Zimbabwe army hails SANDF for support

The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has hailed South African National Defence Forces (SANDF) for upholding military cooperation with Zimbabwe by dispatching a team of engineers to assist in rehabilitating infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Idai.

ZNA Commander, Lieutenant-General Edzai Chimonyo, made the remarks at Kopa in Chimanimani when he officially welcomed SANDF engineers who are in the area to assist in reconstruction of damaged roads and bridges.

Lt-Gen Chimonyo said the cordial relations that exist between South Africa and Zimbabwe military forces dated back to the liberation struggle era when they shared a common vision of liberating the country.

"As the Zimbabwe National Army, we hail the cordial relations between South Africa and Zimbabwe," he said. "These relations date back to the days of the liberation struggle when our freedom fighters shared the same trenches in the bases and also in the frontlines as we fought to dislodge our erstwhile colonisers and oppressors."

Lt-Gen Chimonyo said the coming in of the SANDF engineers team was the fulfilment of the pledge by South Africa's International and Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu to extend a hand towards rehabilitating damaged infrastructure.

"The gesture by the SANDF is in fulfilment of the pledge that their county's minister of International Affairs and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu made to Zimbabwe after Cyclone Idai left a trail of destruction mainly in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts and some parts of the country," he said.

The South African government donated two Baily Bridges which the SANDF engineers, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel D Ncjoko, are going to lay over Rusitu and Nyahode rivers in Chimanimani district, which upon completion would assist in improving accessibility to the areas.