South African Border Wars

By Desmond Latham

Listen to a podcast, please open Podcast Republic app. Available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Image by Desmond Latham

Category: History

Open in Apple Podcasts


Open RSS feed


Open Website


Rate for this podcast

Subscribers: 16
Reviews: 0
Episodes: 113

Description

Much has been written about the South African Border war which is also known as the Namibian War of Independence. While the fighting was ostensibly about Namibia, most of the significant battles were fought inside Namibia’s northern neighbour, Angola. South Africa’s 23 year border war has been almost forgotten as the Cold War ebbed away and bygones were swept under the political carpet. South African politicians, particularly the ANC and the National Party, decided during negotiations to end years of conflict that the Truth and Reconciliation commission would focus on the internal struggle inside South Africa. For most conscripts in the South African Defence Force, the SADF, they completed matric and then were drafted into the military. For SWAPO or UNITA or the MPLA army FAPLA it was a similar experience but defined largely by a political awakening and usually linked to information spread through villages and in towns. This was a young person’s war which most wars are – after all the most disposable members of society are its young men. Nor was it simply a war between white and black. IT was more a conflict on the ground between red and green. Communism and Capitalism. The other reality was despite being a low-key war, it was high intensity and at times featured unconventional warfare as well as conventional. SADF soldiers would often fight on foot, walking patrols, contacts would take place between these troops and SWAPO. There were many conventional battles involving motorised heavy vehicles, tanks, artillery, air bombardments and mechanised units rolling into attack each other. The combatants included Russians, American former Vietnam vets, Cubans, East Germans and Portuguese.

