African Army Research Articles

The nightjar and the ant: Intercontinental migration reveals a cryptic interaction.

Birds and ants co-occur in most terrestrial ecosystems and engage in a range of interactions. Competition, mutualism and predation are prominent examples of these interactions, but there are possibly many others that remain to be identified and characterized. This study provides quantitative estimates of the frequency of toe amputations resulting from ant bites in a population of migratory red-necked nightjars (Caprimulgus ruficollis) monitored for 15 years (2009-2023) in S Spain, and identifies the attacker(s) based on taxonomic analyses of ant-mandible remains found on injured toes. Less than 1% of examined adults (N = 369) missed one or more toes. The analysis of ant remains identified African army ants (Dorylus sp.) as the primary cause of toe amputations in nightjars and revealed that body parts of the attacker may remain attached to the birds even after intercontinental migration. No cases of severe damage were observed in juveniles (N = 269), apart from the mandible of a Messor barbarus - a local ant species - attached to one of the teeth of the characteristic comb of the medial toe of nightjars. The incidence of ant-bite damage may appear unimportant for nightjar populations, but this might not be true if only birds that manage to survive their injuries and potential complications (e.g. severe bleeding and sepsis from opportunistic infections) return from the tropics. More field studies, ideally in tropical areas, that incorporate routine examination of ant-induced injuries into their protocols are needed to understand the true incidence and eco-evolutionary implications of antagonistic ant-bird interactions.

The influence of leaders’ attitudes and commitment to quality management of training on organisational excellence: a mixed-methods study

ABSTRACT Quality is core for all organisations, particularly training departments. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods research design, the researchers aimed to investigate leaders’ attitudes and commitment to quality management of training within corps training units within the South African (SA) Army. In the quantitative study, 229 respondents were distributed a survey instrument. At the same time, 49 participants who completed the survey instrument also partook in focus group interviews at six of the SA Army’s corps training units. Merged findings of both datasets confirmed that quality management of training was adversely affected by higher-level (formation and SA Army headquarters) leaders within the SA Army and that corps training unit officers’ attitudes affected their commitment to quality management of training adversely, which also affected the quality management of training in corps training units adversely. This research may benefit other organisations; by changing leaders’ undesirable attitudes, commitment may improve, and overall quality management of training.

Bachitheka Bugayiwe: Relevance of Zulu Proverbs amid the Covid-19 Context in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Proverbs fall within the ambit of folklore. Folklore is knowledge, cultural expressions, and traditions of a particular group, originally oral and passed along by word of mouth. This article examines Zulu proverbs applicable to the critical incident in which a wedding was forcibly dispersed by the South African Army on the first Saturday of the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020. A deluge of research has been done on proverbs. One can mention scholars such as Masuku who analysed the use of proverbs from the Africana-womanist perspective. Proverbs in isiZulu may be used to express a variety of emotions such as dismay, shock, and sadness when phenomena occur. It can also be used as a tool to educate and correct human behaviour through warnings and providing advice. In this article, proverbs will be analysed in the context of this discussion. Using the pragma-sociolinguistic theory, this research interviewed 30 purposively selected participants residing in King Cetshwayo District in Zululand and uMkhanyakude District in the northern KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. The findings reveal that proverbs still have a place in contemporary African society and that as a people, we need to use and apply them in our daily conversations and occurrences to avoid their extinction.

African army ants at the forefront of virome surveillance in a remote tropical forest

In this study, we used a predator-enabled metagenomics strategy to sample the virome of a remote and difficult-to-access densely forested African tropical region. Specifically, we focused our study on the use of army ants of the genus Dorylus that are obligate collective foragers and group predators that attack and overwhelm a broad array of animal prey. Using 209 army ant samples collected from 29 colonies and the virion-associated nucleic acid-based metagenomics approach, we showed that a broad diversity of bacterial, plant, invertebrate and vertebrate viral sequences were accumulated by army ants: including sequences from 157 different viral genera in 56 viral families. This suggests that using predators and scavengers such as army ants to sample broad swathes of tropical forest viromes can shed light on the composition and the structure of viral populations of these complex and inaccessible ecosystems.

