Thohoyandou headquartered 5 SA Infantry (SAI) Battalion recently hosted a jungle warfare training course presented by Brazilian specialists.
The three-week jungle warfare course comes in the wake of South African soldiers serving under the United Nations (UN) flag in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) benefitting from Brazilian jungle fighting expertise and a high level visit to South Africa by Brazilian Army Chief, General Tomás Paiva, last November.
According to SA Army Infantry Formation communication officer Lieutenant Sello Maluleke, the course ended on 15 April with a closing parade where 34 15 SAI soldiers received certificates to mark successful completion of the course.
“The closing ceremony was not merely an ending but a celebration of new beginnings. It highlighted the shared commitment to peace and security, reflecting the enduring partnership between the South African and Brazilian armies. As the event concluded, participants left with a sense of accomplishment and hope for future collaborations, ready to apply their newfound skills in service to their respective nations,” Maluleke reported.
Previously South African soldiers detached to MONUSCO benefitted from the expertise of the Brazilian JWMTT (jungle warfare mobile training team) as part of the UN mission. That saw eight Brazilian jungle warfare specialists from the South American country’s Jungle War Instruction Centre present a six module course to 36 South Africans in the MONUSCO Force Intervention Brigade (FIB). They received instruction with practical follow-ups in shooting, navigation, tactical movement, offensive operations as well as an overview of general jungle warfare and the Brazilians approach it. Prior to this another group of South African soldiers in the DRC sharpened their jungle warfare skills under the joint tutelage of Brazilian and Kenyan specialists.
