Reserve units take on the wild
Three reserve force units, Natal Mountain Rifle, 84 Signal Unit and 15 Maintenance Unit, spent three weeks in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.
A GAME reserve is the perfect venue for military training and this is why the Reserve Units from Durban make use of the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park for its exercises.
Three reserve force units, Natal Mountain Rifles under the command of Lt Col Mike Rowe, 84 Signal Unit under Lt Col Diederik Kruger and 15 Maintenance Unit, spent three weeks in the park. They received medical support from the Military Health Unit: KZN.
The base commander who kept order while the units were patrolling, was Major Hazel Lindsay-Scholtz from the 84 Signal Unit.
Lt Col Kruger said the soldiers were put into a challenging environment to learn skills needed for later deployment. Coming from urban areas, they were not accustomed to natural environments and this gave them the opportunity to encounter the unknown. He said the troops had to remain focused and, although they were accompanied by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife field rangers, they were still vulnerable to attack by wild animals. The terrain in which they operated was also challenging.
The 'sticks' or sections were based in smaller camps within which they were deployed and undertook patrols of up to 30km per day. In the evenings they took up listening posts.
Radio operator Cpl Happiness Mhlongo, who has been with the 84 Signal Unit since 2005, said she has enjoyed her involvement in the military.
She said the HiP experience was amazing and something she had not experienced before. She said, walking in the bush and sitting at night listening to nature, knowing that there were no fences to protect one, was frightening, and the experience has taught her much about herself and the environment. Her patrol encountered seven lions, hippos, Black and White Rhinos, crocodiles and even an African Python. Elephants were also a common sight and often ventured close to the campsite.
Lt Col Kruger thanked the staff at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife for allowing the army to make use of the HiP for the training.
He said the experiences gained by previous SANDF members hads been of great benefit to the units involved and he appreciated the input from the field rangers who were willing to teach the members field craft as well as animal behaviour.
