1.
Namibia
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Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south, although it does not border Zimbabwe, a part of less than 200 metres of the Zambezi River separates the two countries. Namibia gained independence from South Africa on 21 March 1990, following the Namibian War of Independence. Its capital and largest city is Windhoek, and it is a state of the United Nations, the Southern African Development Community, the African Union. The dry lands of Namibia were inhabited since early times by the San, Damara, since about the 14th century, immigrating Bantu peoples arrived as part of the Bantu expansion. Since then the Bantu groups in total, known as the Ovambo people, have dominated the population of the country, in the late 19th century during European colonization, the German Empire established rule over most of the territory as a protectorate in 1884. It began to develop infrastructure and farming, and maintained this German colony until 1915, after the end of World War I, in 1920 the League of Nations mandated the country to the United Kingdom, under administration by South Africa. It imposed its laws, including racial classifications and rules, from 1948, with the National Party elected to power, South Africa applied apartheid also to what was known as South West Africa. In 1878 the Cape of Good Hope had annexed the port of Walvis Bay and the offshore Penguin Islands, following continued guerrilla warfare, South Africa installed an interim administration in Namibia in 1985. Namibia obtained full independence from South Africa in 1990, but Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands remained under South African control until 1994. Namibia has a population of 2.1 million people and a stable multi-party parliamentary democracy, Agriculture, herding, tourism and the mining industry – including mining for gem diamonds, uranium, gold, silver, and base metals – form the basis of its economy. The large, arid Namib Desert has resulted in Namibia being overall one of the least densely populated countries in the world, Namibia enjoys high political, economic and social stability. The name of the country is derived from the Namib Desert, before its independence in 1990, the area was known first as German South-West Africa, then as South-West Africa, reflecting the colonial occupation by the Germans and the South Africans. The dry lands of Namibia were inhabited since early times by San, Damara, from about the 14th century, immigrating Bantu peoples arrived during the Bantu expansion from central Africa. From the late 18th century onwards, Oorlam people from Cape Colony crossed the Orange River and their encounters with the nomadic Nama tribes were largely peaceful. The missionaries accompanying the Oorlam were well received by them, the right to use waterholes, on their way further northwards, however, the Oorlam encountered clans of the Herero at Windhoek, Gobabis, and Okahandja, who resisted their encroachment. The Nama-Herero War broke out in 1880, with hostilities ebbing only after the German Empire deployed troops to the places and cemented the status quo among the Nama, Oorlam. The first Europeans to disembark and explore the region were the Portuguese navigators Diogo Cão in 1485 and Bartolomeu Dias in 1486, like most of interior Sub-Saharan Africa, Namibia was not extensively explored by Europeans until the 19th century
2.
South Africa
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South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost country in Africa. South Africa is the 25th-largest country in the world by land area and it is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere. About 80 percent of South Africans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different Bantu languages, the remaining population consists of Africas largest communities of European, Asian, and multiracial ancestry. South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a variety of cultures, languages. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the recognition of 11 official languages. The country is one of the few in Africa never to have had a coup détat, however, the vast majority of black South Africans were not enfranchised until 1994. During the 20th century, the black majority sought to recover its rights from the dominant white minority, with this struggle playing a role in the countrys recent history. The National Party imposed apartheid in 1948, institutionalising previous racial segregation, since 1994, all ethnic and linguistic groups have held political representation in the countrys democracy, which comprises a parliamentary republic and nine provinces. South Africa is often referred to as the Rainbow Nation to describe the multicultural diversity. The World Bank classifies South Africa as an economy. Its economy is the second-largest in Africa, and the 34th-largest in the world, in terms of purchasing power parity, South Africa has the seventh-highest per capita income in Africa. However, poverty and inequality remain widespread, with about a quarter of the population unemployed, nevertheless, South Africa has been identified as a middle power in international affairs, and maintains significant regional influence. The name South Africa is derived from the geographic location at the southern tip of Africa. Upon formation the country was named the Union of South Africa in English, since 1961 the long form name in English has been the Republic of South Africa. In Dutch the country was named Republiek van Zuid-Afrika, replaced in 1983 by the Afrikaans Republiek van Suid-Afrika, since 1994 the Republic has had an official name in each of its 11 official languages. Mzansi, derived from the Xhosa noun umzantsi meaning south, is a name for South Africa. South Africa contains some of the oldest archaeological and human fossil sites in the world, extensive fossil remains have been recovered from a series of caves in Gauteng Province. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has termed the Cradle of Humankind
3.
