Pretoria - The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the South African National Defence Force's (SANDF) most extensive and biggest deployment on home soil, says Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thabang Makwetla.
Speaking at a two-day conference on Peace-Keeping in Africa currently underway in Midrand, Makwetla said the 2010 FIFA World Cup accorded armed forces the opportunity to test the operational readiness of most of South Africa's formations and capabilities, encompassing landward security, airspace security, maritime security and biological warfare security.
The conference is attended by military strategists, private companies and experts involved in peace-keeping throughout the continent.
According to Makwetla, armed conflicts are the "heartbreaking reality that millions of Africans have to face each day, with several African countries regrettably still caught up in a series of violent internal conflicts.
"South Africa's efforts to establish peace and security in Africa have become a key element of our foreign policy and we are currently one of the largest contributors to peace-keeping missions," Deputy Minister Makwetla said.
The SANDF participated in more than fourteen multi force operations since 1999, including operations in countries such as Burundi, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Sudan, Comoros and Liberia among others.
