A SOLDIER takes no days off and his first allegiance must always be to the flag of the country he proudly serves.
If you take nothing from conversing with Colonel Merlin Albertyn, then this sentiment is surely one you walk away with. Born and bred in Cape Town, he has almost three decades worth of service to the country under his belt and has been a member of the KZN Joint Operational Tactical Headquarters Unit for three years.
There’s ample pride in his crisp uniform and shiny shoes, and if he gives you the time of day, he has just as many stories to tell you of the profound respect he has for the military and its discipline.
“My family says that I am married to the military,” he said in jest. “We are practically on duty every day because at any time, anyone can be called in to report for duty and there cannot be any excuses.”
“No two days are the same for us, I may commit to something and later have my superior appoint me to another task, which I cannot refuse,” he said.
Albertyn serves under Ops Corona, which is a continuous border safeguarding operation and is also deployed under Ops Notlela, the South African National Defence Force’s assistance to government to curb the spread of Covid-19, which began at the start of the lockdown.
His duties include planning, directing and controlling operations in support of other state departments. On reports of public brutality faced at the hands of his colleagues around the country, he said it was unfortunate that the bad eclipsed all the good that they do, but is confident in the law to take its course.
“As soon as we put our uniform on, we don’t become the law, we are subjected to it. Even if we are provoked, we still need to be within the boundaries of the law. The sporadic media reports at the hands of the Covid-19 deployment forces, such as the situation in Alexandra Township in Johannesburg. “If our members committed that offense, we will not hide them, but give full cooperation to police investigations, as we do if our members transgress on the law,” he said.
He added that the public was generally warm towards military officers during their patrols, as they are treated with respect and experience very little resistance when enforcing regulations.
“The military gives you another sense of maturity. It made me a more mature person, for one simple reason. I come from Cape Town and by now, I would have either been dead or involved in gangsterism, but it groomed me in another direction. It gave me a sense of other responsibilities and of respect towards other people.”
“It has taught me how to listen, because there is a difference between listening and hearing, and it has developed my people skills.”
“Do we make mistakes? Yes, but we take our training and experience into consideration in terms of when we apply our minds. The military does not groom you to be just a fighter – you are also a social worker, asset and financial manager as well as a financial planner. My allegiance is to the flag, irrespective of who sits on the presidential chair.”
This information was coordinated with the Communication Officer of Army Support Base KZN, Major Musa Nhlumayo.
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