Remuneration shortfall for soldiers

[FoXtroT]

They do nothing man! Honestly... what do they do, if they could show us what they do, I'd be keen to be on their side, but honestly... I never see the SANDF doing anything useful to help while we (SA) are not in a state of war.

So many places you could use them!
They say we can't use the army in townships and stuff right... well, incorporate them into SAPS and use them as a 'strike' force or something... help them to fight the killing of rhinos... faaaaaaaark! ANYTHING!

Ok, I'll let you know what they do:

1. Border Protection - although SAPS is in charge of the Border post themselves, SANDF is charged with running border protection along the fence. They are particularly active on the Zim,Lesotho and Mozambique borders.

2. Anti-Poaching - SANDF detachments are based in the Kruger and surrounds as part of efforts to combat the poaching of Rhinos. They conduct manned patrols of the reserve, air patrols and targeted assaults on poachers in conjunction with police and rangers.

3. UN Mission in Darfur - A SANDF battalion is stationed in Darfur as part of the UN peacekeeping mission.

4. UN FIB in Congo - A SANDF battalion and three Rooivalks and a number of Oryxs are deployed in the DRC as part of the UN's Force Intervention Brigade where they are part of the push to eradicate the various rebel movements. They have been instrumental in the defeat of the M23 rebel group and are now pursuing others.

5. They are in fact used in the townships and have been numerous times (the reason for them not being deployed in the WC is likely political). They routinely support large police operations in the townships.

6. SAMHS regularly fill in for doctors and nurses in government hospitals when they are short staffed due to strikes etc.

7. Operation Copper - the anti-piracy operation in the northern Mozambique channel consists of a warship (usually a frigate or strike craft) as well as a detachment of Special Forces and airforce C-47TP Maritime Patrol aircraft.

8. General Maritime patrol - Although not constant, there are regular patrols around our coastline by both the navy and airforce.

9. 24hr Rescue Standby - Every helicopter squadron in SA is kept on 24hr standby for rescue situations. Recent rescues were of a sick sailor of the EC coast, the crew of a yacht that was about 1/3 of its way to South America (also involved a Navy frigate).

10. Then there is the usual training that occurs in the various forms.

 

[Compton_effect]

Ok, I'll let you know what they do:

1. Border Protection - although SAPS is in charge of the Border post themselves, SANDF is charged with running border protection along the fence. They are particularly active on the Zim,Lesotho and Mozambique borders.

2. Anti-Poaching - SANDF detachments are based in the Kruger and surrounds as part of efforts to combat the poaching of Rhinos. They conduct manned patrols of the reserve, air patrols and targeted assaults on poachers in conjunction with police and rangers.

3. UN Mission in Darfur - A SANDF battalion is stationed in Darfur as part of the UN peacekeeping mission.

4. UN FIB in Congo - A SANDF battalion and three Rooivalks and a number of Oryxs are deployed in the DRC as part of the UN's Force Intervention Brigade where they are part of the push to eradicate the various rebel movements. They have been instrumental in the defeat of the M23 rebel group and are now pursuing others.

5. They are in fact used in the townships and have been numerous times (the reason for them not being deployed in the WC is likely political). They routinely support large police operations in the townships.

6. SAMHS regularly fill in for doctors and nurses in government hospitals when they are short staffed due to strikes etc.

7. Operation Copper - the anti-piracy operation in the northern Mozambique channel consists of a warship (usually a frigate or strike craft) as well as a detachment of Special Forces and airforce C-47TP Maritime Patrol aircraft.

8. General Maritime patrol - Although not constant, there are regular patrols around our coastline by both the navy and airforce.

9. 24hr Rescue Standby - Every helicopter squadron in SA is kept on 24hr standby for rescue situations. Recent rescues were of a sick sailor of the EC coast, the crew of a yacht that was about 1/3 of its way to South America (also involved a Navy frigate).

10. Then there is the usual training that occurs in the various forms.

My old boss was a Major in the Transvaal Scottish Rifles. He had reservists in about 9 different countries up North. Our guys are busy, with the little they have - they do a lot.

 

[FoXtroT]

My old boss was a Major in the Transvaal Scottish Rifles. He had reservists in about 9 different countries up North. Our guys are busy, with the little they have - they do a lot.

