAMPS)programme is a self-devel-opment programme to dev-elop leaders who can make

a difference. It is designed to makeleaders more effective in their indi-vidual leadership approaches. Lead-ers are made aware of the different

Tleadership styles and behaviour andhow to get maximum effectivenessout of these styles and behaviours.The LCAMPS philosophy states that aperson can fulfil all three roles ofleading, commanding and managingsimultaneously, while adhering to theprospective guidelines from theupper echelon. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSALUT, June 2000, p 32-33).


2001


33

Go and make peace

Understanding peacekeeping operationsHigher Commanders PeaceSupport Operations Course,the first of its kind in theSouthern African region,was presented in Benoni,Johannesburg, over the peri-od 5 to 16 February 2001.

The aim of the course was to promotea broader understanding ofpeacekeeping operations, relatingparticularly to operations in Africa.

"While we agree that we have toexpose some of our personnel to thelarge military academies of the world,there is absolutely no reason why wecannot promote joint operability bytraining SADC Forces together inAfrican countries. This promotesregional stability and our commonsecurity," said Ms Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, Deputy Minister ofDefence, who officially opened thecourse. (For more information pleaseread the article as published in SA SOLDIER, May 2001, p 12).

A

Fltr: Maj Gen Timothy Ford, Military Advisor to the UN, Ms Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, Deputy Minister of Defence, and Brig Mike Raworth, DefenceAdviser British High Commission Pretoria.

Your new publicationt is with both pleasure and pridethat I present to you the newflagship corporate communica-tion vehicle for the DOD, knownas SA SOLDIER.

We have incorporated, whereapplicable, the suggestions you

put forward to improve the qualityand content of the publication andconcerning its rightful place in thecommunication network.

The magazine will serve as a

Ivehicle for critical thought anddebate, but it must be a crediblevehicle for communication ofDepartmental views and those of itsreaders. With this in mind, welcometo the first edition of SA SOLDIER:an edition which holds a specialsignificance as it marks the beginningof a new and fresh approach. (Formore information please read the articleas published in SA SOLDIER, May 2001, p 4).

r Mosiuoa Lekota, theMinister of Defence,announced at a press con-ference on 23 March 2001that the SANDF was todeploy specialised units tothe Democratic Republic

of Congo (DRC) under the auspices ofthe United Nations Mission to theDRC. According to the Minister thisis in compliance with the international

Mobligations of the RSA towards theUnited Nations as stipulated by theRSA Constitution and Section 90 ofthe Defence Act, 1957 (Act No 44 of1957). Minister Lekota concluded thatthe situation in the DRC is regardedby the UN as conducive to the imple-mentation of the UN Mission to theDRC (MONUC II).

The first contingent of SANDFmembers departed for the DRC from

Waterkloof AFB on 5 April 2001. Thesecond contingent of our soldiersbound for the DRC departed fromWaterkloof AFB on 21 April 2001.(For more information please read thearticle as published in SA SOLDIER,June 2001, p 12-14).


2001


34

Airborne combat-readiness tested to the full

Access to the Information Act

Taking aviation to the youth

n international airbornecombat-readiness competi-tion - Airborne Africa - washeld from 22 March to 3April 2001 for the first timeon South African soil.Preparation was done in

Bloemfontein, while the actual com-petition took place at the MadimboTraining Area in the NorthernProvince. Combat readiness wastested to the full with regard tomarching, shooting and observation.

he Promotion of Access toInformation Act came intooperation on 9 March 2001.In keeping with the spirit oftransparent democracy, theConstitution of the RSA,1996, makes provision in the

Bill of Rights for the right of access toany information held by the State andany information held by another per-son which is required for the exerciseor protection of any rights.

The objectives of the Act are togive effect to the constitutional rightof access to any information held bythe State and any information that isheld by another person which isrequired for the exercise or protectionof rights, and to provide for matters

n 4 June 1965 a very youngpupil pilot by the name ofRoelf Beukes flew Harvard7675 on only his fourthflight while being trainedas a pilot in the SA AirForce. Thirty-six years later

Lt Gen Roelf Beukes, now Chief of theSAAF, had the privilege to hand overthe same aircraft to Maj Gen LuckyNgema, Project Director of a veryworthy cause, namely Siyandiza.

"In our quest to become a centre ofair power excellence, the SAAF

AInspection was done on all kit.

Perseverance of each and everyparticipant was put to the test…

Military parachutist teams fromten different countries, namelyBelgium, Botswana, France, Ghana,Great Britain, Jordan, theNetherlands, South Africa, Tanzaniaand the United States of America tookpart in this event - the first of its kindto be held on South African soil. (Formore information please read the articleas published in SA SOLDIER, June 2001,p 28-31).

Tconnected therewith.

The Act is applicable to therecords of all public and private bod-ies, with the exception of the Cabinetand its committees, certain judicialfunctions and Members of Parliamentor provincial legislatures. A record isdefined as any recorded informationin the possession or under the controlof a body. Since the definition of apublic body includes any departmentof State, the Act therefore applies toany recorded information held by theDOD.

The DOD has instituted proce-dures necessary for compliance withthe Act, including the appointment ofdeputy information officers, the cre-ation of an Information Centre and

procedures to deal with requests andappeals.