African army ants at the forefront of virome surveillance in a remote tropical forest

African army ants at the forefront of virome surveillance in a remote tropical forest

African army ants at the forefront of virome surveillance in a remote tropical forest

African army ants at the forefront of virome surveillance in a remote tropical forest

Influence of Job Satisfaction on Employee Relations and Work Engagement

In order to positively influence the levels of employee job satisfaction and create work engagement, organisations need to ensure that employee relations are harmonious and strategically designed. Job satisfaction has been identified as a strategic tool for organisational success and sustainability. To date, no studies have investigated the influence of job satisfaction on employee relations and work engagement in a military setting in South Africa. The research design of this study was quantitative, utilising a structured, self-administered questionnaire. The responses were extrapolated and analysed. The questionnaire was distributed to 618 members of the targeted population of 13 741 personnel in the South African Army Formation. The response rate was 56.8% (N = 349). A 5-point Likert-scale comprising 67 questions was used to collect the data. The statistical analysis used structural equation modelling and revealed that the questionnaire had a relatively high internal validity and reliability. A key outcome was a validated framework for improving work engagement through employee relations and job satisfaction in the military. The themes and sub-themes that emerged concerned employee relations, job satisfaction and work engagement. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge regarding human resource management, particularly employee relations, job satisfaction and work engagement. Further, the study demonstrated that there was generally a linkage between job satisfaction, employee relations and work engagement among the population under study. The limitation of the study was that the generalisability of the results across the entire military and other sectors is not feasible. It was recommended that management put strategies in place to ensure that job satisfaction is enhanced and maintained so that it can positively contribute to high levels of employee relations and work engagement.

EXPLORING THE APPLICATION OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES WITHIN A MILITARY TRAINING UNIT

This research explored trainers and training officers’ experiences regarding the application of quality management principles to ensure effective quality management of training within a training unit of the South African Army. A qualitative, phenomenological research design was used with semi-structured individual interviews held with nine participants. Findings revealed that leaders did not have the necessary knowledge to support quality management of training within a training unit in the military effectively. Soldiers responsible for training were not involved in quality management decisions. Inadequate leadership support, lack of people involvement and the absence of a strong quality culture resulted in ineffective decision-making for quality improvement of training in the training unit under study. Findings point towards the importance of quality management principles to ensure effective quality management within training.

Psychometric properties of the Brief Sailor Resiliency Scale in the South African Army

Serving in the military is considered one of the most stressful occupations; therefore, because of the potential mitigation effect resilience has against stressors, it has often been incorporated as a component in predeployment programmes for soldiers. Consequently, assessing, facilitating and sustaining resilience is of particular importance in military environments. The Brief Sailor Resiliency Scale (BSRS) has been utilised within the South African Navy (SAN) environment, where it yielded promising results as a measure of resilience. The aim of this article is to investigate the psychometric properties of the BSRS and the applicability thereof to the South African Army (SA Army). The study utilised a sample of SA Army soldiers (N = 418) that completed the BSRS along with the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and the Dispositional Resilience Scale – II (DRS-II). The psychometric properties of the BSRS were examined through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM), together with construct validity and internal reliability. The model yielded acceptable fit, and the construct validity was supported with high internal reliability of the scales. Findings provided confirmatory evidence for the application of the BSRS as a resilience screening tool in the SA Army. The utilisation of the BSRS as a valid screening instrument, together with the aligned interventions, can potentially contribute substantially to the combat readiness of the SA Army.

English

In more than six years, Russia expanded its presence in Africa sevenfold, starting with four (4) countries in 2015 and reaching 25 by 2021, including the Central African Republic (CAR). In the CAR, Russia became a major actor alongside the fourteen (14) armed groups, the United Nations Blue Helmets, and the Central African Army forces. While Moscow is involved in security issues and military diplomacy with lucrative reward, China is engaged in several development activities. This study examines Russia’s and China’s motivations, interests, and strategies in the CAR. The authors use the New Scramble for Africa literature as their theoretical lens. The overall objective of this paper is to foster a greater understanding of Russia’s and China’s role in the CAR where armed groups control 60% of the resource-rich areas. The armed groups’ predatory activities and Moscow’s realist policy in the CAR derailed the peace process via direct confrontations between the great power and armed groups. These confrontations escalated the geopolitical rift between France and Russia over CAR. Our findings indicate that Russia and China will increasingly become engaged in strategic competition for the resources of CAR, with detrimental consequences for peace and prosperity in the CAR.   Key words: Russia, China, armed groups, minerals, Central African Republic, United Nations, New Scramble for Africa.