South African Army
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The South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910. The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by Boer Commando forces, the role of the Army was fundamentally changed by the upheavals of the early 1990s and after 1994 the Army became part of the new South African National Defence Force. It is now becoming involved in peacekeeping efforts in southern Africa. The Army is composed of roughly 40,100 regular uniformed personnel, the rank/age structure of the army, which deteriorated desperately during the 1990s, is greatly improving through the Military Skills Development voluntary national service system. Through this system, young members are being inducted into the regular. The 1912 law also obligated all males between seventeen and sixty years of age to serve in the military, but this was not strictly enforced as there were a large number of volunteers. Instead, half of the males aged from 17 to 25 were drafted by lots into the ACF. For training purposes, the Union was divided into 15 military districts, initially, the Permanent Force consisted of five regiments of the South African Mounted Riflemen, each with a battery of artillery attached. Dorning says that. the SAMR was in reality a military constabulary similar to the Cape Mounted Riflemen, in 1913 and 1914, the new 23, 400-member Citizen Force was called on to suppress several industrial strikes on the Witwatersrand. In accordance with the 1912 Defence Act, the Active Citizen Force was established under Brig. Gen. C. F, the authorised strength of the ACF and Coast Garrison Force was 25,155 and by 31 December actual strength stood at 23,462. When World War I broke out in 1914, the South African government chose to join the war on the side of the Allies, the German troops stationed there eventually surrendered to the South African forces in July 1915. Later, a brigade and various other supporting units were shipped to France in order to fight on the Western Front as the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force. The 4th Regiment was called the South African Scottish and was raised from members of the Transvaal Scottish, the supporting units included five batteries of heavy artillery, a field ambulance unit, a Royal Engineers signals company and a military hospital. South Africans also saw action with the Cape Corps in Palestine, an estimated 3,000 South Africans also joined the Royal Flying Corps. The total South African casualties during the war was about 18,600 with over 12,452 killed – more than 4,600 in the European theater alone, wartime casualties and postwar demobilisation weakened the UDF. New legislation in 1922 re-established conscription for males over the age of 21 for four years of military training and service. UDF troops assumed internal security tasks in South Africa and quelled several revolts against South African domination in South-West Africa, during the Rand strike of 1922,14,000 members of the ACF and certain A class reservists were called up. Expenditure cuts saw the UDF as a whole reduced, the last remaining regiment of the South Africa Mounted Riflemen was disbanded on 31 March 1926 and the number of military districts was reduced from 16 to six on 1 April 1926
4.
South West Africa Territorial Force
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The South West Africa Territorial Force was an auxiliary arm of the South African Defence Force and comprised the armed forces of South West Africa from 1977 to 1989. It emerged as a product of South Africas political control of the territory which was granted to the former as a League of Nations mandate following World War I. As the guerrilla war intensified, however, it clear that the local civilian police alone were not enough to cope with SWAPO/PLAN incursions. Consequently, military units were deployed for the first time,60,000 South African combat troops were engaged in South West Africa by the late 1970s. As part of a policy of military and social reform. A start was made with the regrouping of existing units into four formations, a Formation Headquarters Staff, a Reaction Force, an Area Force. Their main function was to assist the South African Air Force in reconnaissance and communication flights, the new South West African Territorial Force was officially created on 1 August 1980, from South West African citizens already serving with the South African Defence Force. The permanent force comprised mostly volunteer auxiliaries and national servicemen, who formed eight battalions, a militia system was also developed for local security, including over twenty area protection units. By 1981, SWATFs total strength numbered some 10,100 men, by 1987, SWATF had an estimated 22,000 troops, including additional units of engineers, signals personnel, mounted troops, a parachute battalion, and a commando squadron. Its primary goal was protection of the territory of SWA from SWAPO incursions, the SWATF was placed under the control of the Department of Defence for South West Africa and was always headed by a SADF general. There was also a joint SWATF/SADF committee established for planning, liaison, the rank structure of the SWATF was identical to that of the SADF. The Brigade also included a battalion and a mobilisation center. Logistics Brigade Eight full-time battalions 31 Bushman Battalion HQ at Omega Base 32 Battalion at Buffalo,33 Eastern Caprivi Battalion,34 Kavangoland Battalion,35 Ovamboland Battalion, The Quick reaction force. It recruited from South West Africa at large and deployed predominantly as a reserve force, an infantry element, a mechanised contingent, artillery, and a regiment of Eland armoured cars was included. The unit was never mobilised en masse, five ‘Modular’ Infantry Battalions 51 Battalion at Ruacana,52 Battalion at Oshakati,53 Battalion at Ondangwa and 54 Battalion at Eenhana. Modular Battalions main function was internal operations, sub units were attached according to the requirements of a specific situation, i. e. the modular nature. They were made up elements from a variety of units. Koevoet or Romeo-Mike teams were also stationed in these company bases for mutual protection
5.
Casspir
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The Casspir is a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle that has been in use in South Africa for over 30 years. It is a four-wheeled, four-wheel drive vehicle, used for transport of troops and it can hold a crew of two, plus 12 additional soldiers and associated equipment. The Casspir was unique in design when launched, providing for passive mine defence, the main armoured steel body of the vehicle is raised high above the ground, so when a mine is detonated, the explosion is less likely to damage the crew compartment and kill the occupants. The cross-section of the hull is V-shaped, directing the force of the explosion outwards, the vehicle also offers crew protection from small arms fire. The capabilities of the Casspir were the basis of the capabilities required by the U. S. Marines for their Mine Resistant Ambush Protected or MRAP vehicle project, the name Casspir is an anagram of the abbreviations of the customer, the South African Police, and the design authority, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. Although the Casspir was deployed in townships during the apartheid era and these requirements led to the distinctive V-shaped hull and a wheeled chassis. The Casspir was designed by the Defence Research Unit of CSIR specifically to protect occupants against landmines. It is certified to protect its occupants against a triple TM-57 mine blast under a wheel, the Casspir has V-bottomed armoured monocoque hull, designed to deflect the force of an explosion outwards, to which a leaf-spring suspension is attached. After two years of testing, the South African Police were eventually satisfied they had a good vehicle. Some 190 Mk1 Casspir were manufactuered by Henred Fruehauf, in 1981 production was taken over by TFM, which improved the design to the Mk 2. TFM was subsequently taken over by Reumech OMC, Reumech in turn was taken over by Vickers Defence Systems of the UK and renamed Vickers OMC. When Alvis purchased Vickers Defence Systems to become Alvis Vickers, Vickers OMC became Alvis OMC, in 2004 BAE Systems acquired Alvis Vickers and Alvis OMC was renamed Land Systems OMC. Land Systems OMC was 75 per cent acquired by Denel in 2015, an estimated 2800 Casspir of all types have been built. The South African Police Service auctioned off some of their surplus Casspirs to the public at a 2008 auction, a new Casspir known as Casspir NG2000 is being manufactured by Denel Mechem. The vehicle was launched in April 2013, made extensive use of Mercedes-Benz truck components. Can be used as a weapon platform, did not enter production Sesspir - In 1984-85 the CSIR developed a prototype Casspir with six wheels. An additional non-driven axle was fitted in front of the front drive axle and it steered along with the regular driven front wheels and was equipped with winch cables to hoist either side of the axle clear off the ground in the event of the loss of a wheel
6.