In terms of the Act the Secretaryfor Defence is the information officerfor the DOD and he is required toappoint such deputy information offi-cers as are necessary to render thedepartment accessible to requesters ofits records. The heads of the Servicesand divisional heads have beenappointed information officers. AnInformation Centre has been estab-lished under Chief Defence CorporateCommunication to co-ordinate DODprocedures and to act as a nodal pointfor liaison with requesters. (For moreinformation please read the article aspublished in SA SOLDIER, July 2001,p 28-29).

Oembarked on the strategic path oftransforming our organisation andour human resource componentthrough dynamic leadership.

"In order to be prepared to receivethe new main equipment into theSAAF, the SAAF Board decided thatthe training of our Air Force memberswill receive the highest priority. Atthe same time, in order to make theAir Force representative in our corebusiness, we embarked on a recruit-ment programme, of which the pro-motion of aviation awareness is a

vital component. "That is whatSiyandiza is all about: exposure to theworld of aviation and motivation ofyoungsters to join the SAAF." Thesewere the words of Lt Gen Beukes onthe occasion of the official launch andhanding over of a Siyandiza Harvardand Puma to a project team which isto take Siyandiza further.

The function was held atSwartkop AFB on 25 May 2001.(For more information please read thearticle as published in SA SOLDIER,July 2001, p 42).


2001


35

The new SA Army emblem Introducingnew trainingprogramme

United in the fight againstHIV/AIDS

t Gen Gilbert Ramano, theChief of the SA Army,launched the new SA Armyemblem, a symbol markingthe beginning of a brighterfuture on 6 June 2001.

The new emblem, whichsignifies "a pride of lions", will bringabout unity within the Force and hasreplaced the Springbok. "All for oneand one for all" is the type of commit-ment the SA Army is striving to

LLt Gen Gilbert Ramano, the Chief of the SA Army, with the new emblem.

istory offers plenty of exam-ples of how ill health canlead to a nation's downfall.HIV/AIDS is a diseasethreatening not only thepeace and security of ournation, but that of the

continent as a whole. In the militaryenvironment HIV/AIDS can causeloss of continuity at command leveland within the ranks, increased costswith regard to recruitment and train-ing for replacements, a reduction inmilitary preparedness, increased costswith regard to health care, loss ofproductivity and a reduction of inter-nal stability. To summarise, it caneffectively cripple any military. Seen

Hagainst this background, the DOD'sHIV Beyond Awareness Campaign,Masibambisane, was launched inPretoria on 1 August 2001. The cam-paign was motivated by the recogni-tion that the military community isunique and that uniformed membersof the SANDF find themselves within

he opening of the firstExecutive National SecurityProgramme (ENSP) tookplace in January 2000.The course content variesfrom the earlier Joint StaffCourse (JSC) and is now the

premier programme in the SANDFwith a focus on national and regionalsecurity.

Another truly momentousoccasion was the official opening inJuly 2001 of the very first Joint SeniorCommand and Staff Programme to bepresented at the SA Army College,Thaba Tshwane.

By launching this programme,the SANDF ensured that it wasaligning itself with internationallyacceptable norms with regard to jointtraining at the operational level. (Formore information please read the articleas published in SA SOLDIER, September2001, p 29).

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a high-risk environment with a spe-cific vulnerability and susceptibilityprofile.

Within the military community,Masibambisane aims to informmembers and employees of the DODof the management of HIV/AIDS,including current policy and strategy.

Externally, Masibambisane aimsto inform the public on the manage-ment of HIV/AIDS in the military,and to gain mutual understandingand support of its HIV/AIDSprogramme. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSA SOLDIER, September 2001, p 12).

inculcate among its soldiers.Speaking on this historical occa-

sion, Lt Gen Ramano, quoting thenew vision of the SA Army created in1998, said: "The SA Army, our peopleone in spirit, has the commandingpresence and power of a pride oflions". The symbol of lions is thereforea manifestation of transformation inthe SA Army. (For more informationplease read the article as published in SA SOLDIER, August 2001, p 22).


2001


36

Transforming public service delivery

Youth Foundation Training Programmelaunched

African Women's Peace Table

hat is Batho Pele? It is thename given to theGovernment's initiativeto improve the deliveryof public services. BathoPele means, in Sesotho:"People First". The

name was chosen to emphasise that itis first and foremost the duty of thePublic Service to serve all the citizensof South Africa. Implementing thebasic values and principles governingpublic administration as set out in the

n 20 July 2001 Mr MosiuoaLekota, the Minister ofDefence, launched theDOD Youth FoundationTraining Programme atDenel Training Academy inKempton Park. Speaking

at the launch, Minister Lekota saidthat the Programme underscored theGovernment's commitment to uplift-ing the lives of the youth by creatingand providing work opportunities,and thus actively contributing tosocial delivery and advancing thegoals of the African Renaissance. Theproject is co-managed by the JointTraining Formation on behalf of theDOD and Denel Personnel Solutions.(For more information please read thearticle as published in SA SOLDIER,September 2001, p 18-19).

n 3 and 4 August 2000 agroundbreaking confer-ence was held in Pretoria,entitled "Women MakingPeace in Africa: PeaceThrough a Gender Lens".The conference was the

initiative of the Deputy Minister ofDefence, Ms Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge. The conference broughttogether for the first time women andmen from the DOD, together withwomen and men from civil society,

WConstitution, 1996, requires, amongother things, that the Public Service betransformed. The White Paper on theTransformation of the Public Servicesets out a number of transformationpriorities. Transforming service deliv-ery is the key because the transforma-tion of the Public Service will bejudged, above all, on whether it canmeet the basic needs of all SouthAfrican citizens. (For more informationplease read the article as published in SASOLDIER, September 2001, p 24-25).

