President Ramaphosa hosts 2019 Armed Forces Day

President Cyril Ramaphosa will, as Commander-in-Chief of the South African Armed Forces, host the 2019 Armed Forces Day in Cape Town tomorrow, Thursday, 21 February.
 
Armed Forces Day celebrates and honours members of the South African Defence Force (SANDF) and gives members of the public an opportunity to witness and take pride the human and technological capability of the armed forces.
 
Armed Forces Day was first observed in 2012.
 
Armed Forces Day activities have been taking place at various locations around Cape Town and have included military displays and a career exhibition   at Mandela Stadium in Khayelitsha; a gala music evening at Cape Town City Hall; a night shoot demonstration at Sunrise Beach, Muizenberg, and tomorrow’s military parade and capability demonstration and the Military Parade at Bloubergstrand.

Tomorrow, President Ramaphosa will commence Armed Forces Day with a wreath laying at the SS Mendi Memorial on the Lower Campus of the University of Cape Town.

The President will pay his respects to the South African soldiers who died when the military steamship SS Mendi sank in 21 February 1917. The SS Mendi sank in dense fog in the English Channel where it was struck by the SS Darro, a much larger cargo ship.  A total of 616 South Africans and 30 British crew members died in the disaster.

The SS Mendi was transporting members of the of the 5th Battalion, or South African Natives Labour Corps, to France in early 1917.

Before boarding the SS Mendi the troops were encamped at what was then the Rosebank Showgrounds Oval, which is currently a playing field that forms part of the UCT Fitness Centre, and is the site of the memorial.

The sailed from Cape Town to Plymouth and was en route to Le Havre, France, when disaster struck.

For the next part of Armed Forces Day, President Ramaphosa will proceed to the military parade at Bloubergstrand where he will present medals to SANDF members who had delivered outstanding performance in various military operations. The President will also take a salute from the South African National Defence Force.  

The programme of the President is as follows:

First Part: Wreath Laying Ceremony

Date: Thursday, 21 February 2019
Time: 09h00
Venue: University of Cape Town, (Lower) South Campus, Cape Town

Second Part: Military Parade

Date: Thursday, 21 February 2019
Time: 10h00
Venue: Sunset Beach, Bloubergstrand (Table View), Cape Town

Members of the media wishing to attend the event should send their details including ID or passport numbers to Lieutenant-Colonel Hammilton Ngubane on 083 280 7548 or sandfmedialiaison@gmail.com

 
Media enquiries: Khusela Diko, Spokesperson to the President on 072 854 5707

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria