SANDF seeking seamstresses, chefs, pilots, medics and engineers for Covid-19 deployment

The defence force has put out a call for members of its reserve force with specialist skills - who have not yet been called up - to raise their hands for duty.

The call comes on the back of the "biggest deployment since 1994" of the military - more than 73,000 members - to help government deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

The deployment was expected to cost the country approximately R4.59bn.

The deployments include members of the army, air force, navy and military health service.

“To date a large number of the reserves in each of the four services has been called up and deployed on borderline protection and together with the regular force in support of the SAPS and the department of health during Op Notlela to combat Covid-19,” the SANDF said on Thursday.

“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 reserves offices in their provinces to volunteer their service.”

The type of skills being sought include: 

• Health-care practitioners, especially nurses and doctors
• Qualified chefs
• Qualified mechanics
• Qualified engineers, technical and mechanical
• Pilots or people with aviation experience
• Qualified seamstresses.

TimesLIVE spoke to experts who expressed concerns at the ability of the SANDF to carry out the huge operation

“It is a huge operation, the biggest deployment since 1994. I am quite concerned about the ability of the SANDF to carry out or undertake this operation, because they may not have been prepared or trained for such a mission,” said Jakkie Cilliers, commentator and founder of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS).

He said the SANDF had been in a state of decay, citing issues of fitness, equipment and age. “ It's in a bad shape,” Cilliers said.

In a letter shared by MPs on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said the pandemic had been on the rise hence the decision to call upon the additional 73,180 members.

This number would accommodate the regular force, reserve force and auxiliary force. 

Independent defence analyst Helmoed Römer Heitman said he suspected that the troops would not be deployed in one go, but rather as needed.

Cilliers also expressed concern at how the deployment would affect peacekeeping missions.  

He added that Ramaphosa’s move was a clear indication that “the government is really worried”.

Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation later on Thursday.

It was not immediately clear whether a lockdown extension was on the cards but Cilliers warned that an extension could result in violence and lawlessness.

“If the lockdown gets extended, the situation may get worse," he added.