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Minister Mosiuoa Lekota with a group of committed students at the launchof the DOD Youth Foundation Training Programme.

to chart the way to peace on the continent of Africa.

An outcome of the conference wasthat the participants resolved to worktogether to discuss common issues, tostrive for the eradication of all formsof violence and conflict in SouthAfrica and on the African continent,and to join hands together with oth-ers in our country and elsewhere inAfrica, with a view to movingtowards the creation of a culture ofsustainable peace.

To this end, an African Women'sPeace Table was set up to continuediscussion and to plan joint action forwomen and peace. The rationalebehind the concept of a "peace table"is that women traditionally have thefunction of placing food on the table,and this symbolises their role inmaintaining households, families andcommunities throughout Africa. (Formore information please read the articleas published in SA SOLDIER,November 2001, p 19).


2002


37

Integration of gays and lesbians

Military institution of learning opens

Empowering the neglected

ccording to the EqualityClause of the Constitution,[section 9 (3)]: "The statemay not unfairly discrimi-nate directly on indirectlyagainst anyone on one ormore grounds, including

race, gender, sex, pregnancy, maritalstatus, ethnic or social origin, colour,sexual orientation, age, disability,religion, conscience, belief, culture,language and birth."

In order to give substance to the

efore a distinguished audi-ence of both national andinternational officers, GenSiphiwe Nyanda, Chief ofthe SANDF, formallyopened the SA NationalWar College at Thaba

Tshwane on 28 January 2002.The premier course of the newly

formed War College, the SANDF'sflagship military institution of learn-ing, is the Joint Senior Command andStaff Programme (JSCSP).

This programme is central to theintellectual development of futuresenior military leaders in SouthAfrica, and hence the success offuture transformation programmes.It is also an important catalyst forpromoting a joint and combinedapproach to conducting future opera-tions at the operational level of war.

Based on first-principle designand using the latest Education,Training and Development (ETD)methods, the programme develops

roject LOYAL, consistingof Warrant Officers fromthe SA Army, the SA AirForce, the SA Navy andSAMHS, together with theirrespective counterpartsfrom the United States

Marine Corps Mobile Training Team,are engaged in strategic work todevelop a completely new curriculum

AEquality Clause, the EqualOpportunities Chief Directorate(EOCD) is mandated to institution-alise equal opportunities for allmembers and employees in the DOD.

Gays and lesbians were definitelydiscriminated against in the past andthe Constitution and other legal pre-scripts on human rights issued since1994 have prompted the EOCD toanalyse the working environment todetermine attitudes and perceptionsregarding gays and lesbians in the

DOD. The data obtained from thisstudy guided the EOCD in respect ofawareness interventions and also inthe drafting of the Code of GoodEmployment Practice regardingSexual Orientation in the Workplace.(For more information please read thearticle as published in SA SOLDIER,January 2002, p 24-25).

B

the competencies required of both theoperational level commander andstaff officer to an international stan-dard so that SANDF officers can con-fidently take their place in futurecombined or joint operations.

The JSCSP is a truly internationalprogramme. Officers from Ghana,

Kenya, Nigeria and the UnitedKingdom have already joined theCollege Directing Staff and thelearner body has welcomed officersfrom Botswana, India, Pakistan andZimbabwe. (For more information pleaseread the article as published inSA SOLDIER, March 2002, p 28).

Students attending the Joint Senior Command and Staff Programme.

Pfor the Non-Commissioned Officers(NCOs) and Warrant Officers (WOs)capstone learning opportunity at theoperation level. The curriculum seeksto address the educational, trainingand development predicament inwhich the WOs and NCOs of theSANDF find themselves. ProjectLOYAL was subsequently establishedwith the aim of empowering WOs

and NCOs through appropriatelydeveloping ETD opportunities incompliance with DOD client require-ments and international benchmarks.

For the first time in the history ofthe SANDF the course(s) developedby Project LOYAL will be accreditedto the South African QualificationsAuthority (SAQA). (For more informa-tion please read the article as publishedin SA SOLDIER, May 2002, p 22).


2002

The birth of the African Union


38

Towards making peace in Africahirteen SADC countries,including South Africa, andtwo non-SADC countries,Kenya and Madagascar, par-ticipated in a peacekeepingexercise, namely ExerciseTANZANITE, which was

held in the Tanga region of Tanzaniain February 2002.

The exercise was jointly organisedby France and Tanzania, which wasthe host nation.

The exercise was the continuationof the French government's contribu-tion towards reinforcing Africanpeacekeeping capabilities, whichstarted with Exercise RECAMP 1 inpartnership with Senegal. The exer-cise was named "GUIDIMAKHA"and it took place from 1996 to 1998.

