The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, Cyril Xaba, has extended his good wishes to South Africa’s soldiers deployed in peacekeeping missions and along the borders during the festive season.
“Our external deployment consisting of SANDF (South African National Defence Force) peacekeepers, deployed as part of United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and in particular, the Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) in the volatile Goma, are in our prayers during these times,” Xaba said.
Xaba also encouraged soldiers forming part of the 15 sub-units deployed as part of Operation CORONA in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and North West Provinces, to stay motivated and continue with the operational successes they have achieved through the recovery of weapons, arrests of criminals, recovering of stolen vehicles, confiscation of dagga and dagga plants, drugs, and other contraband.
“South Africans are concerned about the porousness of our borders and the resultant inflows of undocumented foreign nationals. We urge the sub-units to double their efforts in strengthening the defence of our borderline,” Xaba said.
Xaba further commended the work of soldiers deployed to assist the police in reducing crime on the Cape Flats.
“The committee calls on the Department of Defence to ensure that all deployed soldiers are well-equipped and resourced to ensure that they continue to execute these constitutionally mandated functions as effectively as possible, especially over the period where the majority of South Africans are enjoying the end of year festivities.” – SAnews.gov.za
