Joining the South African army is never automatic; you must prove yourself to be fit and capable of working with them. Once you complete and submit the form, if you are one of the selected candidates for the MSDS program, there are some processes that you will go through.
For instance, in your first year of service, you will undergo medical evaluation in the week of commencement to qualify for the Basic Military and functional training. Also, you will be subjected to other sets of training such as Corp-specific training and combat-ready training exercises before the junior leaders are eventually selected.
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Then, in the second year of the program, as a junior leader, you will receive what is known as leader group corps training as well as that of Young Officers Formative training. More so, during this period, officers who would be allowed to study at the Military Academy would be selected. Apart from that, the focus would also be given to the utilization and deployment of troops that have been produced from the Military Skills Development System (MSDS) program.
How do I apply for SANDF?
To be able to work with the SA Army, the first thing that you need to do, now that you have known the requirements, is to download the SA Army application form
from the Department of Defence’s official website. This Defence Intelligence application form must be carefully filled with the relevant information, and upon submission, please note that you will have to submit with the following documents:
- A valid means of identification/ID card;
- The authentic and verifiable copy of your grade 12 certificate. On the alternative, you can submit an attestation if you are presently in your 12th grade or you have not received your certificate;
- Your up-to-date Curriculum Vitae;
- The certificate of highest academic qualification which you have obtained so far.
Kindly note that if you are also interested in the South African Navy application forms or you desire to apply for the SA Airforce
, you can also download the form of each of them from their official websites. And once you have completed the form, note the following addresses also where you can submit the form to depending on which you are applying for:
1. SA Army contact address
The South African Department of Defense,
Directorate Human Resource acquisition,
Private Bag X2381,
Pretoria, 0001.
2. SA Navy contact address
The Department of Defence,
SA Navy Headquarter (Recruitment Center)
Private Bag X104,
Pretoria, 0001.
3. SAAF contact address
SA Air Force Headquarters (Directorate of Human Resource Services),
Private Bag X199,
Pretoria, 0001.
What are the requirements to join the Army in South Africa?
If you are desirous of joining the South African Army, there are specific requirements that you must meet up with. Specifically, to qualify to be a part of the 2019 MSDS programme, the following are the things that you must bear in mind:
- You must be a citizen of South Africa. While this is a must, note that if you are a dual citizen, your application will not be considered except you relinquish it.
- You must have no criminal record or any case that is pending, else, you would be automatically disqualified.
- Medically, you must be fit based on the requirements or appointment set up by the South African National Defense Force.
- Your age must be within 18 and 22 if you are applying with your grade 12 certificate. However, if you are a graduate, then, you must not be more than 26 years of age, and also, your degree certificate must be from a recognised university.
- While your marital status may not really count, it is advisable that you should apply if you are single as those in that category will enjoy preferential consideration.
- There must be a readiness to take part in essential military and functional training. Then, you must be ready to serve in the military uniform.
The requirements listed above are the same for anyone who desires to apply for the South African Special Forces or any of the other forces based on the SANDF recruitment 2019. Besides, there are some other specialised added requirements for anyone who desires to apply for any of the other forces apart from the army. So, for instance, if you check through the official website of the South African Air Force, you can get to know about the added requirements.
Moreover, if you are applying for the SA Navy, there are other requirements that you must note also. As an engineer or technician, together with your completed Grade 12, you should have Mathematics and Physical Science with a minimum of level 3. Besides, as a graduate, in Mechanical, Marine, or Electrical Engineering, you should have N6 with Trade Test Certificate.
