Escaping the ordinary and rediscovering the Rand Show

Attendees were told to get ready for full-throttle family fun this Easter with the SANDF’s action-packed arena displays which wowed the audience.

As they do every year, the four arms of the SANDF put together an action-packed programme for Rand Show visitors.

For four days, from Friday, April 18 to Monday April 21, the SA Army, SA Air Force, SA Navy and SA Military Health Service (SAMHS) demonstrated the end results of their rigorous military training, with capability demonstrations that simulated the manoeuvres used in real battle situations, precision marching drills, and action-filled scenario demonstrations.

The SA Army brought a fleet of military vehicles to the Rand Show’s Terrace 1. You could climb aboard a Ratel ZT3, a MAN tank transporter with Olifant MK2 tank, a Gecko, a Badger infantry combat vehicle and a Rooikat MK ID armoured car. There was also a bridge-laying vehicle and mine-detection systems, including the Husky and Meerkat.

Attendees were able to test their skills with the Starstreak, the Army’s missile simulator, and shoot with one of four Elac simulators or have a go in a driving simulator.

And all those who wondered what army food was like got their chance to taste it at the Army’s 250-man cooking unit, where the catering service prepared food for public sampling.

Other entertainment available were giant slides and jumping castles in the Kids Paradise indoor playground, science-wizardry with the Naked Scientist, the SA’s Strongest Man qualifier and truck pull, animal shows in Animal Kingdom, top local performers and motoring displays to mention but a few, all at the cost of the entrance ticket.