The 2026 “intake” at the Stellenbosch University (SU) Faculty of Military Science is settling in to military academia following a welcome parade at the Saldanha tertiary institution.
Sixty-seven first years, officially Military Academy 28 (MA28), had the privilege of recently appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Department of Defence (DoD) Training Formation Major General Mninimzi Sizani being present for their welcome parade.
Ahead of the parade the two-star paid a courtesy call on Saldanha Mayor Andre Truter to introduce himself and formalise relations between the coastal town’s civic leadership and the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) tertiary learning facility.
The Mayor was informed of several initiatives already undertaken by the Military Academy within Saldanha Bay Municipal area, including mathematics support classes for approximately twenty learners for which dedicated transport is provided. These initiatives were highlighted as examples of the Academy’s commitment to social upliftment.
Sizani, a former director in the Joint Operations Division also has a stint as defence advisor at the United Nations (UN) on his CV. He was accompanied by Academy Commandant, Brigadier General Cassie de Castro, during his call to the mayoral suite.
At the Academy, the first years on parade were each presented with a copy of the Academy Code of Honour by the Commandant who told them to keep their heads down, work hard and “you will be successful”. He urged the newcomers to remember and stick to the Academy core values of dignity, integrity, service before self and accountability saying these values must guide daily conduct as well as professional practice with the rider that ill-discipline will not be tolerated – under any circumstances.
