Forgotten troops running out of food during deployment

SA National Defence Force (SANDF) troops deployed during the Covid-19 lockdown have sent out a distress call as they were running out of food, had limited access to running water, and are living in “deplorable” conditions at the Elijah Mango nursing college in Mpumalanga.

“The rooms are not up to standard… dirty, there’s only water from 4am till about 10am. There is no shower facilities, we use water bottles to get water from a single tap. The food that was supposed to be provided is finished, so our unit is giving us food from their mess,” a troop who asked not be named said yesterday.

He said they used buckets to bath, as showers were broken and not working, saying about 150 of them have to share one “filthy” and “unusable” bathroom.

The about 150 troops from the 4 SA Infantry Battalion were part of thousands of military personnel deployed for “Operation Notlela” to enforce Covid-19 lockdown regulations and control the spread of the virus.

Another soldier said their living conditions were so terrible that they were unable to sleep. He said the showers were rotting and the ceiling sagging, but his main concern at the moment was being told that there was no food.

“Today they only have six eggs… that is all they had. The SANDF is supposed to ensure that they have everything they need, but they have been dumped there and nobody is telling them that their deployment was over,” a relative of one of the soldiers complained.

The last day for Operation Notlela, the national defence force’s commitment to the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa, authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa in March ended on 30 September.

Other than patrolling the streets, the soldiers, including medics, combat engineers, and other military personnel, were also instrumental in screening and testing, supplying potable water, and other necessary logistics.

Announcing the end of the Operation Notlela deployment in a statement on Friday, SANDF chief, General Solly Shoke, along with the military command commended the troops for their contribution.

“They are not even aware that their deployment has ended. What they are still doing there is unclear. They are like abandoned troops,” said the relative, who asked not to be named for fear reprisal against her relative.

Darren Olivier, defence expert and director at African Defence Review, said the SANDF had a duty to its soldiers to ensure that they were given appropriate food, water, and other necessities when deployed.

He said this also meant ensuring that when soldiers are assigned to existing facilities, that those either allow for hygienic ablutions, or that soldiers are equipped with the tools to create their own.

“It is not exactly clear what has happened in this instance and why these soldiers are allegedly still deployed from home base in inadequate conditions after Operation Notlela has ended, but the SANDF’s leadership needs to figure it out and resolve it quickly,” he said.

According to Defence Web, there are around 8 000 military personnel still on Notlela deployment, with 2 000 operationally active at any one time, with indications that this arrangement will continue until Level 1 lockdown was lifted.

SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini could not be reached for comment and was yet to respond to messages at the time of publication.

– siphom@citizen.co.za

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