Navy commissions new Ensigns

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The South African Navy today commissioned 57 new midshipmen at a graduation ceremony at the SA Naval College in Gordon’s Bay near Cape Town. 

The mdshipmen have just completed 32 weeks of intensive training .

The SA Naval College is responsible for the training of all future naval officers. The SA Navy officers’ course is known for being the most gruelling and the longest in the SA Natonal Defence Force. Participants are required to complete both naval and joint specific curriculum that takes eight months to complete.

The SA Navy selects cadets for training either from its yearly Military Skills Development recruits or from the ranks of its junior and senior ratings. 

Competencies that the midshipmen have to master include:

  • Knowledge: “Midshipmen must prove they are capable mariners, naval orientated leaders and managers, conversant with current affairs, technology, the military environment, the naval and maritime culture and officership.”

  • Skills: “Midshipmen have to master the skills of the mariner, sailor, communicator, and be physically fit. They must be able to lead and display the required interpersonal skills. They must also be able to handle naval administration.”

  • Attitude: “The naval officer is expected to be honourable, self-confident, credible, proud, respectful, loyal, ambitious, willing to serve, enthusiastic, optimistic, apolitical, punctual, courageous, patriotic and self-disciplined. A naval officer must also have integrity, a sense of responsibility and duty, refined manners and a military bearing”.

The Chief of SANDF Human Resources Lieutenant General Derrick Mgwebi officiated at the ceremony.