DZINGAHE – In a move to lure prospective young Africans to follow careers in the South African Air Force, the Makhado Air Force Base has invited 33 learners of Dengenya High School, north of Thohoyandou, to attend their annual Airpower Capability Demonstration on Thursday last week.

The invitation is part of the Siyandiza (We are flying) project, which is aimed at encouraging youths from the disadvantaged communities to join the Air Force.

Learners had the opportunity to get information on the various attractive careers in the Air Force and they also enjoyed a day-long Air Force Demonstration at Roodewal Air Weapons Range. The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the learners’ invitation was facilitated by the local well-known community builder, Amie Chhaya.

Siyandiza Project Coordinator, Captain Lufuno Takalani of the Makhado Air Force Base, said the learners were invited to have a practical experience of what the Air Force offers to the community.

He told Mirror: “There are exiting careers in the Air Force, but our young learners lack the knowledge on how they can venture into wonderful careers in the Air Force. We also want to enrich our fellow youths with the knowledge that will assist them in making wise decisions with regard to career choices in the Air Force. Although the Air Force was predominately composed of whites, the Siyandiza project encourages black youths to take up careers like Piloting, Air Traffic Controlling, Aircraft Engineering and Navigation.”

Takalani further said the youths should change their mind sets, as soldiers are traditionally regarded as primitives who are always carrying guns and terrorizing the community without cause.

“Airpower is a force for peace which strives to meet the aspirations of the country’s effectiveness. That is why we invited these kids to come and have a glimpse of what the Air Force is all about. We are targeting school kids because we know the Air Force needs young and able people who will serve it with pride.”

During the show, the learners were lectured on different career opportunities in the Air Force, and they also had a chance to ask questions about those career opportunities.

Learners also had a live viewing of how helicopters drop pathways, Cheetah mortar firing, Rooivalk Combat Search and Rescue, Cheetah Dive Bombing and the Oryx Extraction of troops and mortars.

A grade 12 learner who attended the Airpower Capability Demonstration, Livhuwani Netshitomboni said: “The invitation was an eye opener to me because I now know of different careers that one can follow in the Air Force. This was a very exciting opportunity and I was not even aware that there are bursaries that can assist us financially to realize our dreams in the Air Force.”