Facebook (SANDF)
The South African Navy is in Gqeberha this week as part of country-wide recruitment for divers.
The initiative began in Gauteng in April and is nearing its end, with the Eastern Cape and Western Cape as the last two provinces on the itinerary.
On Wednesday, navy recruiters were in Buffalo City, and are screening candidates at the Newton Park Swimming Pool in Gqeberha on Thursday.
Lieutenant Daphney Maja told Algoa FM News that the current recruitment drive has a specific focus on candidates who have Pure Mathematics or technical maths Level 3 as part of the qualifications.
She says this is necessary because once they are done with their basic military training in Saldanha next year, they will move to the SA Navy diving school where they will start with their courses.
Maja says their courses entail a lot of mathematics because they are expected to do underwater welding for their SA Navy ships, which requires a lot of mathematics.
Maths Lit though was no longer compatible with their training and learning programmes have changed as well.
"And, of course, the equipment that is being acquired by the SA Navy is of high levels that require people to have Maths Level 3. Moving forward we are encouraging the youth who did not make the paper selection to go and upgrade their Maths Literacy to Pure Maths because it gives them a better chance" she added.
Lieutenant Maja, also highlighted the importance of access to swimming pools in different municipalities across the country.
She said in Limpopo where over 300 people applied, just one person was able to pass the paper selection phase and the water and land phases of the recruitment drive.
In the Eastern Cape, however, candidates in Zwelitsha and East London did not have a single recruit who was competent in the water phase test.
In Gqeberha, four candidates have passed the 300m swim but only have Math lit, which is a disadvantage.
The navy is hoping to get 30 recruits in total who will then have to go to Pretoria where the candidates will be vetted by checking their academic qualifications, and if they have a criminal record.
The SA Navy saw a gap and a need for navy divers as they are crucial personnel.
The last section of the process will be at the Navy Diving School in Cape Town.
