february’12• R40 Covering Military Affairs since 1975 journal Bringing Back the Ebo 4 exerciSe good hope V ATE teSt FireS the ingwe US & iran in hormUz African implicationS LAND FORCES AFRICA Collaboration and co-operation for African landward defence and security. Leading industry speakers include: Land Forces Africa 2012 is the only content-rich platform for leaders in the defence and security industry to discuss the collaboration and streamlining Lieutenant General Vusi Masondo of landward military operations in Southern African and further abroad, to Chief of the South African Army counteract internal and external threats, symmetrical and asymmetric. This 3-day event will assist to better co-ordinate military missions by looking at building capacity for peacekeeping in Africa, defending national borders, strategically preventing warfare and terrorism, promoting internal security Lieutenant General Chander Prakash and reaching security objectives as well as facilitate the successful acquisition Force Commander for the UN of necessary equipment for land defence forces in Southern Africa. Stabilisation Mission to the DRC (MONUSCO) Serving military attend the El Ghassim Wane Director of Peace and Security, African conference for free!* Union Land Forces Africa will be offering 100 free delegate registrations to African serving military personnel*. Major General Fabian Zakes Msimang Chief Director: Policy and Planning, SA Air Reserve your complimentary delegate pass by registering at www. Force, South Africa landforcesafrica.com Antonie Visser Chief Defence Matériel, Department of Gold sponsor: Bronze sponsor: Defence, South Africa 28 – 30 May 2012 Gallagher Convention Centre Johannesburg, South Africa www.landforcesafrica.com AfricAn Armed contents forces 4 editorial 5 SitreP editor: s J mcintosh 9 induStry newS pUBliSherS: 16 Feature articleS Africa Conflict & Defence Monitor Bringing the african union south PO Box 87561 south africa - german exercise Houghton, 2041 Homeland defence: arguments for a net Republic of South Africa work centric approach Tel: 011 487 3396 26 aFrica FlaShPointS Fax: 086 269 3378 nigeria, niger & mali, somalia [email protected] www.aafjournal.co.za 27 interview: csir defence, peace, safety & security printed By: Business Print Centre 29 global iSSueS aFFecting aFrica Pretoria conflict in the hormuz strait and the IMPLICATIONS for africa SUBScriptionS: 12 Months – 11 Issues: 32 ProFileS and aPPointmentS Local R290 Electronic commander, u.s. africa command R390 Print South african secretary of defence International €160 Electronic €190 Print 34 letterS 35 brieFing room The copyright in all materials 36 book reviewS printed in this journal is expressly Battle for cassinga reserved. However, consideration will be given to any requests for Selous scout the use by others of news reports, articles and photographs, on the condition that the source of the item is clearly stated. Submitting copy: All contributions to the journal are welcome. Articles may be emailed through to [email protected]. ISSN 0379-6477 The publishers will exercise all care but do not accept responsibility cover image: the uss John c stennis in the indian for photographs and manuscripts. ocean. a conflict between iran and the us navy would Editing, changes to content and involve carrier fleets off african coastlines. image overall editorial control is done at courtesy us army africa. the sole discretion of the editor. African Armed Forces Journal | February 2012 03 mission the AAFJ is committed to providing its readership a quality service in order to stimulate and improve the defence debate editorial in africa. ViSion: to provide african military fter numerous deployment over recent years that involved peace professionals a public platform to support, peace enforcement combat operations the Australian discuss issues of mutual interest. Defence Force is now engaged in radical restructuring of the Army. ObjectiVeS: The focus is now on the provision of three regular force manoeuvre • champion the role of professional Abrigades that will have amphibious capability These three brigades will be militaries within the context of the supported by six reserve brigades and all nine will include the component parts african union in securing the peace that in the past were found in what were classed as Light Brigades, Motorized and security required for human Brigades and mechanized brigades. Each of the Regular brigades will be linked and economic development. with two of the reserve formations perhaps not so different from the present • advocate appropriate civil-military South African Army structure. relations, especially non-partisan Experience gained over recent years with numerous deployments to curb parliamentary oversight. violent unrest on the island nations of the Pacific and to active operations in Iraq • advance confidence and trust and Afghanistan have played a major role in this restructuring process. What is of among african armed forces and interest is the increasing focus on an amphibious capability and the purchase of military professionals. two landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships as an addition to an already existing ability. • encourage the establishment of The Australian Army is similar to the South African Army in regular manpower reserve officers’ associations and which provide their three brigades, but they are able to provide their ORBAT with reserve components within armed six Reserve Force brigades. This is something that warrants investigation, one forces. obvious reason is the way that they implement the reservist system. • enhance and improve the The suggestion that should the situation require the deployment of a readership’s level of professional military education. peacekeeping force in Syria that South Africa would be prepared to participate and supply troops for such a mission will have come as a surprise to many. • promote and market the indigenous defence industry. While it is generally accepted that the South African Defence force is under funded it has been able to undertake all its tasking and project the country’s image most succefully playing a major African military role in Africa. It has the ability to adViSory panel apply an African solution to an African problem. In Southern Africa South Africa dr martin rupiya - Executive Director has helped to develop the African Union brigade from the defense forces of the of The African Public Policy & Research region and together they have created a brigade which is an example of joint co- Institute based in Preoria. operation. The brigade has a working command and control structure that works as shown by the recent join exercise undertaken by the air force of the regional Prof Sibusiso vil-nkomo - Dean and countries regional countries and which showed a high standard of serviceability of Professor - Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, University of a mixed aircraft component. Perhaps the experience that has been gained by this Pretoria brigade could be used and developed by the military office of the African Union. This offer to consider deployment of South African troops outside of Africa could maj gen keith mokoape - General be seen as an indication of a flexible foreign policy. Manager: SA Army Foundation, Chief The recent Reserve Force conference in Pretoria raised a number of questions of SA Army Reserve that the system faces and not for the first time. It is now time that action be taken brig gen Pieter vosloo - Former SA to address them. Of prime importance is the need for supportive employment Army Chief of Staff Infantry Formation for the reservists and it was stated that the Post Office was one employer who and former Deputy Chief Director SA provided both support and understanding. It should not need much thinking Army Force Structure. or effort to approach the other departments of state. At least to give some advantage to those who have completed the two years of voluntary service Prof garth Shelton - Associate Professor of International Relations, when seeking employment. Wits University 04 African Armed Forces Journal | February 2012 Sitrep Sitrep a summary of defence reports eBo trUSt Set to retUrn eBo 4 From angola The Ebo Trust, under the management of its chairperson, Maj Gen (Ret) G. Opperman, is set to begin the excavation and identification of four South African Defence Force (SADF) personnel killed in Ebo during part of rust T bo E Angola officials point to one of the deceased SADF members’ suspected burial site. Operation Savannah. A several-year project will soon see the servicemen interred at the Wall of Remembrance “Through a favourable within the grounds of the Voortrekker Monument, Pretoria. The team sets relationship enjoyed The 23 November, 1975 Battle at Ebo, which out for Angola in May. by South African resulted in Trooper Lombard was killed. The servicemen were killed in two President Zuma and separate incidents during the Ebo attack. Capt DJ Taljaard, 2nd Lt KA Angolan President Williamson, and 2nd Lt EB Thompson Dos Santos, the were shot down by Angolan anti- aircraft fire while on a reconnaissance process of identifying flight over enemy lines. Their Cessna the soldiers’ likely 185 crashed on 25 November 1975 and the bodies were never located. burial locations and rust T Both pilots and Capt Taljaard were facilitating their return bo E killed either during the initial attack to South Africa has and subsequent crash landing, or on the ground. The details on their deaths been accelerated.“ The Eland 90mm Armoured vehicle in have not yet been confirmed. which Trooper Lombard was the driver. African Armed Forces Journal | February 2012 05 Sitrep Trooper N Lombard was the Andersen hosted the SANDF driver of his Eland armoured car Reserve Force Strategic Work (Panhard 90mm armoured vehi- Session at the St George Hotel cle manufactured under licence in Gauteng, South Africa, from in South Africa) and was killed 16-18 February. when it was hit by an Angolan The work session is held every 75mm shell. four years and is designed to Through a favourable relation- take stock of Reserve Force ship enjoyed by South African achievements and objectives President Zuma and Angolan for the future.