Four contributing countries fromthe Economic Community of WesternAfrican States (ECOWAS) and fourdonor countries took part in ExerciseRECAMP 1. Exercise RECAMP 2 tookplace in Gabon from 1998 to 2000.

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It involved the eight contributingcountries from the EconomicCommunity of Central Africa States(ECCAS) and eight donor countries.Exercise TANZANITE, also known asExercise RECAMP 3, shows the com-mitment of the French governmenttowards a lasting peace in Africa andin equipping African countries so thatthey are able to conduct peacekeeping

operations. The exercise was designedto give African countries the ability toplay a significant part under the aegisof the United Nations and the AfricanUnion in peacekeeping operationsin Africa, and also to participate inglobal peacekeeping operations. (Formore information please read the articleas published in SA SOLDIER, May2002, p 8).

South African members during a parade in Tanga.

he SANDF inter alia providedsupport to the SA PoliceService in safeguarding thelaunch of the African Union(AU), which took place in theABSA Stadium in Durban on9 July 2002. Its involvement

in this historic launch made theSANDF a significant player in thishistorical event.

Apart from mounting a colourfulmilitary parade and its involvementin a spectrum of other activities inhonour of the AU, the SANDF sup-plied some 75 military liaison officersand other military-related services insupport of the launch of the AU,formerly the Organisation ofAfrican Unity (OAU).

The birth of the AU on SouthAfrican soil was a proud occasion, notonly for DOD members, but for everySouth African. (For more informationplease read the article as published inSA SOLDIER, August 2002, p 12).

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2002


39

Ensuring the smooth runningof the WSSD

International Congress on Military Medicine

rom 26 August to 4 Septem-ber 2002 South Africa playedhost to more than 40 000delegates from around theworld, all of them partici-pants in the World Summiton Sustainable Development.

More than 105 Heads of State tookpart in the discussions, which in yearsto come could improve the lives ofmillions of people around the globe.The SANDF played an integral partin the whole process. All in all theSANDF deployed 1 500 people invarious roles to ensure the smoothrunning of the World Summit. Fromall over South Africa liaison officerswere appointed to the variousdelegations to ensure that the chiefdelegates were well looked after. Thismeant that they had to be availableday and night for the duration of theSummit. The SA Air Force andmedical personnel played just as vital

n 16 September 2002 theMinister of Defence, MrMosiuoa Lekota, officiallyopened the XXXIVthInternational Congress onMilitary Medicine (ICMM).The 2002 ICMM attracted a

total of 344 foreign delegates and 82accompanying persons, representing71 countries, as well as the World

Fa role. Two Oryx helicopters assistedwith the trooping of SANDF andSAPS members to set up roadblocksin the Gauteng area, and were also onstandby to assist with any emergency

tasks. (For more information please readthe article as published in SA SOLDIER,October 2002, p 12).

Brig Gen Petra Mari, Director Military Health Human Resources, and Gen Siphiwe Nyanda, Chief of the SANDF, visiting the Ubuntu Village,Johannesburg World Summit 2002.

OHealth Organisation and UN AIDS.

In addition to serving as a liaisonforum, the organisation presents abiennial scientific congress, an annualcourse on Humanitarian Law, anannual scientific course for youngmilitary medical practitioners and, atvarying intervals, a scientific coursefor veterinary and paraveterinarypersonnel.

Altogether 303 scientific abstractswere delivered during the congress,covering topical issues such asHIV/AIDS, humanitarian operations,peacekeeping and disaster relief,deployment and patient evacuationand chemical and biological defence.(For more information please read thearticle as published in SA SOLDIER,November 2002, p 14-15).

New rank insignia for our Defence Forcet was indeed a historic momentwhen Gen Siphiwe Nyanda, theChief of the SANDF, issued thefirst new rank insignia to theService/Division Chiefs andWarrant Officers. This took placeat a high-profile parade at

Defence Headquarters in Pretoria on2 September 2002.

Before 1998 there were twenty-seven different rank colours andshapes for Warrant Officers (WOs) in

Ithe SANDF, and WOs used the oldCoat of Arms as a corporate identityon their rank insignia. In 1998 WO1J.J. Jacobs, Warrant Officer of theSANDF (WO SANDF), initiated anSA Navy rank system for WarrantOfficers. A level 1, 2, 3, 4a, 4, WO1and WO2 system was approved forall WOs by the Military Council.

On 27 April 2000 the President ofSouth Africa officially introducedSouth Africa's new Coat of Arms at

an SANDF parade in Bloemfontein. The acceptance of the new Coat

of Arms clearly implied that the cor-porate identity then used by all ranksin the SANDF. The rank insigniacommittee had to take costs into con-sideration, to maintain the One ForceConcept, and to use the new Coat ofArms as the corporate identity for allSANDF ranks. (For more informationplease read the article as published in SASOLDIER, August 2002, p 21-28).


2003


40

Levelling the playing fields A majorbreak withthe past

Celebrating 40 years of solidarity

he Equality Clause Section 9of the Bill of Rights intheConstitution mandatesthe implementation ofAffirmative Action in theDOD. The fast trackingpolicy was promulgated in

October 2002, and by implication theServices have to implement it.

