Following the decision by President Cyril Ramaphosa to increase the numbers of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members to strengthen the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, a contingency plan has been put in place to mitigate the spread of the virus.

This is part of the total government scenario planning, taking into consideration the worldwide trends and the country’s own scientific analysis and experience.

Various skills within the SANDF will be deployed in support of other government departments to deal decisively with contingencies that might arise.

In the main, it will capacitate the engineering capabilities, healthcare capabilities and logistics capabilities.

Reserves in the South African Army, South African Air Force, South African Navy and the South African Military Health Service (“Four Services”) form an important component of the SANDF.

To date, a large number of the reserves in each of the Four Services have been called up and deployed on borderline protection and together with the Regular Force in support of the South African Police and the Department of Health during Operation Notlela (“lock-up” in Sotho) to combat Covid-19.

In addition, certain Reserve Force units and selected individuals have been put on 25 hours standby.

The remaining members who are currently serving in the Reserve Force but who have not yet been called up have been asked to contact their units in order to confirm their availability.

They will be called up as soon as they are required.

Those members of the reserves who have not yet been called up and who have specialist skills are requested to contact the Defence Reserves offices in their provinces (contact details are available on www.rfdiv.mil.za) to volunteer their service.

Such individuals include:

• Health care practitioners, especially nurses and doctors
• Qualified chefs
• Qualified mechanics
• Qualified engineers, technical and mechanical
• Pilot or aviation experience
• Qualified seamstresses

They should provide the following information:

• Force Number
• Rank
• First Name
• Surname
• Identity Number
• Corps
• Nearest town or city
• Nature of Scarce Skill/ Qualification

The SA National Defence would like to thank the members of the Reserve Force for their willingness to serve, and for the significant contribution they are making.