Delivering Yuletide goodies to all South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members on deployment duty between December 25 and January 1, wherever they are on the continent, is a gargantuan logistics exercise in sourcing, packing and distributing. And it’s been undertaken every year since 2001 thanks to the Goodwill Parcel Project (GWPP). Co-driven by the South African Army Foundation (the Foundation), it raises money from big corporate sponsors to provide each combatant on deployment over the festive period with a gift (usually a tog bag with useful items to make their lives easier in the field). Their families at home receive a hamper of dry goods and other useful elements for the home. Now in its 61st year of operation, the Foundation caters for the welfare of SA Army personnel in areas where the military does not. This is done to improve quality of home life and give access to specially tailored services and benefits such as internet access, children’s bursaries, access to affordable technology and even holidays locally and abroad. Its overriding intent is to improve morale within the ranks. General manager of the Foundation, Angel Ramphele, said the GWPP exercise was the “jewel in the crown” of its operations out of its Clubview, Pretoria head office. “The GWPP reflects appreciation of the South African corporate sector for the sacrifice that our soldiers make in giving up their Christmas family time to fulfil the country’s continental commitments to peace and prosperity and make its internal borders safe,” he said. Although delivery is in December, the magnitude of the project is such that the Foundation begins the process by raising sponsorship from various corporate organisations, after which the SANDF Joint Operations (JOps) begins assembling the gift and hamper components and then the packing for delivery to multiple points over the border and internally in March each year. Making it happen is a complex logistics exercise over thousands of kilometres internally and externally. The SANDF structures and JOps get involved to meet the logistics of the exercise. The South African Air Force (SAAF) is vital for delivery of thousands of bulky gifts to forces in mainly the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Delivery of about 10 000 items must be fulfilled in three weeks
in December to ensure that all gifts reach military personnel in the field over the border as well as those serving on South Africa’s borders to bolster police operations and anti-poaching efforts in Kruger National Park. Hampers must also be with families by Christmas. The delivery of the gifts begins at De Brug in Bloemfontein after a pre-deployment parade. Each tog bag is filled with smaller items and the hamper boxes prepared over months by a dedicated SANDF team, seconded for the purpose, at a warehouse in Thaba Tshwane and then transported to where they are needed. Sponsors send representatives to De Brug to meet, greet and hand over to the expectant recipients. A chartered flight then undertakes a week-long visit from Waterkloof Airbase to various points where South African troops are operating to enable GWPP corporate supporters to personally participate in the handovers. Sponsored sports gear to facilitate sports activities whilst on deployment is also handed over. Military intelligence constantly monitors security and safety elements of its civilian VIPs. Following this visit buses depart from Pretoria to different provinces’ borders where SANDF personnel assist the South African Police Service with border patrolling as well as contribute to rhino and elephant anti-poaching drives in the Kruger National Park. Gifts are delivered to be handed over at unusual venues such as under trees and even on the side of the road as many of the locations for the troops are only arduously accessible. Any hospitalised soldier scheduled for Christmas crossborder or internal border duty will be visited by the Foundation to receive a gift as well. The family hampers are distributed through the SANDF on behalf of the SANDF Spouses Forum headed by Charlotte Shoke, the wife of the chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), General Solly Shoke.
