South African military history

Doctrinal and Tactical Aspects of Deploying Anti-Tank Guided Missile Platoons in Defence This paper explores the tactical employment of the Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) platoon in defensive operations, focusing on its effectiveness against armoured and mechanized threats in both conventional and hybrid warfare environments. Drawing on doctrinal frameworks such as FM 3-21.91, FM 71-1, and MCRP 3-30.7, the research evaluates key aspects including terrain-based siting, force distribution, survivability through mobility and camouflage, and synchronization with indirect fire and reconnaissance assets. Through simulated defensive scenarios, the study demonstrates that ATGM units deployed in decentralized, terrain-masked positions with overlapping fields of fire and ISR integration significantly improve engagement success and reduce vulnerability to counterattack. The findings suggest doctrinal and organizational refinements, such as the incorporation of hunter-killer tactics and loitering munitions at the platoon level, to meet the demands of multi-domain operations and support Force Design 2030 concepts. The paper concludes with practical recommendations for training, force structure adaptation, and integrated fires coordination.

This article examines the cadet system paying special attention to its curriculum, aims and objectives in the context o f the discourse o f masculinity and martial orientation o f young lads as it afforded the young boys with a frontier o f experiences. The term cadet system refers to the physical training andpractical;..: teaching of young boys in the use and handling o f military< weapons as was done in almost all White dominated schools in Southern Rhodesia. The idea was mainly to instil a high sense o f civil defence and obedience among the youth in a society suffering from a strong siege mentality’. Furthermore, the British spirit o f volunteering was not popular among some of the White male settlers especially in a situation where every sector was facing manpower shortages. Lack o f involvement among settlers could have been caused by a strong belief in British naval ability as well as the use o f local natives as examples from India had proved successful. With regards to y...

This book, a collaborative endeavour by experts from various disciplines, meticulously investigates the increasing reliance on drones in conflicts across Africa, delving into their geopolitical, tactical, and ethical ramifications. By emphasising African perspectives, it examines the distinct dynamics of the region, highlighting the interactions between state actors, non-state actors, and external powers. The contributions explore the proliferation of armed and unarmed drones and their deployment by violent non-state actors alongside the rise of indigenous drone manufacturing. Topics include counterterrorism, sovereignty, and regional stability. The analysis is enriched with in-depth case studies, offering a nuanced understanding of the tactical, operational, and strategic implications of drones in African battlespaces. The book underscores the potential of drones to address Africa's unique security challenges, such as irregular warfare and porous borders, while also raising ethical concerns related to surveillance, civilian casualties, and dual-use technologies. Drones in the African battlespaces provide a timely, comprehensive examination of how unmanned systems are reshaping warfare and security across the continent, inviting policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to critically engage with the implications of this technological shift for Africa’s future.

Keywords: Security Challenges
Counterterrorism
Drone Warfare
Military Strategies
UAVs
African Conflicts

This paper explores the symbolic and moral trajectory of The Kid, the unnamed protagonist of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian. Somewhere in Tennessee. A woman dies giving birth to a boy. Her husband turns to alcohol and grief and never makes a strong connection with his son. eventually, one day, the boy runs away from home. He was 14 years old. Two years after running away, our protagonist is no longer a boy but a kid, and he finds himself in Texas, where he joins a militia that invades Mexico. Cormac McCarthy's brutal novel Blood Meridian, the violent and unforgiving landscape of the American West, becomes the backdrop for a harrowing journey through human depravity. The novel's bleakness and intensity make it a powerful, yet a demanding literary experience, exploring themes of violence, morality, the nature of evil, and the human capacity for cruelty.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the function and effect of black comedy in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian. Several different explanations for the presence of comedy in such a relentlessly violent novel have been made: that this humor is simply a realistic depiction of the folksy, dry vernacular of the time; that it reinforces the idea that the characters are so morally bankrupt that they are able to make jokes in the midst of so much destruction; or, that it serves to keep the reader's sensibilities in a state of flux between attraction and revulsion: relieving tension, then increasing it again and again, thereby defying easy structuring of how one should feel. This essay proposes that the gallows humor in the novel helps to establish an absurd universe (as delineated by Camus in The Myth of Sisyphus), and as this existential void is circumscribed, anything and everything in the novel becomes potentially farcical.

During World War II, captured service personnel of all the belligerent powers found themselves incarcerated as prisoners of war. Although the number of POWs ran into the millions, comparatively little has been written about them. This timely collection examines individual prisoners' experiences, but also provides an overview and synthesis of some of the most heated debates in the field. Casting new light on the racial and ideological assumptions of captors, authors show how axis powers and the Japanese dealt with Black African and African American troops who were taken prisoner. Political considerations are shown to have proven weightier than, in many cases, heinous crimes against humanity. Also highlighted is the history of Italian POWs in allied hands, the treatment of axis prisoners in Britain and the complex story of Free and Vichy French servicemen fighting each other in Africa. This important book will be essential and compulsive reading for students and scholars of the Se...

research questions. The chapters on the specific South African fascist movements (Chapters Three through Five) are placed by order of prevalence to which they were in contact with Nazi Germany. Therefore, at a macro scale, the structure of the research report will be thematic rather than purely chronological. The researcher will adhere to the requisite ethics clearance procedure by seeking research ethical clearance from the Scientific Committee of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of the Free State. Essential ethical standards will be rigorously observed, such as allowing research data to speak for itself and upholding scientific integrity. The research design is scientifically robust and aligned with the study's objectives. This research is strictly a desktop study and does not involve the participation of human research subjects or the use of personal data. All data and information will be stored securely using password-protected backups and handled ethically. Additionally, the researcher will ensure that findings are accurately represented and adequately credited using the Chicago referencing style to avoid plagiarism. The proposed study will adhere to the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), Act No. 4 of 2013. The information used in the study that is considered public includes data published or broadcast for public consumption, is available upon request, and can be accessed online or through other public means. This information is accessible to the public through subscription or purchase, observable by any casual observer, made available at a public meeting, or is obtainable by visiting suitable public locations, such as a library. The study's information and data do not encompass any personal data provided by third parties restricted under the POPI Act.

research questions. The chapters on the specific South African fascist movements (Chapters Three through Five) are placed by order of prevalence to which they were in contact with Nazi Germany. Therefore, at a macro scale, the structure of the research report will be thematic rather than purely chronological. The researcher will adhere to the requisite ethics clearance procedure by seeking research ethical clearance from the Scientific Committee of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of the Free State. Essential ethical standards will be rigorously observed, such as allowing research data to speak for itself and upholding scientific integrity. The research design is scientifically robust and aligned with the study's objectives. This research is strictly a desktop study and does not involve the participation of human research subjects or the use of personal data. All data and information will be stored securely using password-protected backups and handled ethically. Additionally, the researcher will ensure that findings are accurately represented and adequately credited using the Chicago referencing style to avoid plagiarism. The proposed study will adhere to the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), Act No. 4 of 2013. The information used in the study that is considered public includes data published or broadcast for public consumption, is available upon request, and can be accessed online or through other public means. This information is accessible to the public through subscription or purchase, observable by any casual observer, made available at a public meeting, or is obtainable by visiting suitable public locations, such as a library. The study's information and data do not encompass any personal data provided by third parties restricted under the POPI Act.

Although the British soldiers captured by the Austrians on the Italian Front made up only a tiny proportion of the prisoners of war lost and captured respectively by those armies, the interrogation reports prepared by the Austrian and German military intelligence services provide a rare insight into both the extent of the information that POWs were willing to provide and the topics that their captors thought were of importance. The article explores the views and perceptions of the POWs, and connects this information with the development of the intelligence systems of the Central Powers.

Adrian Preston remarked that the period between May 1879 and May 1880 was the least known and the most neglected of Wolseley's career. Uncharacteristically for an author who generally substituted length for understanding, Preston's introduction spent little time on the journal's actual contents; instead, he continued the general assault on Wolseley's achievements that he had begun in the introduction to his earlier edition of Wolseley's 1875 Natal diary first published in 1971. Not surprisingly, in covering his whole career, Wolseley's biographers, most recently Halik Kochanski, have not been able to devote that much attention to the period in question either. It is also true, as William Wright suggests, that beyond Wolseley's controversial settlement of Zululand following the defeat of the Zulu at Ulundi and Cetshwayo's capture, the subsequent campaign against the baPedi chief, Sekhukhune, has received little notice. Wolseley, indeed, had a struggle to convince the authorities to grant a clasp to the South Africa Medal for the operations in Zululand between Ulundi and Cetshwayo's surrender, and failed to secure one for the operations against Sekhukhune.