Fast tracking is an interventionaimed at levelling the playing fieldsfor the achievement of representivitywithin the designated groups whowere disadvantaged by unfairdiscrimination in the past.

Fast tracking is also a careerdevelopment programme designed tocreate opportunities and to offer per-sonnel with exceptional abilities thepossibility of rapid advancement invaried, responsible and fulfillingcareers. It is also meant to acceleratethe development of people with

he old SANDF flag waslowered at the SA Air ForceGymnasium in Pretoria andthe respective Chiefs of theServices handed back theold flags of the Services tothe Chief of the SANDF,

Gen Siphiwe Nyanda, at a retreatceremony held on 25 April 2003.Another milestone in the transforma-tion process took place on 29 April2003 at the SA Air Force Gymnasiumwhen the new flags of the SANDF,depicting the new SANDF logo, werelaunched. A complete new medalseries was also introduced. (For moreinformation please read the article aspublished in SA SOLDIER, June 2003,p 14-15).

Tpotential. The implication is of coursethat some members' careers will bedeveloped ahead of others as aremedial process.

The aim of the Fast TrackingPolicy is to guide the Services andDivisions in the implementation offast tracking in the DOD. The policyis also aimed at empowering mem-bers and employees from designatedgroups - in terms of the White Paperon Defence, the White Paper on theTransformation of the Public Serviceand the White Paper on AffirmativeAction. The achievement of represen-tivity in the public service is aconstitutional imperative. The EqualOpportunities Chief Directorate(EOCD) has been mandated to over-see the effective implementation ofthis policy. (For more information pleaseread the article as published inSA SOLDIER, May 2003, p 20-21).

T

President Thabo Mbeki and Nigerian President O. Obasanjo inspect theNational Ceremonial Guard.

nited we stand, divided wefall! Viva Africa! The 40th

Anniversary of theOrganisation of AfricanUnion (OAU), now knownas the African Union (AU),at the Johannesburg

Stadium on 25 May 2003 (Africa Day)was a celebration of rebirth andrenewal of the African continent. TheAU represents an equal partnershipof the 53 African States orGovernments that make up theorganisation.

At President Mbeki's request amoment's silence was observed inremembrance of the two thousandpeople killed in the recent earthquakein Algeria.

The Commander-in-Chief of theSANDF then made mention of thefact that the SANDF will deploy toAlgeria in an endeavour to assist.

Members of the SANDF broughtlife to the stadium. Carrying all 53flags of the AU member countries theNational Ceremonial Guard paradedin detailed precision around the open

Ufield to the rhythm of the bands of theSA Army, the SA Air Force, the SANavy and the SAHMS.

(For more information please read thearticle as published in SA SOLDIER,July 2003, p 14-15).


2003


41

Contribute to the AfricanRenaissance

A birthday gift for Madiba on SAMHS Day

Enhance peace support

he word Renaissance' bringsto mind the burgeoning ofnew ideas and values, theflowering of art and culture,the progress of science andthe growth of technology, aswell as productivity and

prosperity. The SANDF reinforcesthis Renaissance by guaranteeingpeace and security and has always

he SANDF and the UnitedStates European Command(USEC) conducted bilateraltraining, called ExerciseFLINTLOCK, in Bloemfon-tein from 7 to 25 July 2003.

The exercise included abroad spectrum of military activities,such as combat life-saving proce-dures, live firing of weapons, day andnight-time low-level flying and

T

Tacted as a driver in developing tech-nology. The armed forces reinforcethe African Renaissance throughensuring stability. Economic develop-ment cannot be sustained in a countryplagued by large-scale violence andgeneral instability.

The reason for an AfricanRenaissance is, according to PresidentThabo Mbeki, a call to African people

Fltr: Mr Nelson Mandela, Gen Siphiwe Nyanda, and Lt Gen Rinus Jansen vanRensburg on the morning of Madiba's 85th birthday.

8 July was SAMHS Day. Manyformations, units and sectionshave gone to a lot of trouble tocelebrate this day with eachother and to promote andshare it within the community.

SAMHS Day also fell onthe 85th birthday of former PresidentNelson Mandela (and formerCommander-in-Chief of the SANDF).

To honour and pay tribute to thisgreat man and leader, the SurgeonGeneral, Lt Gen Rinus Jansen vanRensburg, expressed the wish that theSAMHS would present him with aspecial gift.

On the morning of SAMHS Day,the Surgeon General, accompanied bythe Chief of the SANDF, Gen SiphiweNyanda, presented Mr Mandela witha "March for Madiba", which hadbeen composed by Maj Ephraim Katz,Senior Director of the SAMHS Band.

Maj Katz and the SAMHS Band

1

to fight against poverty, ignoranceand crime so that South Africans cancontribute to the development of thecountry. In essence the AfricanRenaissance should start within our-selves. (For more information please readthe article as published in SA SOLDIER,August 2003, p 36-37).

airdrops of personnel and equipment.The principle purpose of Exercise

FLINTLOCK was for the SouthAfrican and the United States militaryunits to engage in an open exchangeof ideas and to enhance military rela-tionships between our two countries.

