The Herald, July 19, 1979
THE first national servicemen to attest into the army since the majority rule government began their compulsory 12 months’ service at Llewellin Barracks yesterday.
About 1 500 men including 1 300 blacks, reported at the Barracks after being picked up from Heany Junction and the City Hall by Army trucks.
Aged between 18 and 25, they were drawn from throughout the country with about 1 000 coming by a troop train from Salisbury.
Llewellin Barracks’ commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Roy Matkovich said he expected about a further 150 “stragglers” to report within the next few days.
Commenting on the large number of recruits who have reported for duty with Intake 165 – the third integrated intake to be taken into the army – Colonel Matkovich said he thought “things have snowballed since Intake 163.”
“Word has got around that conditions here are good and we have now got a very good response.”
LESSONS FOR TODAY
National duty is an important component that is crucial to embodying a sense of patriotism and discipline, especially in younger citizens.
There is need for support for such programmes, especially the youth service programme in the country which has seen thousands of youths undergoing training at the Border Gezi national youth service programme.
National youth service programmes are not peculiar to any continent. In countries such as Mexico and Nigeria, such programmes are compulsory.
When the right conditions are set, people tend to get a lot of positive results and responses from youth service programmes.