Surgeon General of the South African National Defence Force awarded 20-year loyal service medals to South African Military Health Service personnel during a parade at the Wynberg Military Sports Ground in Cape Town on May 22, 2026.
Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
Long-serving military healthcare workers were honoured in Cape Town on Friday as Surgeon General of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Lieutenant General Ntshavheni Peter Maphaha, concluded a week-long oversight visit to military health facilities across the Western Cape.
Maphaha presided over a medal parade at the Wynberg Military Sports Ground, where members of the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS) received 20-year loyal service medals in recognition of their contribution to military healthcare and the operational readiness of the defence force.
The Department of Defence said the event followed "a comprehensive week-long tour and oversight visit of military health facilities and sickbays in the province" undertaken by the Surgeon General.
The department added that the parade also marked Maphaha's official farewell to military health personnel stationed in the Western Cape, as he nears the end of his term in office.
"As Lt-Gen Maphaha nears the end of his term in office, this parade marks his official farewell to the South African Military Health Service personnel stationed in the Western Cape region," the department said in a statement.
Military healthcare personnel attend a medal parade hosted by Surgeon General Lieutenant-General Ntshavheni Peter Maphaha in Wynberg, Cape Town, on May 22, 2026, as part of a week-long oversight visit to health facilities in the Western Cape.
Image: Supplied
According to the department, the medals were awarded under the theme "Towards Military Health Excellence" and recognise members who have dedicated two decades of service to military healthcare.
"In line with the theme 'Towards Military Health Excellence', the Surgeon General will confer 20-year loyal service medals to deserving members, acknowledging their decades of commitment to military healthcare and contribution to the readiness of the SANDF," the statement read.
The South African Military Health Service is one of the four arms of the SANDF and is responsible for providing healthcare support to military personnel, veterans, and other authorised beneficiaries. The service operates hospitals, clinics, and specialised medical facilities that support military operations and humanitarian missions.
Maphaha has served as Surgeon General since November 2021, following his appointment as the head of the South African Military Health Service. Before assuming the role, he occupied several senior military medical positions and participated in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions elsewhere on the African continent.
Throughout his tenure, Maphaha has championed efforts to strengthen military healthcare infrastructure and improve medical readiness within the defence force.
The Western Cape visit formed part of his final engagements with military healthcare personnel before the conclusion of his term, with inspections focusing on facilities responsible for delivering healthcare services to SANDF members in the province.
lilota.gcwabe@inl.co.za