The exercise was conducted in thespirit of learning from each other,which was achieved by observing,combined exercise planning and

execution of plans. The SouthAfrican training objectives for theexercise were to enhance peace sup-port and humanitarian relief capabili-ties, and the United States objectiveswere to enhance military relation-ships with the SANDF and to train ina new and diverse environment. (Formore information please read the articleas published in SA SOLDIER, September2003, p 18-19).

had the privilege to perform this spe-cial march in honour of Mr Mandelaat his home that morning.

(For more information please read thearticle as published in SA SOLDIER,September 2003, p 11).


2003


42

Perfected in England

To build the militaryveterinary world

Every aircraft meant relief aid

ilitary excellence was dis-played when the team ofthe SA Army won theInternational Pace Stickcompetition which washeld on 27 June 2003 at

the Royal Military Academy inSandhurst, England. Teams fromcountries all over the world werecompeting against each other. Theparticipating team, which was com-posed of NCOs and WOs from the SAArmy Gymnasium, was also the win-ning team of the 2002 WO/NCOcompetition presented by the SAArmy. (For more information please read

the article as published in SA SOLDIER,

October 2003, p 22).

he SAMHS played host to 22visiting veterinary officersand paraveterinary person-nel from twelve countriesduring the SecondInternational Course forVeterinary Officers and

Paraveterinary Personnel from 23 Julyto 1 August 2003. This course fol-lowed on the very successful firstcourse that was presented by South

he realisation of the AfricanRenaissance received anoth-er boost when nine SADCmember states embarked ona joint relief operation inZambia. Operation BLUEANGEL, which was based at

Mfuwe International Airport, was inoperation over from 14 to 24 August2003.

This operation, which was aimedat distributing humanitarian relief aidin the form of bags of maize to pover-

M

T

Tty-stricken villages in and aroundZambia, was not only a joint opera-tion with the stamp of approval fromthe SADC states, but was also used asan exercise to test Africa's readiness toprovide much needed relief aidshould the need arise, as it has before.

After a period of nine days 3 300bags of maize were flown to the dif-ferent points of distribution. (For moreinformation please read the article aspublished in SA SOLDIER, November2003, p 16).

Africa in 1998, and was held underthe auspices of the InternationalCommittee for Military Medicine(ICMM). The military veterinaryworld is a relatively small and close-knit community, and the course pre-sented an ideal opportunity to buildnew ties and to renew old acquain-tances. (For more information please readthe article as published in SA SOLDIER,November 2003, p 35-36).

WO1 Thokozani Ntuli, the team leader, receiving a memento during the prize-giving ceremony.

he top brass of the SA Army,headed by Lt Gen GilbertRamano, the Chief of theSA Army, witnessed thepride of lions in action at theSA Army Combat TrainingCentre in Lohatlha on 8

and 9 October 2003.It was only this year that the SA

Army Council succeeded in changingthe name of Exercise IRON EAGLE toExercise SEBOKA, meaning "comingtogether", thus putting more empha-sis on the jointness of services.

Without doubt, Exercise SEBOKAdemonstrated the high standard ofcombat readiness of the SA Army andits preparedness and readiness tomeet its constitutional obligations.

This was an exercise that demon-strated the firepower of the attackingforce against an invading opposingforce. It was an exercise depicting areal situation in defence of our moth-erland. (For more information pleaseread the article as published in SA SOLDIER, December 2003, p 28-29).

Demonstrating our combat readiness

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2003


43

Maintain international peace

Revamping our audit reportshe DOD InspectorateDirectorate hosted theAssociation for DefenceAuditors Conference inCape Town from 28September to 3 October 2003.The SA DOD signed the

Charter of the Association for DefenceAuditors and is also a founder mem-ber with the United Kingdom, theUnited States of America, Canada,New Zealand, Australia and Norway.Members from Zambia, Zimbabweand the Ivory Coast were invited as

he 24th General Assembly ofthe World VeteransFederation (WVF) was heldat the Sandton ConventionCentre from 30 November to5 December 2003.

The WVF is an interna-tional non-governmental organisation

Tobservers. After welcoming the dele-gates, SA DOD Inspector General(IG), Maj Gen Vejaynand Ramlakan,said that the deliberations went a longway towards establishing the DefenceInternal Audit on the world stage,and to encourage and supportchanges to the Association's modusoperandi to allow for more countries toparticipate and benefit from thisventure.

In closing the conference, theSecretary for Defence, Mr JanuaryMasilela, said the attainment of the

South African Bureau of Standards(SABS) International StandardsOrganisation (ISO) 9001:2001Certification was an important mile-stone for the division and his office aspeople took them seriously and morereliance was placed on their reports.(For more information please read thearticle as published in SA SOLDIER,December 2003, p 18-19).

Ms Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, the Deputy Minister of Defence, speaks toEvodia Kolwane during a computer class.

