South African National Defence Force hosts media launch and 2026 Armed Forces Day Celebration in Thohoyandou, 4 and 21 Feb

The President of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) and Commander-in-Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) proclaimed that 21 February each year will be observed and commemorated as Armed Forces Day (AFD). In celebrating the 2026 edition of Armed Forces Day, members of the media are invited to attend the Media Launch event scheduled to build-up to the main Armed Forces Day parade and Wreath Laying Ceremony in Limpopo Province on Saturday, 21 February 2026. The events are scheduled as follows;

AFD media launch – Thursday, 04 February 2026

The SANDF will host a Media Launch on Wednesday, 04 February 2026 at Thulamela Library (indoor multi-sports complex) in Thohoyandou, Limpopo Province. The aim of the Media Launch is to announce the arrival of the SANDF, and the scheduled events in celebration of AFD 2026. The Chief Executor, Chief of the SA Army (C Army), Lieutenant General Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha and a panel of senior officials of the SANDF, will address the media to give an overview of the AFD 2026 celebrations. A Question and Answer (Q&A) session has been scheduled.

You are cordially invited to send a journalist and or a cameraperson to attend and give coverage to the Media Launch. Interested / assigned members of the media based in Gauteng will be transported by road from Air Force Base Waterkloof in the morning of Wednesday, 03 February 2026 and back to Pretoria on the following day. Reporting time in the morning at Armscor Sports Ground, Erasmuskloof will be confirmed and communicated in due course.

RSVP`s for members of the media based in Gauteng must reach Major Keitumetse Mashoba on 078 098 9072 or office number (012) 355 6388 on or before Wednesday, 28 January 2026 and to include full name and surname, ID no, media house and contact details. RSVP`s will be treated on a first-response-first-seat basis. No exceptions will be made for late RSVP`s.

Armed Forces Day Parade - Saturday, 21 February 2026

The main event of the Armed Forces Day celebrations will be held at the Thavhani Mall along the R524 (Phunda Maria Road) in Thohoyandou, Limpopo Province. All Arms-of-Service of the SANDF will take salute from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. As part of the day`s programme, there will also be a multi aircraft fly-past by the SA Air Force (SAAF).

The AFD Parade will be preceded by a Wreath Laying Ceremony in Thohoyandou (Memorial Site), Limpopo Province. The Commander-in-Chief and President of the country, his Excellency President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa will lay a wreath in commemoration of the SS Mendi troopship that sank on 21 February 1917 after it collided with a large cargo steamship, Darro, in the English Channel south of the Isle of Wight. The troopship SS Mendi sank killing 646 people, all of whom were black South African troops of the South African Native Labour Corps (SANLC). The ceremony will also commemorate all SANDF soldiers who have fallen in the line of duty, both internally and externally.

Accredited members of the media based in Gauteng will be transported by road to Limpopo Province on Friday, 20 February 2026. Reporting time at Armscor Sports Ground will be confirmed and communicated in due course. The entourage will return from Thohoyandou to Pretoria on 22 February 2026.

RSVP`s (accredited journalists based in Gauteng) must reach Major Keitumetse Mashoba on 078 098 9072 or office number (012) 355 6388 on or before Friday, 6 February 2026 no later than 15:00 and to include full name and surname, ID no, media house and contact details.

RSVP`s will be treated on a first-response-first-seat basis as seating is limited. No exceptions will be made for late RSVP`s.

Media accreditation application

Members of the media are advised to apply for accreditation by means of RSVP as stated above or as soon as possible to avoid disappointment and late submission. RSVP will automatically be treated as an application for media accreditation. Rejected applications (vetting issues) will be communicated directly to the affected member immediately. A rejected application for accreditation will lead to rejection of RSVP of the affected applicant.

Requests for media accreditation must be forwarded to the Defence Media Liaison section at this email address: sandfmedialiaison@gmail.com. Please take note that the accreditation process takes longer than 24 hours and cannot be finalised and granted within a short notice. No member of the media will be allowed access to the main AFD Parade without media accreditation.

Enquiries:    

Brigadier General Selinah Rawlins
Director Defence Corporate Communication
Cell: 078 098 7712

Coordinators: Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton Ngubane
Cell: 083 280 7548 
Tel: 012 355 6388

Major Keitumetse Mashoba
Cell: 078 098 9072 
Tel: 012 355 6388

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