President Ramaphosa to address Armed Forces Day celebrations in Mpumalanga

President Cyril Ramaphosa will as Commander-in Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) officiate the annual Armed Forces Day  at Barberton and Mbombela in Mpumalanga on Monday, 21 February 2022.
 
Armed Forces Day commemorates the worst naval tragedy in the country’s history – the sinking of the troopship SS Mendi in the English Channel    on 21 February 1917. More than 600 SA Native Labour Corps troops drowned when the ill-fated troopship was struck by the SS Darro.
 
Mpumalanga will be the host in the current provincial rotation of Armed Forces Day.
 
The programme for the day will commence with the President laying a wreath at the World War Memorial in Barberton.
 
This will be followed by a parade in Mbombela along Samora Machel drive next to Rob Ferreira Hospital.
 
This event will feature a flypast of multiple SA Air Force (SAAF) aircraft. 
 
The South African Army, the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS) and the Navy will form part of the parade.
 
Following the military parade, President Ramaphosa will deliver the keynote address.
 
Requests for media accreditation must be forwarded to the Defence Media Liaison section at this email address: sandfmedialiaison@gmail.com
 
Please take note that the accreditation process takes longer than 24 hours and cannot be finalised and granted within a short notice. 
 
No member of the media will 
be allowed access to the main AFD Parade without media accreditation.
 
RSVP: Major Danny Wagenaar 
082 098 4946 or (012) 355 6388
Captain Keitumetse Mashoba
073 579 8728 or (012) 355 6388
 
 
Media enquiries: Tyrone Seale, Acting Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria