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Move the Border V4.Indd MOVE THE BORDER MOVE THE BORDER A HISTORY OF THE GREATEST BATTLES OF THE ANGOLAN BORDER WAR 1966-1989 Marius Scheepers Also by Marius Scheepers: Striking Inside Angola With 32 Battalion Published in 2020 by 30° South Publishers (Pty) Ltd 16 Ivy Road, Pinetown 3610 South Africa email: [email protected] website: www.30degreessouth.co.za Copyright © Marius Scheepers, 2020 Cover and Interior Concept by Anthony Cuerden Email:[email protected] Final Layout Blair Couper Printed by Pinetown Printers (Pty) Ltd; Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal ISBN 978-1-928359-79-1 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, manipulated in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any mechanical, electronic form or by any other means, without the prior written authority of the publishers, except for short extracts in media reviews. Any person who engages in any unauthorized activity in relation to this publication shall be liable to criminal prosecution and claims for civil and criminal damages. Front Cover Photographs Top Collage: Colonel Jan Breytenbach during the Battle at Cassinga (Photo by Mr Darryll Gioia), SADF’s 32 Battalion Ratel 90-mm’s crossing the border between SWA/Namibia and Angola at the Okavango River near Rundu (Photo SA Armour Museum collection). Bottom: SADF’s Olifant 105-mm tanks and a Ratel 90-mm during military operations near Mavinga in southeast Angola in 1987/8 (Photo SA Armour Museum collection). Back Cover Photograph A group of SADF and 32 Battalion soldiers, depicting Major Hannes Nortman who is standing in the middle and Commandant Robbie Hartslief who is seated in the middle, both from 32 Battalion. The photograph is from a scene overlooking the floodplain of the Lomba River in Angola during military operations in September 1987 (Photo SA Armour Museum collection). The Management Committee of the 32 Battalion Veterans Association, custodian of the former SADF’s 32 Battalion, recognises the important contribution that is made by this book by Marius Scheepers “Move the Border: A History of the Greatest Battles of the Angolan Border War”. His book expands our knowledge base about the war and the 32 Battalion Veterans Association supports authors who record the true events of the war. Such works leave behind a legacy to generations to come and will assist to familiarise them about the history of the SADF’s war in Angola. Chairperson of the 32 Battalion Veterans Association: Nico van der Walt. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 9 FOREWORD 10 PREFACE 13 - The aim of the book - Research methodology - Literature survey - The title of the book CHAPTER 1: 22 THE FIRST PHASE OF THE ANGOLAN BORDER WAR: LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT WITH LOW-SCALE MILITARY INVOLVEMENT: 1966-1975 - Introduction - The beginning of the Angolan Border War - The first military operation of the war at Ongulumbashe: Operation Wildebees: 1966 - Cross-border operations from the 1st Military Area in South West Africa/ Namibia - Cross-border operations from the 2nd Military Area in South West Africa/ Namibia CHAPTER 2: 44 THE LEADING ROLE PLAYERS IN THE ANGOLAN BORDER WAR - Introduction - Understanding SWAPO - Enemy deployments in southern Angola CHAPTER 3: 55 INTERPRETING THE ANGOLAN BORDER WAR CHAPTER 4: 65 THE SECOND PHASE OF THE ANGOLAN BORDER WAR: COMPETING FOR POWER BEFORE ANGOLA HAD BECOME AN INDEPENDENT AFRICAN STATE: 1975 – 1976 - Introduction - The scene inside Angola: 1975 - Operation Savannah: 1975-1976 CHAPTER 5: 91 THE THIRD PHASE OF THE ANGOLAN BORDER WAR: CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONS IN THE SHALLOW CENTRAL AREAS OF SOUTHERN ANGOLA: 1976-1980 - Introduction - The scene inside Angola prior to the cross-border operation in the shallow central area - Operation Kropduif (also known as Operation Eheke): 1977 - Operation Reindeer: 1978 - Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi: 1978 - Operation Tiro-Tiro (Savate): 1980 CHAPTER 6: 123 THE FOURTH PHASE OF THE ANGOLAN BORDER WAR: CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONS IN THE DEEP CENTRAL AREAS OF SOUTHERN ANGOLA: 1980-1983. - Introduction - Operation Sceptic: 1980 - Operation Protea: 1981 - Operation Daisy: 1981 - Operation Super: 1982 - Operation Meebos: 1982 - Operation Dolfyn: 1983 CHAPTER 7: 178 THE FOURTH PHASE (CONTINUED): OPERATION ASKARI: DECEMBER 1983 – JANUARY 1984 - Introduction - The broad aims of Operation Askari Quiteve and Mulondo, Cahama, Caiundo, Techamutete - Task Force Victor (Combat Group Delta) The Battle of Cuvelai I: 31 December 1983 The Battle of Cuvelai II: 3-4 January 1984 Appraisal of the Battles of Cuvelai I and II CHAPTER 8: 255 THE FIFTH PHASE OF THE ANGOLAN BORDER WAR: COVERT GUERRILLA WARFARE: 1984-1986 - Introduction - The Joint Military Monitoring Commission - Operation Forte: 1984-1985 CHAPTER 9: 261 THE SIXTH PHASE OF THE ANGOLAN BORDER WAR: SEMI-CONVENTIONAL BATTLES AND TOTAL WARFARE: 1986-1989 - Introduction - Operation Egret: 1985 - Operation Suiderkruis and Operation Alpha Centuari: 1986 - Operation Modulêr, Operation Hooper and