letters to the editor - Department of Defence

stories from 2003S A S O L D I E RFirst black Reserve Force military judge sworn inBy Capt (SAN) E. van der Walt (Ret)(an extract of what was publishedin SA Soldier: July 2003, page 21)Photo: Sgt David NomtshongwanaCol Victor Sibeko (50), an advocatefrom Brakpan on the East Rand,was one of the first legal practitionersto apply for appointment as aReserve Force officer in the SANDF.Because of his seniority he was giventhe rank of Colonel.After his appointment Col Sibekohad to undergo an induction programmeon military culture. This hadto be done in his spare time. He firstcompleted a military orientationcourse after which he was schooled inmilitary legal subjects, such as militarylaw, the law of armed conflict,operational law, law of evidence andcriminal law. He passed his examinationswith flying colours.Before he could be sworn in asjudge he had to sit under instructionto familiarise himself with themilitary justice system.On 6 May 2003 Col Sibeko wassworn in as military judge by Brig GenAnnemarie Myburgh, DirectorMilitary Judges, in one of the courtroomsin Thaba Tshwane. He was tobegin his duties with immediate effectand he said he was ready and willingto play his role in the SANDF.Col Sibeko will preside as a seniormilitary judge when and whererequired, especially in cases involvingsenior SANDF members from the rankof major upwards, but he would alsobe able to handle disciplinary casesinvolving junior members.The scope of Col Sibeko's dutieswill include having to preside overcases involving SANDF members inother countries, such as Burundi andthe Democratic Republic of the Congo(DRC) whenever such a need arises.In 1979 Col Sibeko obtained his BALaw degree and in 1981 his LLBdegree at the National University ofLesotho. Thereafter he was admittedas advocate in Lesotho in 1981.During his career as a legal practitionerhe worked, inter alia, as a negotiatorfor Mobil and was an adjudicatorfor the Gauteng Housing TransferBureau where he later served on theappeal panel. In 1993 he opened hisown legal consultancy.The French and our soldiers learn from each otherBy Capt (SAN) Stan Slogrove,SSO Maritime Capabilities at JointOperations Division (an extract ofwhat was published in SA Soldier:July 2003, page 18)Photo: PO Gustav OosthysenThe early Saturday morning tranquilityof Naval Island at RichardsBay was shattered by the powerfulroar of outboard engines, as two inflatableboats carrying French Marinesraced up onto the beach. The soldiersquickly dispersed as they rapidlysecured the beachhead and then therest of the island. Soon the grey bulk ofthe French Batral-type landing ship,FNS La Grandiére, bore down on thebeach, her bow doors opening like themandibles of some giant mantis.Personnel, vehicles and cargo weredischarged onto the beach, and sobegan the Field Training Exercisephase of Exercise RAINBOW TREK.Planning staffs of the SANDF andFASZOI (French Forces in the IndianOcean Zone) under the command ofthe Task Force Commander, Col JohanBlaauw, and his French counterpart,Capitaine de Vaisseau (Navy Captain)Francois Cloup-Mandavialle, had metearlier in the week, as March turned intoApril, at the underground military facilityon Durban's Bluff, to conduct aCommand Post Exercise (CPX).The aim of the theoretical phase ofthis Peace Support exercise was to validateand harmonise the doctrines andCol Victor Sibeko.Personnel, vehicles and cargo were dischargedonto the beach after FNS La Grandiére bore downon the beach.tactics that would be used in the practicalphase. Language difficulties wereovercome and the two force componentssized each other up as they ranthrough the various activities of thescenario.On completion of the CPX, theplanning staffs moved up the coast toRichards Bay and occupied the tentedcamp that had been set up in advance.The cargo fromFNS LaGrandiére soonbecame anevacuationcontrol centremanned byFrench andSouth Africanmedical andadministrativepersonnel. Forthe first time,members of theSouth AfricanRed CrossSociety werealso involved.M A Y 2 0 1 1 • s 23