The airborne and maritime arms of service of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) walked off with the majority of honours in this year’s Department of Defence (DoD) annual environmental awards.
When it comes to energy and water efficiency the SA Air Force (SAAF) is the top gun with two of its bases taking home both the winner and runner-up awards. AFB Langebaanweg, home of Central Flying School, took home winners’ trophies in both the Rand Water Ward for Water Efficiency and the National energy Efficiency Campaign Award for Energy Efficiency. The SAAF’s fighter town – AFB Makhado in Limpopo – was runner-up.
The Navy’s armament depot at Simon’s town flew the flag for the maritime service’s environmental efforts winning both the Caltex Floating Trophy for Base Environmental Management and the Kristo Pienaar Floating Trophy for Environmental Education and Awareness Training.
AFB Waterkloof took home the runner-up trophy in both competitions, sharing it with AFB Makhado (education and awareness) and AFB Hoedspruit (environmental management).
Integrated environmental management, a factor highlighted by Defence Secretary Dr Sam Gulube, as being both important and necessary in the SANDF, is best practiced by AFB Overberg with Hoedspruit second best according to the judges for this year’s awards.
The naval training base, SAS Saldanha, won the EWT Floating Trophy for Ecological Management with AFB Makhado the runner-up.
Fittingly the SANDF Bluff Military Area in Durban won the Keep eThekwini Beautiful Award for Integrated Waste Management. Air force bases Overberg and Waterkloof along with the Lephalale Training Area were named runners-up.
