Major General Dube: the soldier at the pandemic frontline
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By Kevin Ritchie
Major General Patrick Njabulo Dube knows all about pandemics. During his last tour of duty in Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), he would tell visitors that his mandate as the UN’s Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) commander had three legs: security, political and pandemic.
At first it was Ebola, but by the time he finished his extended tour as FIB commander, Ebola – the feared haemorrhagic fever - had been eradicated from the DRC, only to be replaced by Covid 19.
“Thank God, we never lost a soldier to Ebola – or Covid 19,” he said. The battle-hardened general has lost troops in combat though. His voice softens. “It’s never easy to lose a soldier, but I know that every time I put my uniform on, I put my life at risk.”
defenceWeb
Written by defenceWeb -
Captain Caven Motsho with a fellow commando course officer.
A South African junior infantry officer has the distinction of being the first to attend – and complete – an officer advanced commando course in Pakistan.
Infantry School junior officer Captain Caven Khoshi Matsho was the selected officer of two prepared to attend the course. Both who put up their hands were stationed at the SA Army Infantry Formation’s leading training facility – Infantry School in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape.
The aim of the officer advanced commando course is to recruit, train and empower young Pakistani officers and equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to serve, protect and defend Pakistan against terrorists and any kind of national threat, according to Lieutenant Colonel Therese Marie Doman, SO1 Corporate Communication SA Army Infantry Formation.