Indeed, which is why I wanted to let people know that they are actually doing stuff. Just because a lot of it isn't published often (mainly because SANDF PR is useless), doesn't mean things aren't being done.

 

[Paul Hjul]

Indeed, which is why I wanted to let people know that they are actually doing stuff. Just because a lot of it isn't published often (mainly because SANDF PR is useless), doesn't mean things aren't being done.

Unfortunately I don't think it is exclusively a poor PR at SANDF issue. The SA government has no interest in the SANDF being viewed in a positive light outside of being a government service: it makes it easier to underpay troops if the public think the troops are "useless"; it makes it easier to mothball equipment and have the narrative about a lack of pilots rather than the corruption involved in selection of equipment or training providers; it makes executive level decisions that result in casualties and fatalities capable of passing through as a result of SANDF "uselessness" rather than the failure of those responsible for the lives of our troops to make responsible decisions; it makes it easier to brush over incidents like the recent unlawful use of authority in Oudtshoorn. The last thing a bad king wants is an army respected by the public but not viewed as part of his person.

Unfortunately we have a situation where the defence trade union is more responsible than ...

 

[Getafix]

Seal of approval for this mess...

View attachment 131051

Viva anc, viva.

If one gets injured it's a injury to all!

Viva!

 

[Dave]

Didn't the US recently provide logistics to the French in Africa?

It's not like Hollande sent his own planes there either.

The RAF as I recall (with C17s), the French have a shortage of heavy lift aircraft while they wait for the delayed A400M's they have on order.

 

[Hemi300c]

Head of the Airforce was overseas recently probably blowing money as usual.
Saw two huge cavalcades of 30 plus vehicles yesterday on the highway with My registration numbers. They are the same as the rest of the cadres blowing money.

 

[Compton_effect]

Unfortunately I don't think it is exclusively a poor PR at SANDF issue. The SA government has no interest in the SANDF being viewed in a positive light outside of being a government service: it makes it easier to underpay troops if the public think the troops are "useless"; it makes it easier to mothball equipment and have the narrative about a lack of pilots rather than the corruption involved in selection of equipment or training providers; it makes executive level decisions that result in casualties and fatalities capable of passing through as a result of SANDF "uselessness" rather than the failure of those responsible for the lives of our troops to make responsible decisions; it makes it easier to brush over incidents like the recent unlawful use of authority in Oudtshoorn. The last thing a bad king wants is an army respected by the public but not viewed as part of his person.

Unfortunately we have a situation where the defence trade union is more responsible than ...

There's more and more opinion pieces coming out that make it sound like there is a hidden agenda to keep those in power there for as long as possible. I'd usually laugh it off and say that all of it can be attributed to bad governance instead - but the guy with most to gain from the status quo was the very capable head of MK Intelligence. :wtf:

 

[Paul Hjul]

There's more and more opinion pieces coming out that make it sound like there is a hidden agenda to keep those in power there for as long as possible. I'd usually laugh it off and say that all of it can be attributed to bad governance instead - but the guy with most to gain from the status quo was the very capable head of MK Intelligence. :wtf:

the general rule is cockup before conspiracy, greatly successful politicians have often been ones who are able to use a cockup to their advantage (Bismark for example); evil politicians have been those involved in a fire in the Reich-stag. An assassination doesn't require hundreds of co-conspirators, just a few people to turn a blind eye, a killer and somebody to leave the door unlocked.
If you accept on the evidence that Zuma is a depraved and scared little man who has no qualm about lying or causing the death of people in a conflict situation then the consequences must follow.

the real problem is that people always want a conspiracy to be larger than it is - a conspiracy simply involves two or more people acting in unlawful concern - and so the razor seems to be thrown our of the wind. If you have a clear advantage being enjoyed by a group of people (so the SA government) - the beneficiaries of the crime - and a small group capable of the depravity - the conspirators -and you have a fairly toxic situation.

 

[Magnum]

Indeed, which is why I wanted to let people know that they are actually doing stuff. Just because a lot of it isn't published often (mainly because SANDF PR is useless), doesn't mean things aren't being done.

I thought it was common practice to not let the enemy know what we are doing...