An age-old tradition with a twist set the scene to officially welcome the new leadership of the SA Air Force Station Port Elizabeth on Thursday at an unprecedented combined acceptance of command and change of office parade.
With the parade already formed, spectators seated and the brass band performing in the background, the officer commanding Air Force Station Port Elizabeth, Lieutenant-Colonel Nhlakanipho Zungu, accepted his appointment and the accompanying baton.
At the same event, the change of office for the regimental sergeant major’s parade was also held to welcome Senior Warrant Officer Willie Montally McLain in his capacity to uphold and set an example as the custodian of discipline.
The day proved to be a bittersweet event as Zungu’s predecessor, the late Lieutenant-Colonel Kamogelo Mosiane, passed away before having the opportunity to observe and partake in this military tradition.
The parade was dubbed as being unprecedented as under normal circumstances the two colonels would be on the podium to physically hand over and accept the baton of command.
Zungu said he was ecstatic that the tradition was upheld as he had been serving in the position since January 1 2024.
“It is a big deal as well as for the community to know who is running the Air Force Station.
“I run the support of flying operations. At the station we have the BK-117 helicopters.
“Our area of responsibility is the whole area of the Eastern Cape for things like sea rescues, mountain rescues. The BK can also work as an ambulance.
“Sometimes we have to take patients that require very fast medical assistance to various hospitals, as tasked by the medical emergencies services,” Zungu said.
The 41-year-old from Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal joined the SA Air Force in January 2003 after completing the department of defence Youth Foundation Training Programme in 2002.
He qualified as a pilot on the PC7 Pilatus Astra aircraft in 2006. In 2007, he started with his phase 1, having flown the R22 and Eurocopter EC120 helicopters.
Zungu went on to complete phase 2 of RWCC at 87 Helicopter Flying School. Later that year, he qualified as a co-pilot tour on the Oryx helicopter 15 Squadron in Durban.
During his tour at 15 Squadron, he was deployed on numerous occasions to the Democratic Republic of Congo under Operation Mistral, as an Oryx co-pilot and later as an Oryx commander.
In 2013, he completed his Operational Conversion Course on the BK 117 helicopter, becoming an operational commander on the helicopter.
During his time at Charlie Flight, he took part in various operations including Operation Rhino.
Upon completion of his BK117 operational command tour, he returned to 15 Squadron to command the Oryx helicopter.
He held various positions at 15 Squadron, including flight commander, 2IC and acting officer commanding.
Shortly after Zungu accepted his appointment, Mabuza handed over the Regimental Office to McLain during the change of office parade.
McLain, 53, obtained his diploma in teaching at the Manoshimoduane College before joining the volunteer programme at 1 Para Brigade.
In 1995, he joined the SA Air Force and completed basic military training at Valhalla, Pretoria.
He completed a number of courses including the SAAF Task Force, Dog Handler, Visual Tracking, Tactics on Marine and Rescue Aircraft Hijacked.
He has also been deployed on Operation Bolias (Lesotho), in Sierra Leone, and Operation Faiber under the then OAU (Haiti, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia).
His military achievements include the fittest male in the SAAF in 2000, and the first SAAF member to take part in the committee to implement and design the Fittest Soldier Competition in the department of defence in 2008.
He also received acknowledgments by former defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota and was awarded a bronze medal for bravery.
McLain said it was an honour and privileged to take on the new role.
“God assisted to have me in this position.
“Development happens each and every day. We get educated daily with new technology emerging daily.
“We have to adapt to the new world as it is coming up.
“My duties are to support the officer commanding [on] regimental aspects as well as to make sure all members are combat-ready should they be called up.
“To train members for all conditions, the weather here in Gqeberha is ideal.
“We want to train them for those windy conditions to see how we can uplift our standard to achieve our goals in seeing our advantages and disadvantages,” McLain said.
Major-General Siphiwe Dlomo, who is the general officer commanding Air Command, said since the establishment of the station as a base in 1938 as 7 Air Depot, members had served during World War 2 (North Africa) and in other conflicts and natural disasters.
“This station has housed and was responsible for Harvards, Alouettes and Impala MKIs.
In 2003, the station was assigned a responsibility of the C-Flight as resident for the entire fleet of BK-117s.
“Gqeberha is a special home for airmen and air women of the SAAF and a strong hub of aviation enthusiasts. We have a museum to attest to this assertion,” Dlomo said.
The Herald
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