Leaders' attitudes towards, and commitment to quality management of training within the military

PurposeThe successful implementation of quality management in organizations is dependent on people, particularly leaders. It seems as if leaders' affective states (attitudes and commitment) in the military were connected to their capability to inspire people and a group (corps training unit) to achieve a common goal. The research reported in this article was aimed at examining officers in corps training units' attitudes towards, and commitment to quality management in training in the South African Army.Design/methodology/approachFocus group interviews were conducted with a sample of 49 officers on various levels (senior, junior and warrant officers) at six South African Army corps training units.FindingsThe findings indicate that the attitudes of leaders played a significant role to ensure that quality management of training is conducted effectively. Participants experienced that leaders in the South African Army were mostly responsible for the negative attitudes of officers in corps training units. Inadequate leadership support and lack of trust contributed to a lack of transparency and poor communication that resulted in poor commitment among officers at corps training units. The investigation further revealed that a positive affective state (attitudes and commitment) of leaders is essential in ensuring effective quality management of training.Originality/valueThe potential usefulness of this research may provide insight into how leaders' affective state could be improved to ensure effective quality management. This research may also be of interest to other organizations that conduct in-house training.

A measurement scale developed to investigate the effect of leaders' perceptions regarding attitudes towards and commitment to quality management of training

AbstractIt is broadly acknowledged that, for quality management to be effective, it needs to be viewed and implemented as a dynamic and active process by people in an organisation, specifically its leaders. This study aimed to determine the level of leaders' commitment with regard to their perceptions and attitudes concerning quality management of training in corps training units within the South African Army. The Leader Perception and Attitude Scale was developed for this purpose. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 229 leaders at six of the eight South African Army's corps training units. Correlation coefficients were determined, and structural equation modelling was performed. The results indicated that leaders' attitudes had a statistically significant influence on their commitment (p < 0.001), whereas perceptions had no statistically significant influence (p = 0.488). The results contrast with previous studies, which have mostly indicated that perceptions influence employee commitment. By targeting leaders' attitudes, therefore, the South African Army may be able to design and implement appropriate strategies to improve leaders' commitment and thereby enhance training effectiveness. The potential usefulness of a scale that measures the level of commitment of leaders and is able to indicate the level of effect that perceptions and attitudes can have, may be of interest to other military settings and organisations that conduct in‐house training.

Chwiejna lojalność żołnierzy Justyniana. Przyczyny rebelii w rzymskiej armii w Afryce w latach 536–546 n.e. Słowa

[The wavering loyalty of Emperor Justinian’s soldiers. The causes of the military revolts in Africa (536–545 AD)] Shortly after the liquidation of the Vandal rule in northern Africa and the restoration of the Roman administration, the newly established prefecture was shaken up by a series of military mutinies and rebellions. The revolts in the years 536–545 AD are represented in the contemporary witness accounts (esp. historian Procopius of Caesarea, poet Flavius Cresconius Corippus) as a case of a “civil war” among the Romans in the context of the concurrent conflict with the Berber (“Moor”) tribes. The history of the army mutinies has been depicted in accordance with the literary conventions and the propaganda‑oriented assumptions of the authors, with a striking background picture of the Roman army in a state of continual readiness to rise up in revolt against the emperor’s authority, which is something virtually unknown from any other contemporaneous war theatre, in consideration of a comparable scale. In his analysis of the unfolding events, the Author attempts to address not only the questions of the political intentions of the various rebellion leaders, but also (or even in particular) the motivations which would make the soldiers take part in such precarious undertakings. He points to a number of political, religious, and economic factors which caused the northern African army mutinies to escalate so violently, concluding with a paradoxical observation that in the newly established prefecture, the emperor would have counted on the loyalty of the locally recruited soldiers rather than on the elite troops to whose military skills he owed the re‑conquering of Africa.

