Minister Mapisa-Nqakula, is championing a nationwide public education and recruitment drive specifically targeting youth from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, to learn more about the various career opportunities available within the environment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
The SANDF National Careers Exhibition takes place at a time when the department has recognised a critical need for the SANDF of the democratic era South Africa, to re-introduce itself to our communities and reset relations and make a clear departure from the historical tensions that existed during the struggle for liberation in our country.
Since the advent of democracy nearly 20 years ago, South Africa has re-joined the community of nations and has played a key role in advancing towards global peace, stability and development particularly on the African continent.
In recent years the SANDF has been tasked with playing an increasingly leading role in regional and continental efforts geared towards the maintenance and upholding of the rule of law, to assist rebuilding efforts in countries previously in conflict, by providing Training, Peace Keeping, Humanitarian Relief, Integration of Statutory and Non-Statutory Forces.
In order for the SANDF to retain its ability to deliver on its international obligations as well as its Constitutional mandate of safeguarding South Africa's territorial integrity and citizens, the SANDF requires specialised skills across many fields including medicine, engineering and sciences.
It is for this reason that government is engaging and encouraging young people across the country to further their education in these and other fields where skills are required to operationalise an organisation of a highly technical and technology driven nature, such as a professional defence force and the defence industry at large.
The SANDF has made considerable progress towards transformation and skills transfer since 1994, however Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula recently noted at a Gender Conference convened by the Department of Defence in Pretoria, that progress was not at the levels it should be with only 40 percent at the levels of the higher echelons of the defence force achieved thus far, while the entry levels were under target at 30 percent, women are among the most impacted by this.
The Dialgoue with the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans and NMMU Students is as follows:
Date: Friday, 23 August 2013
Time: 9h30 for start of programme at 10h00, this will be emailed to the media shortly.
Venue: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), University Way North Campus, Port Elizabeth
Alongside the Minister's address the SANDF will also hold a full careers exhibition of all four arms of its services comprising of the SA Navy, SA Army, SA Air Force, and SA Military Health Service, where service women assisted by their male counterparts, will be on hand to assist with information on the SANDF to visitors between 9h00 and 15h00.
After formal proceedings, Minister Mapisa-Nqakula will also be conducting an oversight visit and interact with SANDF members at a military base to be announced at the event.
Enquiries:
Sonwabo Mbananga
Ministry Spokesperson
Cell: 082 045 3963