T

ue to the rapid succes-sion in the arrival of theacquisitions, the SANavy is now faced witha challenge and is hardat work preparing facili-ties and training per-

sonnel to effectively integrate thesecorvettes and submarines into thefuture Navy. Related to this is therequirement to rejuvenate the SANavy by means of the Military SkillsDevelopment system," said R AdmJohannes Mudimu, Chief of NavalStaff, during a media visit to the navaltraining base, SAS SALDANHA, inApril 2003. Capt Robert Shelley,Officer Commanding of SASSALDANHA, added, "The approachof SAS SALDANHA to training is tocreate an environment that is con-ducive to learning. Instructors are lessintimidating and more approachableand encourage learners to participatein classes. The spirit in which the unitconducts MSD training enables agroup of young and fit men and

women who have been selected toeither follow a career in the SA Navyor who have skills (additional tothose offered via secondary educa-tion) to be more competitive in theprivate sector."

Training at SAS SALDANHA hasbeen restructured to encompass theMSD programme, which in essence

D“Develop military skills

(NGO), which brings together associa-tions of those who have experiencedthe sufferings of war, fighting side byside or facing each in combat, andwho want to contribute to the estab-lishment of a more peaceful, just andfree world based on the principles ofthe United Nations Charter and the

International Bill of Human Rights. War veterans, resistance fighters,

former deportees and prisoners ofwar from six countries founded theorganisation in Paris on 29 November1950. The President of South Africa,Mr Thabo Mbeki, formally openedthe General Assembly.

will allow learners, if they are notrequired in the SANDF at the end oftheir two-year contract, to have ninerecognised civilian accreditationsand six military certificates uponentering the private sector. (For moreinformation please read the article aspublished in SA SOLDIER, September2003, p 36-38).


2004


44

SAS AMATOLA comes home

Exercise AFRICAN SHIELD

o the SAS AMATOLA, thebiggest warship in our land -Welcome home! The arrivalof the SAS AMATOLA in thewaters off the Cape of GoodHope on 4 November 2003marks the birth of a new SA

Navy whose latest acquisition reflectsjust that. The SAS AMATOLA is areward for a Navy with vision andforesight.

Born in Germany and officiallychristened the SAS AMATOLA by theFirst Lady, Mrs Zanele Mbeki, in theBlohm & Voss shipyards in Hamburgon 7 June 2002, this ship becomes thefirst of four corvettes to be acquiredby the SANDF. The other three are tofollow in due course.

With the advent of democracy inSouth Africa in 1994, the emphasiswas placed on Reconstruction andDevelopment Programmes (RDP) andthe need to address the country'ssocio-economic priorities. This led topolitical debates on the need for theSA Navy to have new ships. Withdemocracy the armaments industriesof the world opened their doors toSouth Africa. An opportunity wastaken to acquire new ships and sub-marines. Our Daphne Class sub-

eginning on 6 Novemberlast year 461 British and 318South African soldiers,sailors and airmen took partin Exercise AFRICANSHIELD at the SA Air ForceMobile Deployment Wing

in Snake Valley, Pretoria. The exercisewas completed on 30 November 2003.

Exercise AFRICAN SHIELD was acombined joint peace support exer-cise between the United KingdomArmed Forces and the SANDF andwas held at a command post level(without soldiers). The exerciseinvolved the planning and conduct ofa peace support operation at theoperational level. (For more informa-tion please read the article as published inSA SOLDIER, January 2004, p 32-33).

T

The long awaited SAS AMATOLA.

B

Making sense of the situation depicted on the computer screen.

marines were purchased from Franceand the President Class frigates fromthe United Kingdom.

Having determined the size andshape of the new SANDF, the acquisi-tion process for new ships and sub-marines commenced and culminatedin the signing of contracts for fourpatrol corvettes and three submarineson 3 December 1999 between theGovernment of South Africa and a

consortium consisting of Blohm &Voss GmbH, Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AAG, ThyssenRheinstahl Technik GmbH, ThalesNaval France and African DefenceSystems. Project SITRON covered theacquisition of corvettes and ProjectWILLS the acquisition of submarines.(For more information please read thearticle as published in SA SOLDIER,January 2004, p 14-19).


2004


45

Improving and prolonging lives

The first Hawk aircraft has arrived

A001 is the first Hawk Mk120 Lead-in Fighter Traineraircraft specifically manu-factured for the SA AirForce. It made its firsttwenty minute flight atWarton in England on

2 October 2003. Extensive flight,ground and other tests required interms of the contract and operationalspecification will be conducted at theTest Flight and Development Centreand other centres in South Africa overthe next eighteen months. The deliv-ery of the first production Hawk air-craft to the SA Air Force is scheduledfor mid 2005. Hawk SA001 was offi-cially welcomed in South Africa on 4February 2004. (For more informationplease read the article as published in SASOLDIER, January 2004, p 21).

S

he SANDF commemoratedWorld Aids Day on 1 December 2003 with thelaunch of the clinicalresearch project calledProject Phidisa that willbenefit HIV positive SANDF

members and their dependants.Project Phidisa is a collaborative

effort between the DOD, the MedicalUniversity of South Africa (Medunsa)and the US National Institute ofHealth to undertake research ontreatment options for HIV positiveSANDF members.

One of the aims of Project Phidisais to provide treatment for HIV posi-tive SANDF members and theirdependants. It also answers researchquestions relevant to South Africa onthe use of anti-retroviral (ARV)therapy to build capacity within theSAMHS in order to conduct state-of-the-art clinical research on HIV and

other diseases of critical importanceto Defence Force preparedness.

