The Reserve Officers' Association of South Africa (ROASA) was formally established in May 1993, with Brigadier Klaus P.C.O. von Lieres und Wilkau as its president. The main objective of the ROASA, being a voluntary society not for gain, was to support the national security policy of South Africa. The ROASA endeavoured to establish international relations with similar organizations such as the Inte
r-Allied Confederation of Reserve Officers (COIR) and the Inter-Allied Confederation of Medical Reserve Officers (CIOMR). The active members of the ROASA consisted of Part-time Component serving or retired officers from the different arms of the services of the South African (National) Defence Force. After having negotiated the admission of South Africa to the CIOR and CIOMR (with the assistance of the USA and France) in 1996, the ROASA ensured its international obligations were met, and this included the attendance of annual summer congresses abroad. To secure the representation of all Reserve Force stakeholders in South Africa, discussions were held in 1999 between members of the following organisations:
* the Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA)
* the Association of Officers of the Republic of South Africa (AORSA)
* the Umkhonto we Sizwe "MK" Veterans Associations (MKVA)
* the Reserve Force Council (RFC)
* the Reserve Officers' Association of South Africa (ROASA)
As a result, the RFC unified on 18 November 1999 with the AORSA and the ROASA to establish a single body to be known as the Association of the Reserve Force Council (RFC), constituted in terms of the Defence Act, 2002 (Act No. 42 of 2002) of South Africa.
