The nickname given by gunners to one of the most effective and feared items of equipment in their arsenal was a major driver for Lieutenant Colonel Matloki Misapitso to become more involved in environmental issues.
“The G6 is called ‘The Rhino’ by gunners and this, allied to my introduction to the military and the environment during a course three years ago, got me thinking. The final push, if one can call it that, was a report of two rhino being poached in North West earlier this year,” said the officer who currently finds himself posted at the School of Artillery in the North West town of Potchefstroom.
Knowing that specialist equipment for rangers and others involved in anti-poaching operations is expensive, he came up with the idea of raising funds.
“We arranged an exhibition with rhino models and all manner of information on rhino poaching as well as the importance of rhinos and the people of Potchefstroom turned out and supported us,” he said.
This support translated into R27 700 that Misapitso was able to hand to the Rhinos for Africa non-government organisation.
The effort put in by him and the team he gathered to arrange the rhino exhibition did not go unnoticed by those in the SA National Defence Force’s (SANDF) Logistics Division, which houses environmental services. Last month he was named winner of this year’s Conservamus Award, the only individual award presented annually in the Department of Defence environment awards. All other awards go to bases and units and are awarded for, among other, military integrated environmental management, water management, environmental education and training, waste management and base environmental management.
Misapitso did not deny that the name given to the officer’s mess at Artillery School wasn’t an influencing factor.
“It is called Rhino Bar, in honour of the G6,” he told defenceWeb with pride.
The G6 is a self-propelled howitzer designed, developed and manufactured in South Africa by Denel. Production, for use by the then SA Defence Force (SADF) started in 1987 and it is still in use by the SANDF as well as other defence forces internationally.
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