Military Operations - Militere Operasies
Operasie Savannah (1975 - 1976)
In 1974 was die einde van die Portugese bewind in Angola reeds in sig. Die onstabiele veiligheidsituasie in Angola en die bedreiging wat die Angolese Burgeroorlog vir SWA ingehou het, het gelei tot die ontplooiing van 'n Suid-Afrikaanse beskermingsmag van slegs sowat 2 000 man in SWA se noordelike grensgebied. Hierdie mag, wat die FNLA en UNITA ondersteun het, het te staan gekom teen 'n groot oormag van Kubaanse en MPLA-magte, maar het desondanks skitterende oorwinnings behaal. In 'n Blitz­krieg het Taakmag Zulu die suidwestelike hoek van Angola herower nadat Perreira de Eca, Rocades en verskeie ander dorpe ingeneem is.
In Sentraal-Angola het Veggroep Foxbat in Oktober 1975 die vyand by Liurnbala verslaan. Hierna het Taakmag Zulu verdere oorwinnings by Cacula en Catengue behaal. Die oorwinnings by Catengue in November 1975 het die vyand gedwing om die Benguela-front te ontruim.
Taakmag Zulu en Veggroep Foxbat het die vyand in die Santa Comba-gebied aan die Cela-front, gestuit en 'n oorwinning in die slag van Ebo behaal. In die ooste van Angola het Veggroep X-Ray (later herdoop tot Veggroep Orange) ook oorwinnings by Xangongo en Lusp behaal.
Taakmag Zulu en Veggroep Foxbat se oorwinning by die slag van Brug 14 aan die sentrale front is wel bekend. Die slag het plaasgevind nadat die Suid-Afrikaanse magte na Quibala opgeruk het. Hulle moes egter die Nhiarivier by Brug 14 (wat deur die vyandelike magte vernietig is) oorsteek en hier het die genietroep te midde van 'n hewige geveg die brug herstel. Hierna kon die brug oorgesteek en die aanmars op Cassamba an Almeida voortgesit word. Na die inname van hierdie dorpe het die Suid-Afrikaanse magte opdrag ontvang om nie met die aanslag op Quibala voort te gaan nie.
In Januarie het die Suid-Afrikaanse magte opdrag gekry om te onttrek en op 25 Januarie 1976 was die onttrekking grotendeels afgehandel. Burgermageenhede wat as vier veggroepe in Suid-Angola ontplooi is om die Calueque/Ruacana-waterskema en vlugtelingskampe te beskerm, het Angola egter eers op 27 Maart 1976 verlaat.
Na die onttrekking van die Suid-Afrikaanse magte aan Angola in 1976, was PLAN in staat om 'n uitgebreide netwerk van opleidings- en basiskampe in die suide van Angola te vestig van waar dit SWA kon binnesvoel. Dit het dan ook in 1978 tot die eerste van 'n aantal voorsprong-operasies deur die SAW in Angola gelei.
Operation Savannah (1975 - 1976)
In 1974 the end of the Portuguese rule in Angola was already in sight. The unstable situation in Angola and the threat that the Angolan Civil War posed for SWA, led to the deployment of a South African protective force of only 2 000 men on the northern border. This force which supported the FNLA and UNITA forces, came up against a numerically superior Cuban and MPLA force but in spite of this, scored brilliant victories. In a Blitzkrieg Task Force Zulu recaptured the south western corner of Angola after Perreira de Eca, Rocades and several other towns were captured.
In Central Angola Combat Group Foxbat defeated the enemy at Liumbala in October 1975. Thereafter Task Force Zulu were victorious at Cacula and Catengue. The victories at Catengue in November 1975 forced the enemy to aban­don the Benguela front.
The victories of Task Force Zulu and Combat Group Foxbat at the battle of Bridge 14 on the central front are well known. The battle took place after the South African � Forces had advanced to Quibala. However, they had to cross the Nhia River at Bridge 14 (which had been de­stroyed by enemy forces) and here a group of engineers repaired the bridge while a fierce battle was raging.
Thereafter the bridge could be crossed and the advance on Cassamba and Almeida continued. After the capture of these towns the South African forces were ordered not to proceed with the attack on Quibala.In January the South African forces were ordered towithdraw and on 25 January 1976 the withdrawal was practically completed. Citizen Force units which were deployed as four combat groups in South Angola to protect the Caluegue/Ruacana Water Scheme and the refugee camps, however, left Angola only on 27 March 1976.
