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Overlooked reservists bolster ranks of cash-strapped SANDF New recruits will be drawn mainly from among the unemployed International Affairs Effort THE South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Reserve Force, which has been neglected since compulsory citizen call-ups ended in 1994, is to receive a boost in the form of about 35000 new recruits over the next eight years. But suggestions that the army's new recruitment drive is essentially a step back to SA's national service days have been rejected by Maj-Gen Roy Andersen, Liberty Life's former CEO and current Sanlam chairman, who heads the reserves. He says that with SA's high unemployment rate, recruitment is not the problem, and budget support of the force is the most serious constraint.

Andersen says because SA faces no known immediate threat there is no need for compulsory national service.

Having a large reserve force will improve overall readiness, and also allow recruiters to identify people who perform well as candidates for the permanent force.

About 1000 members of the reserve force have been recruited this year, and the number will be gradually stepped up over the next eight years. Recruits have to meet the same health requirements as those applying for the permanent force - they cannot have a chronic disease and must be HIV negative. In addition, recruits cannot have a criminal record and must have passed matric.

The reserve force currently has 43000 territorials - formerly called the commandos - who are primarily responsible for duties such as border control and road blocks. There is also a 9000-strong conventional force. The plan is to dismantle the territorials by 2009, when the SANDF will no longer be required to support the police and undertake internal duties. The territorials are expected to join the police reserves, the defence force's conventional reserves, or retire. Additional recruits to the reserves will come from the 3000 people who have completed two-year stints in the defence force under the military skills development system. Andersen insists that the new recruitment campaign will require little sacrifice from South African business, which had been expected in the past to free up and pay white males in the reserve force. This time most of the new recruits will be unemployed. Since a proportion of recruits would be employed - and their companies would have to pay their salaries for six months while their workers were away on deployment details - it was seen as necessary to obtain a buy-in from business and labour for the recruitment drive. In light of this, the SANDF last week launched a council for the support of national defence. Mvelaphanda CEO Tokyo Sexwale, an honorary air force colonel, will be its chairman. Andersen insists the overriding motivation for the recruitment drive is that it makes financial sense for the SANDF. A reservist requires less financial input from the army than a permanent force member, who is entitled to a pension and health benefits. In addition, the reserve force can be called up as and when needed. Defence analysts say that the heavy burden on the defence budget of the arms package and salaries, means there is little left to spend on the reserves. However, payments on the arms package will gradually decrease in the next few years. Also driving the recruitment drive is the fact that the SANDF is stretched to provide more than the current 3000 troops on peacekeeping duties. For every soldier in the Democratic Republic of Congo or Burundi two are required at home - one in training and one ready to go if required. The defence force is considering sending about 140 reserve-force troops to Congo in March next year. This will be the first time that an entire company of South African reservists will be deployed.