ZNA lowers the bar

The recruitment exercise was for general duty soldiers in the Matabeleland area. The potential candidates were supposed to be between 18 and 22 years and have five ordinary level passes. They were also meant to be able to complete a 10 km road run in 45 minutes. The recruiting officers were, however, forced to lower the selection criteria after the required candidates failed to turn up for the exercise at Tshanda, Dinyane, Nemane and Sipepa Business Centre where the recruiting teams were stationed. Most of the candidates who turned up in Tshanda, Dinyane and Nemane were graduates of the National Youth Training Services who did not have the requisite qualifications, forcing the recruiting team to recruit candidates

without any O level qualifications. In some instances candidates as old as 27 years were also admitted in the army after potential candidates shunned the exercise said a recruiting officer who spoke to The Zimbabwean strictly on condition of anonymity.

The recruiting officer said most of the people who eventually made it into the army were school drop outs. In terms of fitness the candidates were up to standard, but the problem is that of educational qualifications. Interestingly the exercise has been over subscribed by over qualified people in other provinces, he said. Most school leavers with good O level passes in rural Matabeleland often migrate to South Africa to look for jobs. Observers also attributed the failure by the army to recruit ideal candidates in the area because of the bad image which the army is associated with in the area because of the gukurahundi era where the notorious Five Brigade allegedly killed civilians in Matabeleland. Efforts to get a comment from the armys spokesperson in Bulawayo were unsuccessful.