EQUESTRIAN CENTRE
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During an official handing over parade at Welgegund Farm, Potchefstroom on 14 April 2005, the Equestrian Centre of the SANDF was handed over to the SAPS. Members of both the SANDF and the SAPS participated in the parade at which the Chief of the Army, Lt.- Gen Shoke, handed the centre over to SAPS Divisional Commissioner Makhubela. The centre was established in 1974 and amalgamated with the canine section of the SANDF in 1993 to form the 12 South African Infantry Battalion. 12 SAI Battalion is proud of its equestrian capability, which includes the beautiful farms at Welgegund and Modderfontein. The farms boast stabling facilities, a sick bay, grazing for breeding stock and recuperating horses, offices, single quarters and storage facilities, as well as motor cycles and visual tracking courses. In his address, the Chief of the Army, Lt.-Gen Shoke, said that since its establishment in January 1993, 12 SAI Bn has been actively involved in various operations, especially in the role of border protection where it has earned an excellent record for the services of high standards rendered to our country and our people.Lt.-Gen Shoke went on to say that the handing over parade was in accordance with President Mbeki’s State of the Nation Address of 2003, in which he stated that the government intended to phase out the commandos and create a new system within the SAPS of which the primary function would be to ensure security for all in the rural areas. He also emphasized that the Area Defence capability is being phased out in a way that ensure that no vacuum in service rendering is left before the SAPS is fully capacitated to assume the function. He reiterated that the termination of this capacity of the SANDF is permanent and that this function will in future be solely part of the mandate of the SAPS.
Various committees such as the SANDF/SAPS Exit/Entry Steering Committee, co-chaired by the SANDF and the SAPS, were established to determine the criteria and processes for the demobilization of members affected by the phasing out of commandos and other area defence capabilities of the SA Army. The premium soldiers who served our communities with pride have now been redeployed to the SAPS to continue with this undertaking. These highly trained soldiers know and understand their tasks. Lt.-Gen Shoke made it very clear that the SA Army was not utilizing the closure of the Base as an opportunity to get rid of redundant personnel. The members who will be transferred to the SAPS are specialists in the functional fields of operation and will continue with their tasks in the future.In agreement with Lt.-Gen Shoke, the SAPS Journal wishes all SAPS members and transferred SANDF members working at the newly established SAPS Mounted School in Potchefstroom the best of luck. We believe that this facility will enhance the capacity, and specifically the equestrian capability, of the SAPS. Article and photos: Supt Erica Holtzhausen |