South African Border War
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It was fought between the South African Defence Force and the Peoples Liberation Army of Namibia, an armed wing of the South West African Peoples Organisation. The South African Border War resulted in some of the largest battles on the African continent since World War II and was intertwined with the Angolan Civil War. Fighting broke out between PLAN and the South African authorities in August 1966, between 1975 and 1988 the SADF staged massive conventional raids into Angola and Zambia to eliminate PLANs forward operating bases. It also deployed specialist counter-insurgency units such as Koevoet and 32 Battalion trained to carry out external reconnaissance, South African tactics became increasingly aggressive as the conflict progressed. The SADFs incursions produced Angolan casualties and occasionally resulted in collateral damage to economic installations regarded as vital to the Angolan economy. Beginning in 1984, regular Angolan units under Soviet command were confident enough to confront the SADF and their positions were also bolstered by thousands of Cuban troops. PLAN launched its final campaign in late March 1989. South West Africa received formal independence as the Republic of Namibia a year later, despite being largely fought in neighbouring states, the South African Border War had a phenomenal cultural and political impact on South African society. It remains an integral theme in contemporary South African literature at large and Afrikaans-language works in particular, various names have been applied to the undeclared conflict waged by South Africa in Angola and Namibia from the mid 1960s to the late 1980s. Border War entered public discourse in South Africa during the late 1970s, due to the covert nature of most South African Defence Force operations inside Angola, the term was favoured as a means of omitting any reference to clashes on foreign soil. Where tactical aspects of various engagements were discussed, military historians simply identified the conflict as the bush war, the South West African Peoples Organisation has described the South African Border War as the Namibian War of National Liberation and the Namibian Liberation Struggle. In the Namibian context it is commonly referred to as the Namibian War of Independence. However, these terms have been criticised for ignoring the wider implications of the war and the fact that PLAN was based in. Namibia was governed as German South West Africa, a colony of the German Empire, until World War I, when it was invaded and occupied by Allied forces under General Louis Botha. Following the Armistice of 11 November 1918, a system was imposed by the League of Nations to govern African and Asian territories held by Germany. Nevertheless, the bestowal of a mandate by the League of Nations did not confer full sovereignty, in principle mandating countries were only supposed to hold these former colonies in trust for their inhabitants, until they were sufficiently prepared for their own self-determination. Under these terms, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand were granted the German Pacific islands, and it soon became apparent the South African government had interpreted the mandate as a veiled annexation. According to Smuts, this annexation in all but in name
7.