Project Phidisa is complementaryto the Masibambisane Programme.Masibambisane is the HIV/AIDS pre-vention and awareness programme,while Project Phidisa focuses on themanagement and treatment of HIVinfection among SANDF members.

20 January 2004 marked a newphase when one of the six sites select-ed to conduct the research was offi-cially opened. The official opening ofthe Phidisa Clinic at 1 MilitaryHospital in Pretoria brought light andhope to the lives of some SANDFmembers.

"This clinic can achieve its setobjectives only if those members andtheir families voluntarily enrol andparticipate fully in Project Phidisa,"said the Deputy Minister of Defence,Ms Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge. Sheencouraged members of the SANDF

Tto go for testing and to know theirstatus so as to get support.

"Improving and prolonging lives"is what is happening at the PhidisaClinic at 1 Military Hospital. Socialworkers, physicians and councillorsare ready to make a huge differencein people's lives. (For more informationplease read the article as published in SASOLDIER, January 2004, p 20).


The inaugural flight of the Hawk was attended by the Chief of the SA AirForce, Lt Gen Roelf Beukes, and the Secretary for Defence, Mr JanuaryMasilela, flanked by the co-pilots, Mr Dave Stock and Maj Januie Scott from88 Squadron.


46

A unique overview of military history

The future of the commandos

he Oxford Companion toMilitary History" is edit-ed by Richard Holmes,CBE, TD, a Professor ofMilitary and SecurityStudies at CranfieldUniversity and the Royal

Military College of Science in the UK.He is known to millions as the presen-ter of the immensely popular BBCtelevision series "War Talks", "TheWestern Front", and "Battlefields".

The Oxford Companion toMilitary History ranges across cen-turies and continents to provide com-prehensive and authoritative coverageof war and warfare. The Companion's1 300 entries cover military leaders,theorists, inventors, weapons, equip-ment, wars, campaigns, battles, strate-gy and tactics, logistics, fortifications,military life, institutions, literature, artand music.

The Companion also provides in-depth coverage of the social, political,technological and economic back-ground to major conflicts. It is essen-tial reading for anyone who wants to

understand how the world has beenshaped and continues to be shaped byconflict. The book is arranged in anaccessible A-Z sequence - from theBattle of Actium to the Zulu war. Alist of over 150 specialist contributorsfrom Britain, Europe and NorthAmerica contributed to the

Companion. It also features entries onkey topics, such as intelligence, pro-paganda, tactics, women in the mili-tary and peacekeeping. Illustrationsinclude over seventy detailed mapsshowing the course of famous battlesand campaigns. In his foreword theauthor writes, "It is almost obligatoryfor authors to declare that their worksfill gaps in the existing literature, butin this case I do so with unusual con-fidence. There are dictionaries of bat-tles, of military leaders and even ofmilitary history. This is none ofthose things, although, in its way, itsubsumes them all."

"The Oxford Companion toMilitary History" is said to 'bring anextraordinary range of expertisetogether in an accessible form'according to Tim Garden of the TimesHigher Educational Supplement.

According to The Times - "A mostagreeable companion: faithful,authoritative and never dull".

"Will provide hours of happybrowsing", Max Hastings, EveningStandard.

T“

he question about the futureof Army Territorial Reserves(ATR) has been asked anumber of times. ThereforeDirector Army Reserve Forceprepared the followinganswer to similar future

questions - Editor.The following info about the

future of the commandos waspublished in the BUA newsletter on15 May 2003 and has highlighted thefollowing important aspects:President Thabo Mbeki announced aphased enhancement of the ruralsecurity system in his State of theNation Address in February 2003.

The primary role of the SANDF isthe protection of the country's territo-rial integrity and it is assuming moreregional functions. The commandosystem is currently concentrated onensuring the safety and security of allcommunities, including ruralcommunities that are actually the

responsibility of the SAPS.A new system of rural security,

with a broader composition and mod-ern ethos, will increase capacity tosecure all communities. The comman-do system will be replaced over timeby the SAPS sector policing system,including reservists.

The SANDF and the SAPS areworking together in terms of a ruralsafety plan to ensure that the latterhas sufficient capacity to take overfunctions without leaving any gap asa result of the transition process.

Briefings will be provided by thejoint SAPS and SANDF team asprogress is made to ensure that thepublic is kept informed of what isbeing done.

What are the service benefits fora volunteer Reserve Force member?The current Reserve Force policyaddresses the following aspects whichare of cardinal importance and mustbe taken note of:

The Reserve Force ServiceSystem. Reserve Force MilitaryService is designed to be attractive tovolunteers, with a realistic, flexibleperiod of service which must bemutually agreed upon by the volun-teer and the Reserve Force unit con-cerned. To give fair remuneration toReserve Force volunteers, whichreflects their equal status withRegular Force members, newimproved service benefits havebeen implemented.

Medical Benefits. Reserve Forcevolunteers are entitled to medicalbenefits during periods of official ser-vice (including emergency), exclud-ing normal dental and optometrytreatment. This medical treatmentincludes treatment of any disabilityor injury sustained or illness contract-ed during service or as a result of ser-vice. (For more information please readthe article as published in SA SOLDIER,November 2003, p 8).

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"The Oxford Companion to MilitaryHistory."


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