… SADC troops exercise in Erongo
SWAKOPMUND – Military leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) warfare exercise that is currently underway in the Erongo Region have urged inhabitants to be cautious and not to pick up any strange looking objects. The message goes out especially to those living in the Utuseb area, about 90 kilometres south of Walvis Bay. The call was made by the SADC Special Forces Multinational exercise director, Colonel Martin Shikomba, during a press conference on Wednesday in Swakopmund to announce that a practical exercise will be taking place from September 27 to October 08 this year, followed by a VIP Day involving live firing activities on October 10.
According to Shikomba the exercise will include the use of both live and dummy ammunition, as well as some dummy explosives. “Therefore the communities are repeatedly cautioned and warned not to come close or pick up any suspicious objects from the training area. It should also be noted that there will be a lot of movements of soldiers in unfamiliar uniforms and as such communities within the training area and adjacent areas are requested to remain calm and not to panic,” Shikomba explained. During the warfare exercise close to 720 military personnel from the participating countries South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and hosts Namibia will be involved in the simulation exercises. The warfare exercise was launched officially by the Chief of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF), Lieutenant-General Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, about a week ago at the Rooikop naval base. Members of the special forces of 10 SADC countries are participating in the five-week warfare simulation exercise, code-named ‘Welwitschia’ at the Rooikop military base near Walvis Bay. During the opening Ndaitwah explained that the Inter-State Defense and Security Committee allows SADC special forces to conduct yearly multinational exercises in order to improve their inter-operability in different geographical terrains in the region and beyond when the need arises.
The last training exercise was held in Lesotho in 2012. Previous training was also conducted in South Africa and Zambia. The NDF chief said this is the first time that the warfare exercise is conducted in desert conditions, and called on the participants to conduct the exercise with caution to avoid fatal injuries, and to utilize the equipment in an orderly manner to avoid damages or loss. “The exercise must be conducted in such a way that the environment is not damaged, as it is strongly protected,” he cautioned the soldiers. The integrated forces carried out drills and training since September 09. The exercise is expected to last until September 29 with the main exercise scheduled to be conducted from September 30 until October 07, 2013 at Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Arandis, all in the Erongo Region.
By Eveline de Klerk