Operation Packer: 1987-1988 - Operations at Techipa: 1988 - General information concerning incidents and people who took part in the war - The spiritual support which the SADF provided to its soldiers CHAPTER 10: 303 THE PERIOD PRECEDING THE BATTLE AT INDUNGO - Introduction - Operations which preceded Operation Firewood: November 1986 to July 1987, in the deep central areas of southern Angola CHAPTER 11: 310 THE BATTLE AT INDUNGO (OPERATION FIREWOOD): 30 SEPTEMBER TO 31 OCTOBER 1987 - The planning and currying out of the first two phases of the battle at Indungo - The third phase of Operation Firewood: the attack on 31 October 1987 - The role which the companies of 101 Battalion performed during the carrying out of Operation Firewood - Conclusion of Operation Firewood CHAPTER 12: 390 CONCLUSION - Comparative findings - Final conclusion APPENDIX 409 BIBLIOGRAPHY 410 INDEX 417 ACKNOWLEGMENTS I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Colonel Jan Breytenbach, Birgadier General Eddie Viljoen, Colonel Ep van Lill, Hannes Nortman, Chris Snyman, Christo Roelofse and Johan Kruys for providing crucial insights and sharing their fascinating stories, which have made invaluable contributions by adding the lived experiences of participants in the conflict to the narrative. I am also grateful for the support and advice which Professor Fransjohan Pretorius provided unstintingly during my studies. I am also grateful for David Masters’ excellent contribution while overseeing the language editing of the work. I also appreciate the support I received during the writing of this book from my parents, Chaplain David Scheepers and Margaret Scheepers. Last but not least, I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for enabling me to write this book and the support and encouragement which I received from my loving wife, Caren, and my children, Darius and Clarisse. 9 Move the Border FOREWORD The information included in some six chapters of this book forms part of a dissertation for the degree M SocSci at the University of Pretoria which the author completed under my supervision at the end of 2019. The study carries the title: The Battle at Indungo, 31 October 1987: An SADF military venture against SWAPO in the Angolan Border War. While the author was still working under my supervision and guidance he saw the need to expand his research further to form an understanding of how the history of the Angolan Border War unfolded over time. The author has completed this book from the information gathered during his research which was performed over approximately seven years. The main theme of the book, which is covered in chapter 11 and which corresponds with the information that is provided in the dissertation, is devoted to a reconstruction of the actions of the South African Defence Force (SADF) in the battle at Indungo on 31 October 1987, during the closing stages of the Angolan Border War. The author includes in chapter 12 of the book a summary of the contribution that he made through this work. I concur with this summary: “The author issued himself the challenge of making a significant contribution to the recorded history of the Angolan Border War. As it was explained at the beginning, the aim of this book is to present a concise history of how the war unfolded, from its tentative beginnings to its conclusion and denouement. It supplements the work of other historians ... by tracing its progress through six distinctive phases and meticulously reconstructing twenty specific military operations in Angola which both changed and defined the war. It is the considered opinion of the author that structuring the narrative in this manner permits an optimal understanding ... of the changes which the war underwent and its final outcome. The architecture of the narrative is supported by two 10 Foreword main pillars, in the form of detailed accounts of its two defining events, namely, the battles of Cuvelai (1983/84) and the battle at Indungo (1987). The comprehensive account of the battle at Indungo represents the first attempt to develop an accurate reconstruction of the battle in the published history of the Angolan Border War to date.” “From the background information which the author has amassed during the tracing the course of the war, it is now possible to draw a number of conclusions and to provide cogent assessments of the factors which contributed to the great success of some battles and those which served to limit the success of others.” The author also maintains that “the account which this book provides of the Angolan Border War has made a meaningful contribution to enabling readers to gain an overall understanding of the war and its significance, not only for the peoples of the African continent, but also within the wider context of world history. As the war can be placed both in the closing stages of the history of the Cold War and also be regarded as marking the terminus of the colonial era in Africa, the turning point which it represents marks the beginning of the era which is playing out in southern Africa at present and is certain to yield many more surprises.
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