Ovambo people
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The Ovambo people, also called Aawambo, Ambo, Aawambo or Ovawambo, are a Southern African tribal ethnic group. They are the largest ethnic group of Namibia, found in its northern regions and they are also found in southern Angolan province of Cunene where the name Ambo is more common. The Ovambo consist of a number of kindred Bantu ethnic tribes who inhabit what is called Owamboland, accounting for about fifty percent of the Namibian population, the Ovamba are its largest ethnic group. In Angola, they are a minority, accounting for two percent of the total Angolan population. The Ambo people migrated south from the regions of Zambezi in the period around the 14th century. The contemporary total Ambo population is about 1.6 million, the Ovambo people reside in the flat sandy grassy plains of north Namibia and the Cunene Province in south Angola, sometimes referred to as Ovamboland. These plains are flat, stoneless and at high altitude. Water courses, known as oshanas irrigate the area, in the northern regions of Owamboland is tropical vegetation sustained by abundant but seasonal rainfall that floods the region into temporary lakes and islands. In dry season, these pools of water empty out, the Ambo people have adapted to the widely varying seasonal weather patterns with their housing, agriculture, and livestock practices. The Ovambo people are Bantu-speaking tribes, in Namibia, these are the AaNdonga, Ovakwanyama, Aakwambi, Aangandjera, Aambalantu, Ovaunda, Aakolonkadhi and Aakwaluudhi. In Angola, they are the Ovakwanyama, Aakafima, Evale and they speak Oshiwambo, in many dialects such as the Oshikwanyama, Oshingandjera, Oshindonga and others. The Ovambo people probably started migrating to their current location from the northeast in or after the 15th century from the Zambia region and they settled near the Angola-Namibia border then expanded further south in Namibia in the 17th century. They have a cultural, linguistic and historical relationship to the Herero people found in more southern parts of Namibia. When Germany established a colony in Namibia in 1884, they left the Ovambo people undisturbed, the Germans focussed on the southern and coastal regions. After the World War I, Namibia was annexed into the South African administration by the British as the South West Africa province and this brought major changes, with South African plantation, cattle breeding and mining operations entering the Ovamboland. The Ovambo people launched several armed resistance in the 1920s and 1930s, the South African administration continued the so-called Police Zone in south, a region created by the Germans covering about two-thirds of the province later to become Namibia. Ovambo people were not allowed to move into the Police Zone, numerous Ovambo people became migrant labor, but with segregation and highly restrained human rights, in South African towns such as Cape Town and in the Police Zone. The South African Apartheid rule was brought into the Ovamboland in 1948, the South African government declared the Ovamboland as independent province in 1973, and appointed chiefs aligned with the South African government policies
8.
44 Parachute Regiment (South Africa)
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44 Parachute Regiment is the South African Armys chief airborne infantry unit. It was created in 2000 by redesignating 44 Parachute Brigade, and is based at the Tempe military base near Bloemfontein, the first South African airborne unit was formed in August 1943, when a Parachute Platoon of the South African Air Force was established. However, this unit was disbanded before training could be completed, there were no further attempts to establish any airborne units until 1961, when selected members of the South African Army received parachute training at RAF Abingdon. This was followed by the establishment of 1 Parachute Battalion under Commandant Willem Louw on 1 April 1961, on 26 August 1966, units of 1 Parachute Battalion first participated in operations as part of the South African Border War in South-West Africa. This involvement was eventually to last for more than twenty years, in April 197844 Parachute Brigade was established, with the addition of 2 and 3 Parachute Battalions. On 4 May 1978 South Africas first major operation took place. A large group of paratroopers, from 1,2 and 3 Battalions, attacked a large SWAPO base in Angola, successfully capturing it. In January 1991 the Brigade conducted its first operational jump in an urban counterinsurgency role when 2 Parachute Battalion deployed to Natal as part of Operation Eardrum to quell the violence. The Brigade took part in similar operations in the following years. The Brigades first operational deployment in the period was Operation Boleas in September 1998. It deployed two companies and the Pathfinder Platoon to Lesotho to prevent a coup détat. During 1998, the decision was taken to redesignate the unit as a multi-battalion regiment, in 2001 regiment personnel formed the spearhead of the South African Protection Support Detachment deploying to Burundi. In 2014 the Regiment contributed one company to the FIB which fought a number of engagements in the DRC
9.