Episode Date
Episode 113 - More details about the fierce fighting when PLAN invaded Namibia in April 1989
Jul 10, 2023
Episode 112 - SWAPO's Sam Nujoma pulls a fast one and UNTAG struggles to cope
Jul 03, 2023
Episode 111 - Two Scorpions in a bottle and peace after 23 years
Jun 25, 2023
Episode 110 - Cuban MiG-23s bomb Calueque Dam and 11 SADF troops pay the price
Jun 19, 2023
Episode 109 - A Bosbok survives a missile near miss as both the SADF and the Cubans gear up
Jun 11, 2023
Episode 108 - Cubans start heading towards Calueque Dam and another South African POW
Jun 05, 2023
Episode 107 – Reagan, Gorbachev, Ulysses the Bull, Fidel Castro: Diplomacy Breaks Out
May 28, 2023
Episode 106 – Operation Packer/Tumpo 3 and Castro’s obsession
May 23, 2023
Episode 105 – Citizen Force ou-manne train for the third Battle of Tumpo while Russians drink rice-vodka to forget
May 16, 2023
Episode 104 – The SAAF raids Lubango and a tired 61 Mech launches the Battle of Tumpo II
May 07, 2023
Episode 103 – The First Battle of Tumpo Triangle where 61 Mech faced a fierce FAPLA bombardment
May 01, 2023
Episode 102 – 32 Battalion strikes Menongue Airfield and a Mirage is shot down
Apr 23, 2023
Episode 101 – The Valentines Day assault on 59 Brigade and a Cuban tank ambush
Apr 16, 2023
Episode 100 – FAPLA pushed from their positions along the Chambinga High Ground on Friday 13th
Apr 11, 2023
Episode 99 – The SAAF tests a top secret weapon while new recruits come to terms with giant moths and skulking MiGs
Apr 02, 2023
Episode 98 – Hougaard goes marauding and a Russian commander dies as an ammunition bunker explodes
Mar 26, 2023
Episode 97 – Castro starts to talk peace but along the Cuito River all hell rains down
Mar 19, 2023
Episode 96 – The Chambinga Gallop and the end of Operation Moduler
Mar 12, 2023
Episode 95 – 21/25 Brigade makes a dash for the Chambinga Bridge amidst heroics by 32's Van Zyl
Mar 05, 2023
Episode 94 – South African and Russian tanks go toe-to-toe at the Chambinga river in southern Angola
Feb 26, 2023
Episode 93 – Russians claim chemical weapon attack as the SADF pounds FAPLA
Feb 19, 2023
Episode 92 – An indebted Pretoria fixates on Cuito Cuanavale
Feb 12, 2023
Episode 91 – Russians on the Lomba and the Olifant Battle Tank
Feb 06, 2023
Episode 90 – FAPLAs 47th Brigade shattered as Operation Moduler continues
Jan 29, 2023
Episode 89 – Mirages, MiGs, missiles & the Lomba River tango to the death
Jan 23, 2023
Episode 88 – Operation Moduler begins with T54/55s taking on Ratels at the Lomba
Jan 15, 2023
Episode 87 –Crocodiles attack Recces and the Lomba River heavy metal clash looms
Jan 08, 2023
Episode 86 – The SAAF harried in Angola and Soviets import arms from Afghanistan
Jan 02, 2023
Episode 85 – Small teams missions behind enemy lines and the courage of 7 Med
Dec 25, 2022
Episode 84 - FAPLA renew their offensive against UNITA at Mavinga
Dec 18, 2022
Episode 83 – The most ambitious Op involving SADF special Forces hits Namibe
Dec 11, 2022
Episode 82 – More Russian choppers down and 32 learns how to use SATNAV
Dec 04, 2022
Episode 81 – The MPLA attacks UNITA and the SAAF shoots down Russian choppers
Nov 27, 2022
Episode 80 – An SA Navy sub damaged at the end of the failed Cabinda raid
Nov 20, 2022
Episode 79 – A shootout on a Cabinda beach and the capture of Cpt Wynand du Toit
Nov 13, 2022
Episode 78 – Operation “foreskin” and 32 runs into a SWAPO firestorm
Nov 06, 2022
Episode 77 – The Recces blow up locomotives and 32 Battalion dresses like UNITA
Oct 30, 2022
Episode 76 – Turned SWAPO cadres, Recce pseudo-operations & Soviet air strategy
Oct 23, 2022
Episode 75 – Russian OSA2 missile boats targeted in 1984’s Operation Nobilis
Oct 16, 2022
Episode 74 – FAPLA/SADF joint patrols hit a wobble & Recce Op Bouganvilia
Oct 09, 2022
Episode 73 – A 1984 cease-fire as the SADF and FAPLA conduct joint patrols
Oct 02, 2022
Episode 72 – Cuvelai III: A Ratel destroyed by a T54 and an Impala narrow escape
Sep 25, 2022
Episode 71 – The Battle of Cuvelai II: Bundu-bashing into Soviet T54/55s
Sep 18, 2022
Episode 70 – Operation Askari missteps at Cahama and Cuvelai
Sep 11, 2022
Episode 69 – Operation Askari begins with a reconnaissance drone
Sep 05, 2022
Episode 68 – UNITA overruns Cangamba with SAAF help but Russia gets proactive
Aug 28, 2022
Episode 67–A rifle grenade in a ribcage, an Ionde minefield mishap and a Dragon
Aug 22, 2022
Episode 66 – Another MiG shot down and Russian VIPs arrive
Aug 14, 2022
Episode 65 – Ops Meebos where SWAPO AA fire downs a Puma
Aug 07, 2022
Episode 64 – Another Maputo raid and Hearts and Minds in the Kavango
Jul 29, 2022
Episode 63 – 4 Recce and the Rhodesian SAS target Beira fuel depot and port in a series of raids
Jul 18, 2022
Episode 62 – Rhodesian SAS and the Recces plan an assassination attempt on Robert Mugabe codenamed “Lark”
Jul 05, 2022
Episode 61 – The Recces first Seaborne Operations and how the British High Commissioner’s Rolls Royce was blown up
Jun 24, 2022
Episode 60 – Tsumeb farmers suffer repeated blows as SWAPOs Operation Typhoon sows destruction in the Triangle of Death
Jun 12, 2022
Episode 59 – A SWAPO ambush leaves 11 dead as a Ratel is blown up at Effense Chana
Jun 02, 2022
Episode 58 – SWAPOs “Danger” Ashipala switches tactics as he dispatches 150 men to the Triangle of Death
May 26, 2022
Episode 57 – Operation Super: The incredible 1982 Battle of Cambeno Valley, SWAPO’s Point Zero
May 18, 2022
Episode 56 – SWAPO takes aim at the Kaokoland and 32 Battalion hit by SAAF friendly fire
May 10, 2022
Episode 55 – Operation Daisy where a Mirage shoots down a MiG in a first for the SAAF since the Korean War
Apr 29, 2022
Episode 54 – Operation Protea wraps up but the Russians and Cubans want revenge