After the withdrawal of the South African forces from Angola in 1976, PLAN was able to establish a wide net­work of training and base camps in the south of Angola from where they could infiltrate SWA. In 1978 this led to the first of a number of pre-emptive operations by the SADF in Angola.
During military operationsthe SA Medical Service endeavoured to restrict the security forces losses to a minimum
Tydens operasies het die SA Geneeskundige Diens sy deel bygedra om die veiligheidsmagte se verliese so laag moontlik te hou
Operasie Reindeer (1978)
Toenemende terrorisme deur SWAPO weens hul maklike toegang tot Owambo oor Angola se pop suidelike grens, het Suid-Afrika genoop om tot 'n beleid van voorsprong-operasies oor te gaan.
Die besluit het gelei tot 'n reeks semi-konvensionele operasies teen primere SWAPO-basisgebiede en fasiliteite in Suid-Angola. Die eerste operasie van die aard Reindeer is op 4 Mei 1978 geloods en het bestaan uit 'n lug en valskermaanval op SWAPO se belangrikste opleidings en logistieke ondersteuningsbasis by Cassinga (bekend as "Moskou") en 'n grondaanval deur 'n gemeganiseerde mag op verskeie voorste deurgangskampe in die grensgebied insluitende 'n uitgestrekte kompleks (bekend as "Vietnam") naby Chetequera, 28 km noord van die grens.
Byna 1 000 terroriste het gesterf en 200 is gevang terwyl net ses lede van die veiligheidsmagte gesneuwel het. Groot hoeveelhede toerusting en voorrade is vernietig en waardevolle dokumente is gebuit. Die verlies van opgeleide personeel en die effek van die inligting wat deur die veiligheidsmagte verkry is, was 'n groot terugslag vir SWAPO waarvan hy nooit volkome herstel het nie. Operation Reindeer (1978)
Increasing terrorism by SWAPO as a result of easy entry into Ovambo via Angola's unprotected southerly border, compelled South Africa to embark upon pre-emptive ac­tion.
This desicion results in a series of semi-conventional actions primarily against SWAPO bases and facilities in South Angola. The first action of its kind - Reindeer� was launched on 4 May 1978 and comprised of an air and paratroop attack on SWAPO's most important training and logistic support base at Cassinga (known as "Moscow") as well as a ground attack by a mechanised unit aimed at the forward transit camps on the border area including a large complex (known as "Vietnam") near Chetequera, 28 km north of the border.
Approximately 1 000 terrorists died and 200 were cap­tured with a loss of only six members of the security forces. A large quantity of equipment and supplies were de­stroyed and valuable documents seized. The loss of trained personnel and the effect of the information obtained by the security forces was a serious setback for SWAPO from which they never really recovered.
Giving the salute during the mechanised parade on 4 May 1988 tp commence Operation Reindeer
Die Saluut word gegee tydens die gemeganiseerde herdenkingsparade van Operasie Reindeer op 4 Mei 1988
Aanvaarding van Resolusie 435 (1978)
In April 1978 het SA 'n gewysigde vorm van die Westerse kontakgroep se voorstelle vir SWA aanvaar. Dit het voorsiening gemaak vir 'n algemene verkiesing onder VV-toesig vir die daarstelling van 'n konstituerende liggaam as voorbereiding vir onafhanklikheid teen die einde van daardie jaar. Dit was egter onderhewig aan die voorwaarde dat eenhede van die SAW in SWA sou bly totdat SWAPO sy ondermynende bedrywighede gestaak het.
Op 29 September 1978 is die Westerse kontakgroep se konstitusionele plan as die Veiligheidsraad (WO) se Reso­lusie 435 aanvaar. Dit het voorsiening gemaak vir die beeindiging van vyandelikhede, die vermindering van die Suid-Afrikaanse magte tot 1 500 oor 'n tydperk van drie maande en die hou van vrye verkiesings onder toesig van 'n militere en burgerlike bystandsgroep van die WO genaamd United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG).
In April 1978 South Africa accepted an amended version of the Western Contact Group's proposals for SWA. It pro­vided for a general election under UN supervision for the establishment of a constituting body as preparation for independence by the end of that year. It was, however, subject to a condition that units of the SADF would remain in SWA until SWAPO abandoned its subversive activities. On 29 September 1978 the Western Contact Group's constitutional plan was accepted as Resolution 435 of the Security Council (UN). It provided for the cessation of hostilities, a reduction of the South African forces to 1 500 over a period of three months and the holding of free elections under the supervision of a military and civil assistance group of the UN known as the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG).
