Cape Town – South African Defence Force (SANDF) has reportedly refuted allegations that US military personnel are in South Africa to protect certain government officials.
The SANDF dismissed the allegations posted on Twitter as “fake news”, adding that it was a “ludicrous statement”, reported News24.
The report said the US military landed in South Africa for a joint military exercise.
“The SANDF would like to state clearly and unambiguously that the US Army Southern European Task Force is in South Africa to conduct a joint and multinational peace support operation and humanitarian relief exercise with the SANDF under the operational code name ‘Exercise Shared Accord 2022’,” the report quoted SANDF spokesperson, Brigadier General Andries Mahapa as saying.
READ || South African Military Health Service Promotes Dental Primary Health Care During Exercise SHARED ACCORD 2022.https://t.co/SDnqsGKzjD#SANDF#JointOperationsDivision#ExerciseSHAREDACCORD2022 pic.twitter.com/3fsKFRGzF9
— SA National Defence Force (@SANDF_ZA) July 13, 2022
Exercise Shared Accord came about as a result of bilateral Defence Force Committee discussions that originated in 2009 and was approved by the Military Command Council in 2010, a report by IOL said.
“The SANDF wants to assure all South Africans that the multinational exercise named Shared Accord has nothing to do with protecting any government official in RSA, but rather pure joint training,” said Mahapa.
According to Jacaranda FM, the planned joint military exercise was initially disrupted by Covid-19 pandemic.
The US military aircraft landed at the Bram Fischer Airport in Bloemfontein on Sunday, the report said.
The report said the joint operation will be working with the KZN Health Department, providing primary health care, dental and veterinary services in local municipalities.
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Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
