The South African Army Participation in the
70th Pretoria International Show 2009, 28 August
2009 to 6 September 2009, Pretoria Show Grounds
Tshwane
Article by: Major Thérèse Bester, South
African Army Corporate Communication
Photos by: Warrant Officer Class 1 Hennie
Booysen, 1 Military Printing Regiment and Major
Thérèse Bester, South African Army Corporate
Communication
The Pretoria International Show presented the
70th show with the theme "Unwrap a Smile" from
28 August to 6 September 2009 at the Tshwane
Events Centre this year.
The South African National Defence Force
participated in the Pretoria International Show
this year with static displays at the indoor and
outdoor exhibitions. The South African National
Defence Force displays were represented by Chief
Joint Operations, South African Army, South
African Air Force, South African Navy, South
African Health Services, Special Forces,
Director Personnel Acquisition as well as
Defence Reserves.
The South African Army formed part of the
greater South African National Defence Force
indoor and outdoor exhibition and focused on
recruitment, training and the role that the
South African Army plays in support of
government policy to support peace missions.
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The Pretoria International
Show 2009, Tshwane Events Centre |
On the morning of 25 August 2009, the South
African Army successfully moved into the
Pretoria Show Grounds with the assistance of the
Metropolitan Police and Military Police
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The South African Army convoy
from Pretoria Regiment was
escorted by the Pretoria
Metropolitan Police leading in
front, followed by the South
African Military Police |
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Leading the convoy, MAN Tank
Transporter with and Olifant MK
2 Main Battle Tank followed by
the Rooikat MK 1D Armoured Car,
Ratel ZT3 A-2 as well as the 155
mm GV6 Self propelled Howitzer,
in Souter Street |
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Signalman S. Maluleka, 3
Electronic Workshop setting up
the lighting for the outdoor
exhibition |
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Sergeant J.N. Ndlovu, 3
Electronic Workshop, preparing
the spotlight at the 35 mm MK V |
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Major T.M. Bester, South
African Army Coordinator, being
interviewed by Mr Prichen
Pillay, SABC News |
The various participants of
the South African Army prepared the indoor and
outdoor exhibition within two days and were
ready for the final inspection on 27 August
2009. The final inspection was conducted by
Chief of the South African Army Corporate
Services, Major General L. Rudman.
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The South African Army
inspection at the Armour outdoor
exhibition conducted by Chief of
the South African Army Corporate
Services, Major General L.
Rudman |
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The South African Army final
inspection at the Infantry
indoor exhibition conducted by
Chief of the South African Army
Corporate Services, Major
General L. Rudman |
A static indoor and outdoor exhibition as well
as simulators were utilised to give the public a
hands-on experience in operating of the South
African Army equipment. The following South
African Army capabilities were displayed at the
South African National Defence Force exhibition:
- Infantry
- Support
- Artillery
- Air Defence Artillery
- Armour
- Engineer
- Intelligence
- Training
- Signal
The Pretoria International Show officially
opened to the public on Friday, 28 August 2009.
The Show was open for the next ten days and
closed on Sunday, 6 September 2009. Senior
citizens, youth, middle-aged people, more than
twenty school groups, military veterans,
foreigners as well as members from the local
communities visited our exhibition.
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South African National
Defence Force outdoor exhibition |
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Members of the public
visiting the South African
National Defence Force outdoor
exhibition |
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Members of the public
visiting the outdoor exhibition
From left to right: Augusta
Helicopter, Casspir, Namacura,
the barrel of the GV6 |
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Children viewing the Mamba,
21 South African Army Infantry
Battalion as part of the South
African Army Infantry Formation
exhibition |
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Signal equipment, 1 Signal
Regiment as part of the South
African Army Signal Formation
exhibition |
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From left to right: Command
Ratel, 1 Signal Regiment as part
of the South African Army Signal
Formation and 155 mm GV6
Self-propelled Howitzer as part
of the South African Army
Artillery Formation exhibition |
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155 mm GV6 Self-propelled
Howitzer, 4 Artillery Regiment
as part of the South African
Army Artillery Formation
exhibition |
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155 mm GV6 Self-propelled
Howitzer, 4 Artillery Regiment
as part of the South African
Army Artillery Formation
exhibition |
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Lance Corporal J. Matthysen,
1 Special Services Battalion
explaining the Rooikat MK 1D
Armoured Car as part of the
South African Armour Formation
exhibition |
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Corporal Z.J. Rolinyathi, 1
Special Service Battalion,
explaining the Ratel ZT3 - A2 as
part of the South African Army
Armour Formation exhibition |
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Sergeant D. Shezi, 1 South
African Tank Regiment assisting
a child on the Olifant MK 2 Main
Battle Tank as part of the South
African Army Armour Formation
exhibition |
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Corporal Z.J. Rolinyathi, 1
Special Service Battalion,
explaining the Ratel ZT3 - A2 as
part of the South African Army
Armour Formation exhibition |
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Staff Sergeant Benson, 4
Field Engineer Regiment, at the
Mobile Operational Workshop as
part of the South African
Engineer Formation exhibition |
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35 mm MK V Air Defence
Artillery Gun as part of the
South African Army Air Defence
Artillery Formation exhibition |
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South African National
Defence Force indoor exhibition |
