NDF jobs: Army defies 2002 HIV ruling
The ministry of defence yesterday said a 2002 court ruling against mandatory HIV testing for recruitment to the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) has stymied its ability to recruit “healthy and reliable” soldiers – hence its insistence for HIV tests in its latest round of recruitments.
Almost two decades ago, a former People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) member sued the minister of defence after being barred from joining the military in September 1996 because of his HIV-positive status, arguing that apart from this, he was healthy.
The Labour Court subsequently declared the NDF’s policy of barring recruits who have HIV as unfair discrimination.
Dilemma
However, this time around, Major-General Petrus Nathinge of the military college confirmed that the NDF is forging ahead with its mandatory HIV testing requirement - which forms part of a comprehensive medical exam - because the arduous nature of army training puts recruits at a high risk of transmission.
“The court case and the verdict has not made it easy for the NDF to get the type of fit and healthy people that it wants in its operations. We are in a dilemma; I cannot say whether a person who tests positive will be recruited or not.
“We will handle the applications and the decision to recruit will rest with our office,” he said.
Namibian Sun reliably understands that in the past, the NDF recruited HIV-positive candidates, however they were all stationed in one department - which eventually led to serious stigmatisation and created a human rights crisis in the force.
This may explain the NDF’s reluctance to now take on HIV-positive candidates.
Nathinge declined to comment on this and stressed that they cannot say whether HIV-positive candidates would be turned away or not. Instead, according to him, the HIV test is a mere precautionary measure to prevent transmission during training and elsewhere where NDF soldiers will be expected to participate or operate under strenuous conditions.
“They must obtain a level of health. Those from the air force, for example: The traffic controllers are subjected to health tests including HIV every year and the purpose is because they carry the lives of the people whenever they carry out their duty. Therefore, they are expected to be aware of their sickness and their treatment. If they are found not to be fit, their licences are revoked.
“Soldiers have that responsibility,” he said.
Only for the vaccinated
Another controversial requirement to join the army is being fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and according to Nathinge, no one is forced to get vaccinated - but if they are not willing to take the jab, they cannot apply.
He pointed out that vaccination against Covid-19 is necessary because masks are not allowed during training sessions because of the risk of suffocation. As such, candidates ought to be vaccinated to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, he said.
“Military training courses are time-intensive and require all the trainees to participate in all lessons and practices... If one was to be hospitalised during the duration of the training, they are regarded to have failed the course and can therefore not be enlisted in the NDF."
Not for dropouts
Another requirement for which the army has received backlash is the use of the official language, English, and the requirement of 25 points with an E in English or 27 points with a D in English.
According to critics, this puts young grade 10 dropouts and grade 12s with few points at a disadvantage.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of parliament Elma Dienda said this requirement is unacceptable because it puts the army at the level of a university and discriminates against those who do not make the cut.
Nathinge, however, was unmoved and argued that NDF members are expected to use sophisticated warcraft and fly fighter aircrafts as well as navigate warships, military artillery and missile systems, which cannot be operated by school dropouts.
“We are not using knobkieries and bows and arrows. These recruits must understand how the guns work,” he said.
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Almost two decades ago, a former People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) member sued the minister of defence after being barred from joining the military in September 1996 because of his HIV-positive status, arguing that apart from this, he was healthy.
The Labour Court subsequently declared the NDF’s policy of barring recruits who have HIV as unfair discrimination.
Dilemma
However, this time around, Major-General Petrus Nathinge of the military college confirmed that the NDF is forging ahead with its mandatory HIV testing requirement - which forms part of a comprehensive medical exam - because the arduous nature of army training puts recruits at a high risk of transmission.
“The court case and the verdict has not made it easy for the NDF to get the type of fit and healthy people that it wants in its operations. We are in a dilemma; I cannot say whether a person who tests positive will be recruited or not.
“We will handle the applications and the decision to recruit will rest with our office,” he said.
Namibian Sun reliably understands that in the past, the NDF recruited HIV-positive candidates, however they were all stationed in one department - which eventually led to serious stigmatisation and created a human rights crisis in the force.
This may explain the NDF’s reluctance to now take on HIV-positive candidates.
Nathinge declined to comment on this and stressed that they cannot say whether HIV-positive candidates would be turned away or not. Instead, according to him, the HIV test is a mere precautionary measure to prevent transmission during training and elsewhere where NDF soldiers will be expected to participate or operate under strenuous conditions.
“They must obtain a level of health. Those from the air force, for example: The traffic controllers are subjected to health tests including HIV every year and the purpose is because they carry the lives of the people whenever they carry out their duty. Therefore, they are expected to be aware of their sickness and their treatment. If they are found not to be fit, their licences are revoked.
“Soldiers have that responsibility,” he said.
Only for the vaccinated
Another controversial requirement to join the army is being fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and according to Nathinge, no one is forced to get vaccinated - but if they are not willing to take the jab, they cannot apply.
He pointed out that vaccination against Covid-19 is necessary because masks are not allowed during training sessions because of the risk of suffocation. As such, candidates ought to be vaccinated to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, he said.
“Military training courses are time-intensive and require all the trainees to participate in all lessons and practices... If one was to be hospitalised during the duration of the training, they are regarded to have failed the course and can therefore not be enlisted in the NDF."
Not for dropouts
Another requirement for which the army has received backlash is the use of the official language, English, and the requirement of 25 points with an E in English or 27 points with a D in English.
According to critics, this puts young grade 10 dropouts and grade 12s with few points at a disadvantage.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of parliament Elma Dienda said this requirement is unacceptable because it puts the army at the level of a university and discriminates against those who do not make the cut.
Nathinge, however, was unmoved and argued that NDF members are expected to use sophisticated warcraft and fly fighter aircrafts as well as navigate warships, military artillery and missile systems, which cannot be operated by school dropouts.
“We are not using knobkieries and bows and arrows. These recruits must understand how the guns work,” he said.
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