T - Department of Defence

S A S O L D I E ReventsThe SA Navy 89 yearsand still going strongBy Lufuno NetshirembePhotos: Sgt Elias MahumaThe 2011 SA Navy Festival officiallybegan on 1 April 2011 withthe Right of Entry Parade inSimon's Town and came to amomentous end with a RetreatParade on 3 April 2011. The SANavy was established on 1 April1922, and the SA Navy Festival wasorganised to begin on 1 April to coincidewith its 89th birthday celebrations.The SA Navy Festival has in a special and unique waybecome very dear to the hearts of Capetonians.To celebrate the two events, it has beendecided that the SA Navy Festival willhenceforth officially commence on 1 Aprilevery year. By any standard 89 years is aseasoned and remarkable age, and at thisage if one has to personify the SA Navyone could point to the years of successesand some minor challenges. The SA Navyhas gained the astuteness to discern whatreally works and what does not in the executionof its constitutional mandate: henceit is passionately referred to as the Navy ofthe People.The SA Navy Festival has in a special andunique way become very dear to thehearts of Capetonians and the whole ofSimon's Town comes to standstill as peopleconverge on Naval Base Simon'sTown to enjoy one of the biggest eventson the SA Navy's calendar. The festivalbegan with the Right of Entry Parade bythe "sailors". This parade is meant to symbolisehistorically the trust that the peopleof Simon's Town have bestowed on the"Sea Warriors" who are given the right tomarch through their town with navalequipment.The then Executive Mayor of the CapeTown Metropolitan, Mr Dan Plato, officiallyopened the SA Navy Festival. In hisSea Cadet Precision Drill was one of the many activities during the2011 SA Navy Festival.speech he thanked the SA Navy for itsefforts to empower the communitywhile maintaining its constitutionalmandate. The Chief of the SA Navy, VAdm Johannes Mudimu, next highlightedthe successes the SA Navy hadenjoyed lately. According to V AdmMudimu some of the successes the SANavy has enjoyed have been the pivotalrole it played when South Africa hostedthe 2010 Soccer World Cup event andthe numerous exercises it has participatedin, such as Exercise ATLASUR VII inwhich the SAS CHARLOTTE MAXEKEparticipated without any hiccups, aswell as Exercise GOOD HOPE andExercise IBSAMAR II.The Chief of the SA Navy went on tothank the Simon's Town community fortheir excellent support and co-operationin beautifying the town and publicspaces through Project STATCO and theyouth involvement through the32• J U N E 2 0 1 1