South African Special Forces
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Only about 8% of recruits who undergo South African special forces training pass the course. The South African Hunter Group was formed in 1968, and renamed the Reconnaissance Commando Reserve in 1976, combat tracker and bushcraft instruction was provided to an exemplary few, though this meant extending training by a harsh twelve months. Personnel also studied insurgent tactics and theory based on Portuguese, Belgian, the success of this unit culminated in the formation of the subsequent 1 Reconnaissance Commando near Oudtshoorn on 1 October 1972. Operators in the aptly named 1 Recce had to be capable of collecting intelligence at great distances behind hostile lines while tracking larger enemy units. In 1976 its headquarters, the Reconnaissance Commando School, was founded, South African special forces played a pivotal role in the South African Border War and were active alongside the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War. Combat operations were undertaken against FRELIMO militants in Mozambique. The Special Forces Brigades current structure is the result of extensive restructuring related to the integration of the South African National Defence Force between 1992 and 1996. Elements of the brigade are expanded into two groups, though termed regiments, they consist only of small numbers of operators who are secretive, seldom photographed. The current regiments include 4 Special Forces Regiment based at Langebaan in Western Cape Province, the first South African Special Forces unit,1 Reconnaissance Commando, was established in the town of Oudtshoorn, Cape Province on 1 October 1972. On 1 January 1975, this unit was relocated to Durban, Natal, later, five additional Reconnaissance Commandos were formed,2 Reconnaissance Commando - was established in Johannesburg. It was later retired due to rationalisation and the discontinuation of the Citizen Force unit concept 3 Reconnaissance Commando - was established in Phalaborwa, an attempt to integrate this unit into the South African Military was largely unsuccessful. The unit was disbanded in 1981, and the number of remaining personnel were incorporated into the other Special Forces unit. 4 Reconnaissance Commando, specialising in operations, was established in the coastal town of Langebaan. 5 Reconnaissance Commando was established at the Duku-Duku camp in Natal,6 Reconnaissance Commando – was established in Durban. An attempt to integrate this unit into the South African Military was largely unsuccessful and it was disbanded in 1981, and the limited number of remaining personnel were incorporated into the other Special Forces units. As part of the re-organisation, the various Reconnaissance Commandos were also given the status of regiments, in the latter part of the same decade, a Special Forces headquarters and a Special Forces stores depot were also added to the Special Forces structure. Another organisational change followed in 1993, when the Directorate Reconnaissance became 45 Parachute Brigade, as part of the military rationalization process,1 Special Forces Regiment was disbanded in 1996. Its personnel were incorporated into the other Special Forces Regiments, in 1997, the Special Forces School was transferred 5 Special Forces Regiment upon the retirement of 1 Special Forces Regiment where the School had previously been based
10.
South African Army Armoured Formation
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The South African Army Armour Formation provides an Armour capability to the South African Army. The Formation came into being as part of a restructure, South African Armoured Corps units previously under the command of various different brigades and other formations were all grouped under one formation. All armour is assigned to the SA Army Armour Formation under the charge of a General Officer Commanding, South Africa employed armoured cars as early as 1915 during its invasion of the then-German South West Africa. After the end of the First World War a single Medium Mark A Whippet light tank was purchased for the Union Defence Force and was employed during the 1922 Rand revolt. The tank in question is now on display at the Army College at Thaba Tshwane, the formation of an armoured corps was proposed in 1924. An armoured car section was formed the year when two Vickers machine gun-armed Crossley armoured cars and two medium tanks were imported from Britain. During the severe depression of 1933, the government established the Special Service Battalion on 1 May 1933 as a job opportunities. The Springbok was first used as symbol for this unit until it was changed to the national flower - the Protea - in July 1934, the SSB was converted to an Armoured Car Regiment at the start of the Second World War, and later to a Tank Regiment. In April 1943 the SSB was deployed in North Africa and used a black beret sporting silver proteas as badge, the South African Army Armour Formation marked its 70th anniversary in October 2016 in Bloemfontein with the fourth Armour Symposium and a thanksgiving service. The Formation is structured as follows, School of Armour, These units are equipped with the Olifant Mk1B or Olifant Mk2 main battle tank,1 South African Tank Regiment Pretoria Regiment Natal Mounted Rifles Regiment President Steyn These units are equipped with the Rooikat armoured fighting vehicle. 1 Special Service Battalion Umvoti Mounted Rifles Regiment Oranjerivier Light Horse Regiment Regiment Mooirivier SA Army Armour Formation SA Armour Museum SA Armour Association
Namibia, 
South Africa
South African Army,
