[Videos] Armed Forces Day: President salutes SANDF, recalls 1917 WWI ship sinking
President Cyril Ramaphosa honoured SANDF troops at Armed Forces Day in Limpopo, reflecting on the 1917 SS Mendi tragedy and soldiers’ sacrifices.
“They don’t just wear the uniform to look pretty or beautiful, but as a badge of loyalty, a badge of solidarity.”
The Witness reports President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a solemn and stirring message as he officiated Armed Forces Day in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, today, reminding South Africans that those who choose military service do so prepared to pay the ultimate price.
Addressing troops and guests, Ramaphosa said Armed Forces Day honours the soldiers who have ‘elevated themselves above us’ and are prepared to die so others may live.
“There is no better sacrifice that anyone can make than to lay down one’s life for other people,” he said.
SS Mendi remembered
The day commemorates the sinking of the SS Mendi on February 21, 1917, one of South Africa’s greatest First World War tragedies.
A total of 616 black South African troops died when the vessel sank en route to France after being rammed between her bridge and her bow by another British vessel, the Darro.
Ramaphosa reflected on the courage and discipline displayed by the men aboard the Mendi, describing their unity in the face of death as a defining moment of heroism for the country.
Addressing those gathered along Thohoyandou’s Punda Maria Road, he said the soldiers should be regarded with respect.
“As they march past us and look at them, we must do so with respect,” he said, adding that the tragedy continues to inspire those currently in uniform.
Final rehearsal ahead of parade
Yesterday marked the final full rehearsal ahead of today’s parade, with all four arms of service, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Military Health Service, participating.
Mechanised columns showcased prime mission equipment currently used in operations, underscoring the force’s operational readiness.
SANDF morale high
Speaking to Newzroom Africa, SANDF Chief General Rudzani Maphwanya described Armed Forces Day as one of the most significant dates on the military calendar.
“This Armed Forces Day is a day where we commemorate and acknowledge the sacrifices our people made,” he said.
Maphwanya added that morale within the defence force was high, citing deployments in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo under the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Monusco), as well as operations in Mozambique and Burundi.
Watch the president’s address:
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