STATEMENT BY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE HEADQUARTERS

STATEMENT BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE (SANDF): MEDIA RELEASE ON THE OFFICIAL VISIT BY MINISTER OF DEFENCE TO MOZAMBIQUE AND NAMIBIA

DATE OF RELEASE: 09 SEPTEMBER 2008

The Minister of Defence, Mr Mosiuoa Lekota is travelling to Mozambique today, 9 September 2008 to confer with the Mozambican Ministry of Defence on the aid it requested from South Africa.

In June 2008 the Mozambican Minister of Defence visited South Africa to meet his counterpart, Minister Lekota and discussed the requirements of the National Defence Force of Mozambique.

During the visit, the two countries discussed ways in which South Africa could assist Mozambique strengthen its national defence force.

The requirements of the Mozambican government included but not limited to:

• SA Navy’s assistance with the maritime patrol;
• Strategic communication requirements and
• The capacitation of the Mozambique Air Force and the strengthening of the intelligence capability.

The visit by the Minister will not only strengthen the National Defence of Mozambique but will further concretise the long-standing relations between the two countries.

The Minister will subsequently proceed to Namibia to attend the 8th three-day RSA/Nambia Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security (JPCDS).

The last JPCDS meeting was held in South Africa in 2007. This mutually beneficial assembly will seek to discuss and reach common grounds on issues relating to Defence, Public and State Security.

Enquiries: Colonel Petrus Motlhabane
Contact: 072 288 3402