The role of change management in improving policy effectiveness in the SANDF

Armed forces the world over have three primary functions – force development, force deployment and force employment. Defence policy plays a guiding role in all of these, but it is especially important in establishing the rationale for the creation of credible military deterrence. Usually, a defence policy presupposes the development of armed forces that are effective at executing their mandate, a condition that is measurablein terms of the discipline, skill and quality of the organisation. The study on which this article reports, used this concept to describe how change management – especially by focusing on incorporating effective prioritisation – could enhance the current defence policy. A general analysis of South African defence policy publications indicates that, indeed, the policymakers had thoroughly considered the effectiveness of the armed forces when they wrote the White Paper on Defence of 1996 and the Defence Review of 1998. By 2006, the South African Army had interpreted national defence policy and formulated a future strategy of its own very much in alignment with the ‘modern system’ approach of the original policy publications. The present study suggests that the principal reason for the large variance between defence policy, military capabilities, and real operational demands stems from the lack of effective prioritisation of defence. This article, therefore, concludes that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been largely unsuccessful in complying with the demands of defence policy, irrespective of the fact that the policy by itselfmay be obsolete and/or inappropriate for the South African context. Furthermore, it is concluded that military effectiveness in meeting current operational demands is also doubtful. Finally, the schizophrenic organisational culture of the defence force may be the primary cause of its moving ever closer to reneging on its constitutional mandate.

Examining the impact of military training exercises on vegetation: case of the South African Army Combat Training Centre Lohatla

Training under realistic combat conditions is a prerequisite for maintaining a strong and effective defence force. For training to be effective, militaries rely on the availability and accessibility of suitable training areas to conduct training activities that ensure preparation for executing missions with maximum effectiveness and fewer casualties. Training activities that ensure combat-ready soldiers often cause vegetation degradation through vegetation cover alteration, resultant soil erosion, and increased soil compaction. Ultimately, these activities might compromise the continued availability and accessibility of realistic training conditions. Therefore, it is imperative to early detect, monitor and mitigate vegetation change in military training areas, and to secure sound environmental practices to ensure the sustainable use of training areas. Determining vegetation change by conducting fieldwork is often both time-consuming and expensive. As an expedited, inexpensive way to investigate vegetation change at the South African Army Combat Training Centre (SA Army CTC) Lohatla, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to determine changes in vegetation after military training exercises. The NDVI results indicate the impact of military exercises on vegetation and shows that exercises with a long duration can indeed lead to vegetation degradation, but short term, light exercises have limited impact on vegetation.

Developing military environmental literacy in the South African Army through a dedicated military environmental management course

It is important for soldiers to be military environmentally literate to prevent unacceptable behaviour in the environment in which they conduct their missions. This is especially true during peacekeeping and disaster relief mission, but holds equally true for combat situations. Military environmental literacy is the nature and level of the attitude toward, knowledge about, and behaviour in and toward the environment in which the military operates. The construct of military environmental literacy (MEL) consists of three components, military environmental attitude (a general feeling of favour or disfavour toward the military environment, i.e. the environment in which the military operates), military environmental knowledge (the ability to identify a number of concepts and behaviour patterns related to the military environment, i.e. the environment in which the military operates), and military environmental behaviour (a demonstration of how one acts toward or in the military environment in which the military operates). The MEL of South African Army soldiers were measured in a study reported on in 2017, as well as in a test-retest survey in 2018. A specially developed valid and reliable questionnaire to test military environmental literacy was used in both surveys. This article argues that exposing soldiers to a dedicated military environmental management course can positively influence their military environmental literacy.

