Minister a guest at SANDF goodwill hamper-for-troops project

DEFENCE and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is expected to attend a goodwill gift-hamper project breakfast in Pretoria tomorrow to express her gratitude and appreciation to those who have contributed to this initiative for SANDF troops deployed internally and externally during the coming festive season.

It’s a goodwill token to lift the soldiers’ spirits when they are away from their families and loved ones.

The event, hosted by the SANDF Spouses Forum, will take place at the Department of Defence’s logistic support formation offices in Lyttelton in the capital.

It is the brainchild of former Chief Master Warrant Officer Jakes Jacobs who started the initiative in 2001.

Jacobs urged all the senior non-commissioned officers (NCOs) to donate R1 towards the project, which raised R25 000 in its first year.

The funds were used to bring some festive season cheer to soldiers and their families.

The initiative evolved over the years with financial assistance from various corporate and private donors, and the distribution of parcels is now firmly part of the SANDF calendar.

During the project’s evolution, the SANDF spouses forum took a decision to extend the project by introducing the family gift hamper, which is delivered to the families of the soldiers deployed during the festive season, as a token of gratitude and appreciation.

In March, a delegation visited Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is home to South African troops serving in the UN peace mission in the DRC.

It has become a tradition for sponsors of the initiative to visit soldiers deployed on both external and internal duties to personally hand over the parcels and interact with them.

During last year’s launch, the head of the SANDF, General Solly Shoke, said: “South African businesses and other generous sponsors help the SANDF to reach out and say thank you to our soldiers who continue making a supreme sacrifice and to their families who play a pivotal support role, allowing our soldiers to safeguard our borders and promote peace and stability on the continent.”

Members of the public who want to contribute to the initiative can call the SANDF spouses forum chairperson Charlotte Shoke on 072 474 1167.

Parcels are to be handed out to the troops during December.