City to host SANDF open days

IN A first for Cape Town it is this week hosting a series of SANDF Armed Forces Days.

This event has been held in other provinces, with the Northern Cape hosting it last year.

SANDF spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton Ngubane explained that the city’s infrastructure made it a suitable location for the event.

“The Armed Forces Days is a rotational presentation hosted by different provinces. Following a successful presentation in six different provinces, Western Cape was deemed fit to host this year’s edition, with Limpopo and Mpumalanga earmarked as hosts of the next two editions,” Ngubane said.

The Armed Forces Days begin today and run until Thursday, with a variety of activities including a 5km and 10km fun run, static displays of military equipment and live arena military demonstrations.

At the V&A Waterfront, there will be a submarine open day, as well as South African Navy ships and sea cadet marches.

“The SA Army will contribute an array of assets ranging from long-range artillery, tanks and armoured cars, bridge building and water purification capabilities, advanced battle field surveillance and intelligence capabilities, ground based air-defence capabilities and battle-winning infantry skills,” Ngubane said.

On Thursday, there will be a military parade which includes marching and mechanised columns, followed by a military capability demonstration which will take place at Table View Beach.

“Amongst the platforms on display are helicopters: the Agusta A109, Oryx, Rooivalk and Super Lynx. The Saab Gripens and BAE Systems Hawk jet fighters as well as the transport fleet comprising the CASA 212 Aviocar, Beechcraft King Air and Pilatus PC 12 will also feature at this year’s event,” Ngubane added.

The SA Navy will also contribute two support vessels to the event and South African Military Health Services will provide medical services to all SANDF members involved, as well as showing off their capabilities.

There is no entrance fee and the public are invited to attend these events. The Armed Forces Days gives the public the opportunity to interact with the SANDF and the day is also a means of testing the SANDF’s capabilities and readiness.

The first Armed Forces Days hosted in Cape Town coincides with the sinking of the SS Mendi on February 21 1917. The ship was originally a passenger steamship but during World War I it became a troopship.

It sailed from Cape Town carrying 823 men from the South African Native Labour Corps in the 5th Battalion and was en route to France.

On February 21, 1917, the vessel sank in the English Channel when it collided with a large cargo steamship named Darro.

“More than 600 South African men perished in the icy waters of the English Channel. 607 of the 823 men on board the SS Mendi were from the South African Native Labour Corps, and 33 crew members were also lost,” Ngubane added.

ARMAND HOUGH African News Agency (ANA) SAS Manthatisi is a Heroine-class submarine in service with the South African Navy. The vessel is named after the female warrior chief of the Batlokwa tribe. Eight SA Navy Ships will be open to the public for tours today and tomorrow. These ships include the submarine, frigate, mine hunter and offshore patrol vessels to celebrate Armed Forces Day. |

ARMAND HOUGH African News Agency (ANA) THE SAS Drakensberg is a fleet replenishment ship of the South African Navy, with the primary role of assisting and supporting combat vessels at sea. Built by the Sandock Austral shipyard in Durban, it is the largest and most sophisticated warship to have been built in South Africa. |