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Duty member at the South
African Army Corporate Stand,
Major J. Koch, South African
Army Signal Formation |
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Staff Sergeant O.B. Leepo,
School of Tactical Intelligence
as part of the South African
Army Intelligence Formation
exhibition |
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Staff Sergeant W.M. Madlala,
South African Army Support
Formation assisting the visitors
with the Sedan Driver Simulator |
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National Ceremonial Guard VIP
Protection exhibition as part of
the South African Army Support
Formation exhibition |
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Corporal N.S. Zungu from the
National Ceremonial Guard indoor
exhibit as part of the South
African Army Support Formation
exhibition |
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Electronic Learning Aiming
Correction System (ELAC)
Shooting Simulator from the
South African Army Gymnasium as
part of the South African Army
Training Formation exhibition |
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Electronic Learning Aiming
Correction System (ELAC)
Shooting Simulator as part of
the South African Army Training
Formation exhibition |
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Corporal Z.J. Rolinyathi, 1
Special Service Battalion as
part of the South African Army
Armour Formation exhibition |
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Sergeant Peterson discussing
the Low Cost Aerial Target
System (LOCAT) with a member of
the public which forms part of
the South African Army Air
Defence Artillery Formation
indoor exhibition |
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Captain T. Plaatjies, South
African Army Engineer Formation
displaying the Geographic
Information System as part of
the South African Army Engineer
Formation exhibition |
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School children listening to
the demonstration given by Lance
Bombardier T.D. Mzingaye,
Artillery Mobilisation Regiment
as part of the South African
Army Artillery Formation
exhibition |
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Lieutenant M.I. Motlacwi, 101
Air Supply Unit explaining air
supply as part of the South
African Army Infantry Formation
exhibition |
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Two boys on the GECKO which
forms part of 101 Air Supply
Unit's exhibition |
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Major S.E. Tshenye, 101 Air
Supply Unit assisting a member
of the public with the parachute
equipment |
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Major L.H. Silwer,
Directorate South African Army
Human Resources, assisting with
Military Skills Development
System application forms,
forming part of the South
African National Defence Force
Recruitment exhibition |
On Friday 4 September 2009, a
number of South African Army General Officers
Commanding from the South African Army
Formations and Brigades officially visited their
members at the South African National Defence
Force Exhibition.
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General Officer Commanding
South African Army Air Defence
Artillery Formation, Brigadier
General S. Marumo, visiting his
members at the show and
accompanied by their
Communication Officer, Major L.
Janse van Rensburg |
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General Officer Commanding
South African Armour Formation,
Brigadier General B.C.
Gildenhuys (middle), accompanied
by Major M.P. Wheeler, talking
to one of the South African Army
Armour communicators |
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General Officer Commanding
South African Army Intelligence
Formation, Brigadier General
J.D. Magasela (right),
accompanied by Captain B. Erwee
(left), School of Tactical
Intelligence |
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General Officer Commanding 46
South African Army Brigade
Headquarters, Brigadier General
S. Mahlobo (second from left),
and Chief Warrant Officer E.E.
Snyders (second from right), 46
South African Army Brigade
Headquarters, at the South
African Army Intelligence
Formation exhibition |
The Pretoria International Show 2009
Prize-giving Ceremony was hosted by the Pretoria
Show organisers on the morning of 3 September
2009 where the following awards were handed over
to the South African National Defence Force:
- A Golden Award for the Commercial and
Industrial Division for both indoor and
outdoor exhibitions.
- A certificate for the first overall
position.
The first overall position was granted to the
South African National Defence Force for the
first time in the Pretoria International Show's
70-year history.
The professionalism, positive attitude, good
discipline and positive image portrayed by all
members involved in the South African National
Defence exhibition resulted in receiving awards
unanimously.
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Pretoria International Show
Prize Giving Ceremony on 3
September 2009
From left
to right: South African
Military Health Service
Coordinator, Lieutenant Colonel
C.E. Kilian; Visual
Communication Warrant Officer,
Warrant Officer Class 1 J.
White; South African Army
Coordinator, Major T.M. Bester;
South African National Defence
Force Coordinator, Mr A.J.
Holtzhausen; Pretoria Show
Manager, Ms I. Ramalekana-Werz;
Miss Dermapuzion Pretoria Show
,Ms Camilia du Plooy; South
African Defence Reserve
Coordinator, Colonel S.A.
Motswadira; Mr Justine Pretoria
Show, Mr Juan Bloem |
After a very successful show over a period of
ten days, the South African Army members
dismantled their various exhibitions and
prepared to journey back to their various home
units.
After the Show, the South African Army made
use of a certificate ceremony to thank their
members' loyal participation and dedication at
the show. Major General L. Rudman, Chief of the
South African Army Corporate Services, expressed
his gratitude and appreciation on behalf of the
Chief of the South African Army for the South
African Army participants' dedication during the
Pretoria International Show 2009. Certificates
were handed over to a representative of each
Army element as well as to members who
contributed to the success of the Pretoria
International Show 2009.
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Major General L. Rudman,
Chief of the South African Army
Corporate Services, thanking the
South African Army participants
for their contribution during
the show on behalf of the Chief
of the South African Army |
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