Pretoria - More than 5400 troops are expected to arrive in South Africa from next week for the African Union (AU) field training exercise Amani Africa II - a Kiswahili phrase meaning “peace in Africa”.
This is the largest single military exercise in South Africa since the dawn of democracy 21 years ago.
The training is set to take place at the SA Army Combat Training Centre (CTC) in the Northern Cape from 19 October to 7 November.
The exercise is conducted by the AU with the intent of evaluating the state of readiness of the African Standby Force (ASF) and its Rapid Deployment Capability (RDC) towards the achievement of full operational capability by December 2015.
The training cycle started in 2012 and its conclusion this year will also see the long-awaited ASF become a reality.
Briefing the media on Wednesday in Pretoria, Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant-General Derick Mgwebi said personnel, vehicles and equipment from the various participating countries will start to arrive in South Africa from Monday.
They are expected to move into South African through various ports of entry including the Lohathla border in the Northern Cape, the Nakop border to Namibia, the Ramatlabama border to Botswana, Oshoek border to Swaziland and Maseru Bridge border to Lesotho with Upington Airport the nearest fly-in port of entry.
“The South African National Defence Force is proud to be hosting this exercise,” he said, adding that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is the host region while South Africa is the host nation.
The Lieutenant-General said the five African regional organisations including SADC as the main force, with Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), East Africa Standby Force (EASF) and Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) will contribute troops and equipment for Amani Africa II.
The major contributing countries towards the exercise are Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland Zambia and Zimbabwe. Other contributing countries will be Algeria, Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda.
Their movements will be escorted by SANDF military police supported by the South African Police Service and the relevant traffic police of the different cities and towns such as Upington, Olifantshoek, Kuruman and Kathu.
In the North West, the affected towns will be Mahikeng, Stella, Vryburg, Koster and Potchefstroom, among others, while in Limpopo, towns affected include Musina and Makhado. In Mpumalanga, affected towns will include Malelane, Nelspruit, Belfast and Ermelo and others.
“The exercise aims to evaluate the state of readiness of the ASF and its rapid deployment capability to ensure full operational capability by year-end, so when people see other military they must not be surprised.
“At the same time we appeal to the public to be supportive of this noble exercise and its aims in pursuit of peace and stability in our continent,” said Lieutenant-General Mgwebi.
When the ASF is finally operational, it will consist of standby arrangements within Africa’s five sub-regions, composed of multi-dimensional capabilities, including military, police and civilian, on standby in their countries of origin and ready for rapid deployment.
The field training exercise was originally set down to take place in Lesotho last October, but political unrest in the landlocked country saw it relocated to South Africa. - SAnews.gov.za
