‘Put the country first’, says Ramaphosa as he celebrates Armed Forces Day in KZN

President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to the men and women in uniform in the South African National Defence Force, saying they should continue to put the country first.

“We commend the exemplary selflessness, self-sacrifice and patriotism of our armed forces who, even in the face of great danger, always put the interests of the country first,” Ramaphosa said in his capacity as commander-in-chief.

The president was delivering the keynote address at the annual Armed Forces Day event in Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal.

Ramaphosa told guests, who included King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, KZN premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube and deputy minister of defence and military veterans Thabang Makwetla, the day was used to pay tribute to all soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

“Among these we remember those who tragically lost their lives when the SS Mendi sank on this day 106 years ago in the English Channel during World War I.

“Two weeks ago we lost flight sergeant Vusi Mabena when his helicopter came under attack in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” he said, adding Mabena was not alone.

He also saluted those who carried out life-threatening tasks during times of disaster.

“From north Africa to Southern Africa, from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa and the great lakes region, South Africa depends on the military to support peace building on the continent as part of a mandate from the AU and the UN.”

Regarding the men and women who died while deployed on missions in the continent, Ramaphosa said: “We mourn all those who have lost their lives in the effort to silence the guns on our continent.”

Unlike the apartheid-era military, Ramaphosa said the democratic defence force was committed to forging peace and supporting development.

Today, he said, the army actively contributed to the social and economic development of the country.

“They are to be found on rescue missions in times of disaster, rebuilding and building bridges where a desperate need exists and rehabilitating rivers from the effects of pollution.”

He commended the armed forces for assisting in maintaining law and order in times of crisis in a disciplined manner, saying one of the primary functions of the military was to protect the territorial integrity of the country’s borders. This he said, “is a tough task”.

“By virtue of their calling and allegiance to our constitution, they act without hesitation whenever called upon to do so, when their country needs them most.

“We read of their successes every month, almost every week, as they confront illegal migration and international crime syndicates, working hand in hand with our nation’s law enforcement agencies as part of the long running Operation Corona.”

Locally Ramaphosa said the army is guarding vital infrastructure against “those who would endanger the security of the state to advance their own personal interests. We have deployed them in vital areas where we have infrastructure, for instance Eskom and in parts of water systems”.

He saluted soldiers for their work when the country went into lockdown in 2020.

“It was a vital part of our response to the pandemic through Operation Notlela. This included the work of the South African Military Health Service, which provided support to our public health response to Covid-19.

“It is therefore wonderful to witness the launch of Project Owethu to coincide with this year’s Armed Forces Day.”

Through this project, Ramaphosa said the army was working with government departments to provide access to healthcare and other social services in communities in KwaZulu-Natal that are remote and marginalised.

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