​The students of the Military Academy, which also houses Stellenbosch University's (SU) Faculty of Military Science, based in Saldanha, are closing in on the finish line of this year's 'Trans Enduro' race.  

Each year, the Military Academy students raise funds by planning, organising and participating the Exercise 'Trans Enduro' event. Four teams – a land-, running-, cycling- and sea team – travel from Port Elizabeth to Saldanha over a period of nine days, staying over in towns along the way. The towns visited include Stilbaai, Plettenberg Bay, Hermanus and Stilbaai. A total of 200 Academy students are participating in the event this year. They will arrive back in Saldanha on Saturday, 3 December.

"Trans Enduro 2016 kicked off the 25th of November in Port Elizabeth. The trip had its challenges but we were able to overcome and arrive in time to launch," said Captain Swipey Lourens, one of the main coordinators of the event. "The exercise has been going extremely well - the positivity of the entire student body and energy has been inspiring. Each day, the endurance student body have surpassed their set endurance scales and have continued with high momentum from each town to the next."

While the cycling team covers a certain distance on bicycles, the sea team travels along the coast with two rubber dinghies, and the land team drives with vehicles from town to town collecting money and preparing for the other teams' arrival. There is also a running team that covers a distance of 10 km each day.  At certain points the teams change and they also do community service in towns along the way by, amongst others, cleaning streets and neighbourhoods, painting school buildings, and visiting retirement homes.

The money will go towards community development projects run by Matie Community Service and MASIZA, the Military Academy's community service organisation.

According to Lourens, some of the projects the MASIZA team tackled in the various towns include working in Yellow Wood pre-school to donate clothing and fixing their generator, painting Zamauxolo preschool's nursery school and donating a toilet there, cleaning the grounds of the local Kouga clinic, donating sanitary towels and delivering a child abuse awareness presentation.

"Our land team continues to request for donations at each town, tirelessly and with enthusiasm," said Lourens.

The Trans Enduro exercise is planned and executed by the Academy students. This develops their leadership skills and enhances their understanding of the practical issues related to community service. In return, communities get exposed to the high calibre of the young men and women serving in defence of the country.

It is also tradition that the mayor of each town writes a short letter of goodwill to the mayor of the next town. The letter is handed to the exercise commander who delivers it to the mayor of the next town.

"There is continued support from the Mayors' offices at each town - the 'Trans Enduro' exercise has received warm welcomes from the communities," Lourens said. "So the teams are heading on with teamwork that makes the dream work."