Is open source GIS feasible in military operations? Evaluation by applying a USE case

The study of terrain and all its related elements and facets are of crucial importance to the military. Lodi, Smit, and Ayirebi agreed with this statement and added that the importance of terrain was recognised by military leaders more than two thousand years ago.[i] Military operations can occur at any of the three levels of war: tactical, operational and strategic and can be a combat operation or a military operation other than war (MOOTW). Information about the geography empowers a military commander to plan and execute a mission successfully. As technology developed and evolved, geographic information systems (GIS) have come to play a major role in this. Today, a military operation without the use of GIS is unthinkable. In a developing country like the South Africa, however, licenses for proprietary GIS software, vendor-exclusive training and the bureaucracy of the procurement cycle add to the time and costs of a mission. The question arises whether open source software is a feasible alternative. Since the South African National Defence Force was initially trained in the use of proprietary software and it therefore became a strong habit, the perception now exits that FOSSGIS products are neither mature enough nor user-friendly enough to be used in military operations. This study evaluates the use of an open source desktop GIS product, QGIS, in a use case for a military operation “other than war” (MOOTW). QGIS outputs were compared to those produced in ArcGIS, a proprietary desktop GIS product widely used in military operations. The user-friendliness of the two products as well as pricing was also compared. Results show that the QGIS outputs provide the operational commander with equivalent information to successfully plan and execute a mission. This implies that open source GIS is suitable for military operations, especially those with limited budgets and at short notice, such as in the case of disaster relief. [i]    Lodi, K., Smit, H. & Ayirebi, G. (2014). Terrain analysis in the course curricula of the South African Army Engineer Corps. Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies, 42, 102-121.

Visual Symbols and Military Culture in Britain’s West African Colonial Army (c.1900–60)

Abstract Visual symbols like uniforms, emblems and ceremonies became central in inventing British military culture among West African forces reflecting orientalist and ornamentalist interpretations of empire. While uniforms fostered military identity, the versions devised for West African soldiers reproduced racial stereotypes and military fashion trends. Granting insignia and Colours to West African units transformed them from simplistic paramilitaries to honoured members of the British imperial milieu. Colours served as ritual objects enabling West African forces to recreate pivotal cultural events of the British regimental system. The public presence of uniformed West African soldiers promoted a sense of imperial majesty that reinforced British rule. Travelling to Britain, West African troops participated in parades and exhibitions initially displaying the epic scale of the empire, but eventually these military visitors became symbols of colonial reform. With independence, Britain’s former colonies in West Africa retained Western-style military symbols altered to highlight republicanism and modernist aspirations.

Functional design and performance evaluation of a metal handheld detector for land mines detection

This study is a requirement for new detectors that must be capable of effectively detecting land mines of low or non-metal content in the operational area employed within South Africa, for the replacement of the current Midas mine detector. The current system capabilities are no longer feasible to detect the latest mines since warfare has changed and with relatively no logistical support (spares, manuals, qualified personnel and workshop). The research focused more on the improvement in the systems’ capabilities of the detector in order to effectively detect the various types of mines found in the target area which were buried at the maximum operational depth, in all soil conditions with no loss of sensitivity and accuracy. The detector is also expected to accurately locate the position of a mine buried under the ground. The functional design and specification led to the acquisition of a low power and highly portable mine detector capable of delivering 24 hours continuous throughput before recharge. The performances of these upgrades were compared with the performance of the original Midas detector as well as the Guartel MD8 detector currently used by The South African Army Engineer Council (SAEC). The findings show significant improvement in the use of the new detectors. This suggests that the Midas handheld detector can be upgraded to meet the operational requirements regarding the detection of mines with a minimum metal content.

Barracks Islam and Command Christianity: Religion in Britain’s West African Colonial Army (c.1900–1960)

Religion was an important and dynamic aspect of Britain’s West African colonial army. The religious composition of the force changed from primarily Muslim in the late nineteenth century to primarily traditionalist and Muslim during the early twentieth century to overwhelmingly Christian during and immediately after the Second World War. These changes reflected not only military requirements but also broader social trends. While Muslim religious life in the military reflected a ‘barracks Islam’ accommodated by British officers, a top-down form of command Christianity emerged from the 1940s. Appointed during the Second World War, military chaplains and imams encouraged recruiting and strengthened morale but the presence of black religious officials challenged the existing racial hierarchy.