Publication: The Star
Issued:
Date: 2007-03-08
Reporter: Editorial
Finally,
13 years into democracy, a final frontier in the battle for military
transformation has been breached with the appointment of Captain Bubele "Kitie"
Mhlana to the command of SAS Isandlwana, one of the navy's four new Meko A 200
frigates.
Female and black South African officers have been appointed to
senior managerial roles in the navy, but none to actual command of the fleet's
newest and most important assets, the frigates.
The fact that the process has taken so long *1 puts Captain Mhlana's
success into sharper relief.
He has had to compete with the best
officers of his peer group at home and abroad.
In the words of Defence
Minister Mosiuoa Lekota: "Command of the (frigate) is
limited to those who truly excel and who have indicated the required
intellectual potential and psychological resilience *2."
As we
salute Captain Mhlana on his achievement , it is right that we doff our cap to
the SANDF's continual efforts to break through the artificial ceilings of race and gender in other traditional
white male combat enclaves.
The controversial
arms deal has made headlines for all the wrong reasons
*3, but it is important to note that it has given us not only our first
black African frigate captain, but also our first-ever female fighter pilot in
SAAF Captain Catherine Labuschagne.With acknowledgement to The
Star.
*1 This is typical hysterical
journalistic nonsense.
The first frigate, SAS Amatola, was commissioned
into the SA Navy on 17 March 2006 and the last of four, the SAS Mendi, is being
commissioned into the SA Navy on 20 March
2007.
*2 Typically, a frigate commanding officer
needs about 20 years experience, plus junior staff course and senior staff
course, to take command of a R3 billion asset. They would normally also have had
command of a Namakura harbour patrol boat with the rank of Lieutenant and
command of a Warrior-class strike craft with the rank of Commander.
One
might easily conclude that Captain Bubele "Kitie" Mhlana has done very well
indeed.
It's no wonder that the Minister of Defence is bursting with
pride.
*3 May his pride not burst.