President Cyril Ramaphosa Pays Tribute to SA’s Soldiers During Armed Forces Day Celebration in Richards Bay

• President Cyril Ramaphosa praised the men and women of the South African National Defence Force
• Ramaphosa was addressing SANDF soldiers in Richards Bay as part of the annual Armed Forces Day celebration
• The day was established to commemorate the soldiers who died when the SS Mendi sank en route to France in 1917

RICHARDS BAY - South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers had President Cyril Ramaphosa's undivided attention on Tuesday, 21 February.

The president was giving his keynote address at the annual Armed Forces Day event in KwaZulu-Natal when he saluted SANDF soldiers for risking their lives across Africa.

The president commended the SANDF for the peacekeeping efforts on several parts of the continent, from the Sahel to the horn of Africa.

President Ramaphosa also thanked SA's soldiers for the work they do locally. Ramaphosa said the army has been instrumental in guarding vital infrastructure against saboteurs who seek to endanger SA's security for personal benefit, TimesLIVE reported.

Read also

South Africa hosting Russian-Chinese war games signals end of SA’s neutrality, Ukrainian Association SA says

Ramaphosa reminded everyone in attendance that, first and foremost, the day was used to honour all the soldiers who were killed in the line of duty.

Armed forces day was initially established to honour the deaths of 616 black South African troops who died aboard the SS Mendi when it sank in 1917, EWN reported.

Ramaphosa said:

“We mourn all those who have lost their lives in the effort to silence the guns on our continent.”

South Africa hosting Russian-Chinese war games signals end of SA’s neutrality, Ukrainian Association SA says

In another story, Briefly News reported that the South African Government has decided to host the Russian Federal Navy and China People's Liberation Army Navy as they participate in war games off the coast of Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal.

Read also

"Cele must go": Opposition parties intensify calls for Bheki Cele to be fired over rise in crime rates

To the Ukrainian Association of South Africa (UASA), the move signifies the end of SA's supposed neutrality on Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

However, the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans insist that despite hosting the war games, Exercise Mosi II, South Africa is not abandoning its neutrality on Russia's war on Ukraine, News24 reported.

Source: Briefly News