Pretoria - The South African Air Force celebrated its 103rd birthday with a prestige ceremony and parade at its base in Swartkop, Pretoria, yesterday.
Spectators enjoyed flight demonstrations with pilots displaying various stunts and leading teams.
Cannons began proceedings by firing to open the event, stunning the audience and shaking the ground with their loud and smoking explosions that could be heard far and wide across Thaba Tshwane.
During the occasion, chief of the SA Air Force Lieutenant-General Wiseman Mbambo announced Overberg Air Force Base as Base of the Year award winner.
The award seeks to acknowledge performance on the upholding of standards and exceeding expectations by directorates, bases, units and squadrons.
Following its years of existence and priding itself for being one of the oldest air forces in the world, the South Africa Air Force Prestige set aside the day to honour and celebrate the rank and file of the air force, who solemnly swore to ensure that the people of South Africa are and feel safe.
Speaking about the total wellness of the air force, the general said: "The South African Air Force vision of projecting effective air and space power through innovation in the theatre of our operations will remain a pipe-dream unless we address the matter of total wellness of our people.
"What is the total wellness? This includes spirit and mind wellness, physical and health wellness, and financial wellness.
"Unless our people are totally well in all these areas, they cannot perform to their maximum capacity. At the moment, the members of the air force are incapable of delivering to their full potential due to these hindrances."
Mbambo told the members and guests that strategic discussions with relevant role players to craft a way forward to address the total wellness of the air force had begun.
He said this year, the air force would continue its journey to becoming paperless and utilising new technology. It would also utilise, to the maximum, innovation and technology.
Pretoria News