Some aspiring soldiers called; you didn’t make cut
NHLANGANO – Talk about shattered dreams!
This is the case of some aspiring soldiers who have been receiving calls informing them that they did not make it to the second and third stages of the recruitment e[ercise, while the army says it¶s premature to state how they will be replaced as the second and third stage is still ongoing.
It was gathered from reliable sources that there were a number of aspiring soldiers who had been receiving calls bearing bad news from the 8mbutfo (swatini 'efence Force (8('F).
It was said by the different bucopho that they had also been receiving calls from some of the aspiring soldiers who qualified at the tinkhundla cen tres. So serious is the situation that some are said to be having a hard time accepting the latest development, such that they might need counselling.
It was said that one of the aspiring soldiers locked himself in the house for hours and the bucopho had to be called to speak to the young man.
It was said that the aspiring soldier shared that he had seen a shift in the way he was treated by others and he had to accept because he needed the job and for the same people to find out he was not joining the 8('F anymore, would make him a subject for bullying.
³I am even thinking of moving him to another area,´ said his mother during an interview.
She shared that her son kept on asking what he did wrong that would disqualify him as he did not participate in the civil unrest which transpired in -une last year and did not have health issues.
Some other bucopho, when reached for comment, shared the same senti ments, that there was need for counsel ling as the aspiring soldiers¶ reaction to the news was wanting.
It is worth noting that during the army recruitment e[ercise in the dif ferent constituencies, the recruitment team leader would always mention that winning at tinkhundla level did not mean that one qualified to go through, as they were still going to be vetted and further undergo medical check ups.
Confirmed
When reached for comment, 8('F Public Affairs Officer 2nd /ieutenant Tengetile Khumalo, confirmed that her office was calling aspiring soldiers to inform them of their fate.
She said: ³The 8('F Public Af fairs Office can confirm that indeed the calls are made from the defence headquarters.´
She further e[plained that as it was mentioned in the beginning, that there would be two other stages that were also to determine whether one would finally underwent the army training or not.
Khumalo added that, for those being called, it meant that they did not make it either to the second or third stage of the recruitment e[ercise.
When asked if they had a total figure of those who did not qualify, Khumalo responded to the negative.
She further said the second and third stages were still ongoing and it was premature to state how replacements were going to be conducted, when pressed by this reporter on how they would maintain the figure of 354 as pirants from the different