Apr 19, 2022
Episode 53 – Soviet officers die and one is captured at Ongiva as Operation Protea enters DDay+5.
Apr 06, 2022
Episode 52 - Operation Protea D+1, Xangongo falls and the attention shifts to Ongiva
Mar 29, 2022
Episode 51 – Xangongo the target as Operation Protea begins and the story of a freak smoke rocket shot
Mar 21, 2022
Episode 50 – Operation Protea begins and Xangongo and Peu Peu targeted but FAPLA’s 19th Brigade awaits
Mar 14, 2022
Episode 49 – SWAPO uses FAPLA as a defensive screen in southern Angola and the plans are laid for Operation Protea
Mar 06, 2022
Episode 48 – Russian specialists set up anti-aircraft missiles and Special Forces ops accelerate across the cutline
Feb 27, 2022
Episode 47 – 32 Battalion’s Colonel Ferreira hauled over the coals for attacking FAPLA and Impala’s drop napalm
Feb 20, 2022
Episode 46 – The attack on Smokeshell leaves 17 dead – the largest SADF loss in a single day’s combat since 1945
Feb 13, 2022
Episode 45 – The SAAF begins flying Impala’s at night and Operation Sceptic aka Smokeshell begins
Feb 13, 2022
Episode 44 – The Recces kayak to Savate as 32 Battalion preps for Operation Sceptic aka Smokeshell
Jan 30, 2022
Episode 43 – Sonja Dressel shoots up a PLAN platoon and political change sweeps southern Africa
Jan 22, 2022
Episode 42 – The Triangle of Death in 1979 and an introduction to Tannie Pompie
Jan 14, 2022
Episode 41 – A Rhodesian Airlines Viscount downed at Kariba and an old Zambian man stares down the SADF
Jan 06, 2022
Episode 40 – 61 Mechanised Battalion special edition with former commander Roland de Vries
Dec 23, 2021
Episode 39 – Both the SADF and SWAPO reorganise and 61 Mech is born
Dec 13, 2021
Episode 38 – 32 Battalion ends Ops Reindeer then SWAPO attacks Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi
Dec 01, 2021
Episode 37 – A Cuban counter-attack causes chaos at the Cassinga LZ and Pretoria’s political strategy backfires
Nov 21, 2021
Episode 36 – Paratroopers in Cassinga face off against T34s as the Cubans infiltrate the battle zone
Nov 09, 2021
Episode 35 – Cassinga finally surrenders but the Cubans in Techamutete mobilise their T34s
Oct 31, 2021
Episode 34 – The SADF begin to take casualties as they attack Chetequera where hyaenas and jackals would feast
Oct 23, 2021
Episode 33 – SA Parabats are in Cassinga but SWAPO fights back, while Juliet raids Chetequera
Oct 15, 2021
Episode 32 – First the Canberras, Buccaneers and Mirages then the paratroopers leap into hi
Oct 07, 2021
Episode 31 – D-Day and Operation Reindeer begins
Oct 01, 2021
Episode 30 – A four phased blueprint to attack Cassinga as Operation Reindeer is good to go for May 4th 1978
Sep 23, 2021
Episode 29 – Two parachute battalions begin training in earnest for Operation “Wedding” aka Reindeer but there’s a hitch
Sep 14, 2021
Episode 28 – Operation Reindeer gets the green light after SAAF Buccaneers discover Cassinga camp
Sep 07, 2021
Episode 27 - A prelude to Operation Reindeer and the SADF airborne attack on Cassinga
Aug 30, 2021
Episode 26 – Jannie Geldenhuys takes charge of SWA Command
Aug 23, 2021
Episode 25 – The Reccies and 32 Battalion continue the war inside Angola and the Soweto Uprising shocks the Nationalist
Aug 15, 2021
Episode 24 – The Angolan Army re-organises, Moscow refocuses on Africa and Mirages arrive in Ondangwa
Aug 12, 2021
Episode 23 – The SADF re-equips after Savannah and the Ratel is born
Aug 04, 2021
Episode 22 – The SADF Day of Disaster as Operation Savannah winds down
Jul 25, 2021
Episode 21 – The Battle for Bridge 14 part II and Battle Group Orange face T34s at the Pombuig River
Jul 18, 2021
Episode 20 – The Battle at Bridge 14 part I
Jul 11, 2021
Episode 19 – The SADF conducts an off-the-record briefing and the start of the struggle to control Bridge 14
Jul 04, 2021
Episode 18 – The Battle of Ebo - the first major defeat for the SADF during Operation Savannah
Jun 28, 2021
Episode 17 – The SAS Steyn’s role in the remarkable evacuation from the beach at Ambrizette
Jun 21, 2021
Episode 16 – Luanda’s “Death Road” leaves the FNLA in tatters and the CIA decides to up and off
Jun 14, 2021
Episode 15 – Angolan independence day passes while Task Force Zulu and Foxbat continue fighting
Jun 07, 2021
Episode 14 – The assault on Benguela and its airport
May 30, 2021
Episode 13 – A Beechcraft recon plane “Dinky Toy” crashes but Foxbat & Zulu push onwards in Operation Savannah
May 23, 2021
Episode 12 – Xangongo, Ongiva, Lubango and Namibe fall in Operation Savannah
May 16, 2021
Episode 11 – Battle Group Foxbat retreats but a blitzkrieg begins as Task Force Zulu gears up
May 09, 2021
Episode 10 – Operation Savannah begins as the SADF pocket force Foxbat faces FAPLA
May 02, 2021
Episode 9 – The Alvor agreement debacle sends Angola into a civil war tailspin and SWAPO takes advantage
Apr 25, 2021
Episode 8 – The Portuguese pull out of Africa and the first Reccie dies in Angola
Apr 18, 2021
Episode 7 – SWAPO escalates incursions and the SADF eventually takes over from the SA Police
Apr 11, 2021
Episode 6 - The Battle of Omugulugwombashe ushers in the formal period of the armed struggle in South West
Apr 04, 2021
Episode 5 – The South African Defence Force re-arms as the Angolan war of independence overflows into South West
Mar 28, 2021
Episode 4 - Cold War race-paranoia and how the Portuguese faced an Angolan knife-edge in 1961
Mar 20, 2021
Episode 3 - Congo uprisings and the war for independence in Angola turns up the Cold War heat
Mar 14, 2021
Episode 2 - South Africa’s poisoned mandate and SWAPO emerges as the key early struggle movement
Mar 07, 2021
Episode 1 – German South West Africa and its bloody birth
Feb 28, 2021