SANDU Western Cape Regional Organiser

Tim Flack, equality activist and energetic voice in Parliament for the soldiers in the South African Defence Force, believes that people should always strive for what is right, no matter the cost.

This is what Flack lives by, and he has paid dearly for it, but still he champions the cause of right against wrong.

Flack joined the South African Navy as a musician – a classically trained trumpeter – in 2007. Two years later he married, and it was his determination to be with his wife during her difficult pregnancy that saw him shunted around to various units around the country.

Ultimately Flack lost his position in his unit, lost his marriage and his relationship with his son was jeopardised.

He joined the South African Defence Force Union (Sandu) and is now an active member of the movement, looking after the needs and rights of soldiers.

“During those turbulent years, I recognised the plight of the South African soldier, experiencing their daily hardships, heartaches and troubles first-hand. I made a decision that I would do everything I could to never allow another soldier to go through what I did. It destroyed my marriage, my relationship with my three-year-old son, and nearly gave me a nervous breakdown. Joining Sandu changed my life and gave me something to fight for,” he says.

And fight he does: Flack is the union’s parliamentary representative, whose role it is to attend defence portfolio committee meetings to ensure things are being done correctly. He sees to it that South Africa’s soldiers not only have a voice in Parliament, but also have access to the defence committee and to the minister of defence.

Importantly, it was Sandu that uncovered the Guptagate scandal, as well as several other national interest exposés.

Flack believes only negative things result from people turning a blind eye to corruption.

“Our country is suffering because too many good people stand by and do nothing.”
— Linda Doke

Twitter: @tim_meh87