Landmine explosions indicated the increased terrorist activities of SWAPO
Die toenemende terroristebedrywighede van SWAPO is gekenmerk deur landmynontploffings
Operasies in Oos-Caprivi (1978)
In Junie 1978 is vasgestel dat SWAPO besig was met voorbereidsels vir 'n aanval op die militere basisse by Katima Mulilo, Wenela en Mapacha. Ten einde die aanval die hoof te bied, is twee vegspanne, nl Alpha en Bravo, op die been gebring.
Die aanval het op 23 Augustus begin met 'n wegstaan-bestoking op Katima Mulilo met 122 mm vuurpyle. Een hiervan het deur die dak van 'n kaserne gedring en tien soldate gedood.
Na die beeindiging van 'n artillerie en mortiergeveg het die twee vegspanne die grens oorgesteek. Vegspan Bravo se teiken was 'n SWAPO-basis sowat 30 km van die grens in Zambie, maar dit is verlate gevind en die vegspan het onverrigter sake na Mapacha teruggekeer. Vegspan Alpha het daarin geslaag om die agterhoede van 'n aantal vlugtende terroriste in te haal, maar is in 'n hinderlaag ingelok. In die daaropvolgende geveg is vyf terroriste dood terwyl sowat sestig op die vlug geslaan het. In 'n latere skermutseling by 'n terroristebasis het sewe terroriste omgekom.
Op 25 Augustus het vegspanne Alpha, Bravo en Charlie Papa (wat uit 'n ondersteunings-valskermkompanie, 'n kompanie van 31 Bataljon en 'n troep 140 mm kanonne saamgestel is) die grens na Zambie weer oorgesteek en na terroristebasisse by Imusho, Cinzenbela en elders opgeruk, maar almal was reeds ontruim. Die enigste noemens-waardige voorval het by Cinzenbela plaasgevind toe die plaaslike garnisoen met 'n lugafweerkanon op 'n helikopter van die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag losgebrand het. Dit is deur Vegspan Bravo se artillerie uitgeskiet. Die vegspanne het op 27 Augustus oor die grens teruggetrek.
In June 1978 it was learnt that SWAPO was preparing to attack the military bases at Katima Mulilo, Wenela and Mapacha. To meet this attack two combat teams viz Alpha and Bravo were formed.
The attack started on 23 August with a stand-off bom­bardment using 122 mm rockets on Katima Mulilo. One of these penetrated the roof of a barrack killing ten soldiers.
After an artillery and mortar battle the two combat units crossed the border. Combat team Bravo's target was a SWAPO base camp approximately 30 km from the Zam-bian border but they found it deserted and returned to Mapacha without having accomplished this objective. Combat Unit Alpha managed to catch up with the rear guard of a number of fleeing terrorists but were enticed into an ambush. In the fighting which ensued five terror­ists were killed while about sixty fled. In a later skirmish at a terrorist base seven more terrorists were killed.
On 25 August combat teams Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Papa (consisting of a paratroop support company, a com­pany of 31 Battalion and 140 mm gun troop) again cross the border to Zambia en route to Imusho, Cinzenbela and elsewhere but found them abandoned. The only worth­while incident took place at' Cinzenbela when a local garrison fired at a South African helicopter, with an anti-aircraft gun. This was silenced by Combat Unit Bra­vo's artillery. The combat units crossed the border and returned on 27 August.
The Ratel Infantry Vehicle was successfully used during Operation Reindeer in pre-emptive strikes against SWAPO bases
Die Ratel-infanteriegevegsvoertuig is met groot welslae in voorsprongoperasies soos onder meer Operasie Reindeer teen SWAPO basisse aangewend
Operasies Safraan en Rekstok (1979)
Die volgende twee groot operasies - Safraan en Rekstok - is vroeg in Maart 1979 van stapel gestuur. Beide operasies is genoodsaak deur die teenwoordigheid van groot getalle SWAPO-terroriste in Zambie wat besig was met voorbe­reidsels om teikens in SWA aan te val.
Gedurende Operasie Safraan wat in vier fases plaasge­vind het, is verskeie SWAPO-basisse in die omgewing van Sinjembele en Njinje-bos (Zambie) aangeval en vernietig.