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Music and Militarisation During the Period of the South African Border War (1966-1989): Perspectives from Paratus

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Music and Militarisation During the Period of the South African Border War (1966-1989): Perspectives from Paratus Music and Militarisation during the period of the South African Border War (1966-1989): Perspectives from Paratus Martha Susanna de Jongh Dissertation presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Professor Stephanus Muller Co-supervisor: Professor Ian van der Waag December 2020 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (unless to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Date: 29 July 2020 Copyright © 2020 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Abstract In the absence of literature of the kind, this study addresses the role of music in militarising South African society during the time of the South African Border War (1966-1989). The War on the border between Namibia and Angola took place against the backdrop of the Cold War, during which the apartheid South African government believed that it had to protect the last remnants of Western civilization on the African continent against the communist onslaught. Civilians were made aware of this perceived threat through various civilian and military channels, which included the media, education and the private business sector. The involvement of these civilian sectors in the military resulted in the increasing militarisation of South African society through the blurring of boundaries between the civilian and the military. Examples include where civilians were made aware of the military effort and where they were militarily prepared from a young age through school visits, participation in para-military activities, and the school cadet system, leading to conscription. While some actively participated in the war through conscription, those at home were drawn into the effort by means of supporting roles. Through a perusal of the former South African Defence Force (SADF) magazine, Paratus (formerly known as Commando), this study investigates the role of music in these processes of militarisation. This dissertation includes descriptions of official military structures such as bands and choirs and their participation at civilian and military events. This does not exclude civilian groups and individual musicians who participated in military environments. The performance of non-military music by military bands, and the involvement of civilian musicians in military environments indicate how military ideals were transferred through the re- contextualisation of music as it was framed by the military environment. Other structures implicated in these processes included broadcasting and how the message of the military was conveyed through programmes, with music as vehicle, directed towards civilians and soldiers alike, contributing towards the construct of the soldier and the collective military effort. By means of numerous examples gleaned from Paratus, this study illustrates that music served as conduit in the process of militarisation of South African society. ii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Opsomming In die afwesigheid van literatuur in verband met hierdie onderwerp, spreek die studie die rol van musiek in die militarisering van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing tydens die jare van die Suid- Afrikaanse Grensoorlog (1966-1989) aan. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Grensoorlog op die grens tussen Namibië en Angola het plaasgevind teen die agtergrond van die Koue Oorlog, waartydens die apartheidsregering geglo het dat hulle die laaste oorblyfsels van Westerse beskawing op die Afrika kontinent moes beskerm teen die kommunistiese aanslag. Die burgerlike samelewing is vergewis van die sogenaamde bedreiging deur middel van verskeie burgerlike en militêre kanale, wat die media, opvoeding en die private sakesektor ingesluit het. Die betrokkenheid van hierdie burgerlike sektore in die militêre omgewing, het gelei tot die toenemende militarisering van die Suid- Afrikaanse samelewing deur die vervaging van grense tussen hierdie twee entiteite. Voorbeelde sluit in waar burgerlikes bewusgemaak is van die militêre gebeure en waar hulle ook militêr voorberei is vanaf ʼn jong ouderdom deur middel van skoolbesoeke, deelname in para-militêre aktiwiteite, en die skoolkadetstelsel, wat gelei het tot diensplig. Terwyl sommige burgers aktief aan die oorlog deelgeneem het deur middel van diensplig, was daar ook diegene tuis wat in ondersteuningsrolle by die oorlog betrek is. Deur middel van ʼn oorsig van die voormalige Suid- Afrikaanse Weermag tydskrif, Paratus (voorheen bekend as Kommando), ondersoek hierdie studie die rol van musiek in hierdie prosesse van militarisering. Hierdie tesis sluit in beskrywings van amptelike militêre strukture soos orkeste en kore en hul deelname aan burgerlike en militêre geleenthede. Dit sluit ook in burgerlike groepe en individuele musici wat in militêre omgewings aktief was. Die uitvoer van nie-militêre musiek deur militêre orkeste en die betrokkenheid van burgerlike musici in militêre omgewings dui aan hoe militêre ideale oorgedra is deur die her- kontekstualisering van musiek deur die militêre etos. Verdere strukture waarvan hier melding gemaak word, sluit in die uitsaaiwese en hoe militêre idees oorgedra is deur middel van musiekprogramme, gemik op burgerlikes en soldate, wat bygedra het tot die konstruksie van die idee van die soldaat en die kollektiewe militêre poging. Deur middel van verskeie voorbeelde uit Paratus, illustreer hierdie studie dat musiek as vervoermiddel gedien het in die proses van militarisering van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing. iii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Acknowledgements I would like to sincerely thank a number of people who supported me during this journey and without whom this study would not have come to completion: My supervisor, Prof Stephanus Muller, for his guidance during the course of this study. My co-supervisor, Prof Ian van der Waag, for his expertise. Ms Ellen Tise for her support. Mrs Beulah Gericke-Geldenhuys and my colleagues at the SU Music Library for their unfailing support and encouragement during these years, as well as my colleagues within the SU Library & Information Service for their support. The interviewees and questionnaire respondents for their time and for sharing their experiences with me. The staff at the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Documentation Services, Namibian National Library, SWAPO Party archives, The Namibian newspaper, Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service, the National Library and the University of Cape Town Library. Prof Edwin Hees for the language editing and his interest in my work. Prof Ian Liebenberg, Capt HermanWarden and Mrs Ina Botes for their assistance with Paratus. Mr Arthur Feder for his assistance with the analysis and transcription of the music discussed in this study. Ms Selene Delport for assisting me with my reference list. Prof Daan Nel and Martin Kidd of the Centre for Statistical Consultation for their assistance with the questionnaires on Checkbox. Prof Stephanus Muller’s postgraduate seminar group who read through sections of my work. Prof Stephanus Muller for the opportunity to attend the Fijnbos writing week and to the colleagues who read my work, for their constructive input. Mr Conway Boezak, Ms Nore de Jongh and Mrs Rachel van Heyningen for assisting me with transcriptions of the interviews. Beatrix Callard for her assistance during my research in Namibia, for reading and taking an interest in my work, for helping me to look at my work critically and for her unfailing support. Arné and Henri Minnaar for their assistance during my research in Pretoria. George Whitehead for his generosity, encouragement and support during my research. My family and friends who walked this journey with me, who took an interest in my work and who encouraged me, for not giving up on me. Is 61:1 iv Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Table of contents Declaration .................................................................................................................................. i Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... ii Opsomming .............................................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... iv Table of contents ........................................................................................................................ v List of figures ............................................................................................................................ xi 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Structure of this dissertation ........................................................................................ 5 2 Literature review ................................................................................................................ 8 3 South African
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