There has been extensive research and examination dedicated to the advantages and disadvantages of entrepreneurship, both in general and specifically for African Americans. Significant research has been devoted to understanding the economic outcomes of African American men, and there is an area of opportunity to study how African American men, specifically, can leverage entrepreneurship to increase the probability of successful economic outcomes for themselves and their families. Entrepreneurial research has the potential to be leveraged to combat waning labor force participation rates and heightened unemployment rates among African American men. Leveraging the theories of Trust, Goal-Orientation, Logotherapy, and Social Identity Theory, a study was conducted among United States-based business owners. The sample size was forty-one African American male business owners. The results demonstrate how these African American men have leveraged entrepreneurship to build social capital and wealth, while improving their standard of living, as well as highlight the hurdles and barriers they have endured during the process of business ownership. The majority of African American owned business are owned by African American men, and this study provides insights into the phenomenology of African American male entrepreneurs.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) of the breast is quite rare. Even rarer is DFSP of the male breast. The purpose of this article is to report a case of DFSP of the left breast in a 32-year-old man. This is with a view to creating awareness about this rare clinical condition. This is expected to aid clinicians in making an early diagnosis and ensuring prompt management of the condition.

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this Working Paper, the Development Research Centre and LSE accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims or accuracy of information provided by contributors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher nor be issued to the public or circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.

The previous upload was faulty, so this is a repeat. FAPLA intended to recapture Xangongo and advance on Ongiva in 1982 after losing both towns during Operation Protea. Operation Meebos was launched by the SADF to destroy PLAN capacity to mobilize, with the main thrust towards Cuvelai north of Ongiva. Simultaneously a small armoured unit from 10 Armoured Car Squadron was deployed to Xangongo after 61 Mech moved through to recover a Russian T34/85 tank shot out during Operation Protea. This was part of a deception strategy to discourage FAPLA to advance. Parts of the recovered tank were used to create the Southern Africa Medal, based on the history of the Victoria Cross that uses metal from the cascabel of captured guns in the Crimean War. The tank recovery took place on the same day (9 August) that a SAAF Puma was shot down killing all crew and paratroopers on board.

FAPLA intended to recapture Xangongo and advance on Ongiva in 1982. Operation Meebos was launched by the SADF to destroy PLAN capacity to mobilize, with the main thrust towards Cuvelai north of Ongiva. Simultaneously a small armoured unit from 10 Armoured Car Squadron was deployed to Xangongo to recover a Russian T34/85 tank shot out during Operation Protea. This was part of a deception strategy to discourage FAPLA to advance. Parts of the recovered tank were used to create the Southern Africa Medal, based on the history of the Victoria Cross that uses metal from the cascabel of captured guns in the Crimean War. The tank recovery took place on the same day that a SAAF Puma was shot down killing all crew and paratroopers on board.

While the activities of the Dutch administration of the Cape of Good Hope between 1652 and 1795 is fulsomely recorded in the vast archive of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), ego documents or life writing, such as private diaries and letters, from ordinary inhabitants of the colony are very rare. This state of affairs hampers historians' understanding of how the population of the Cape during this era reacted to and felt about events that we know well from the viewpoint of the VOC. For this reason alone, the existence of three letters by a burgher militiaman during the contest over the Cape between Britain and the VOC authorities during June to September 1795, is significant. Although these letters have resided in the manuscript collection of the National Library of South Africa in Cape Town for half a century, they remain unknown to most historians and the general public. This article presents a translation with commentary of these letters and reveal the valuable insights a perceptive reader can glean from them, not just about the military operations of mid-1795, but also about the political, social and cultural history of the Cape at the end of the eighteenth century from the viewpoint of an ordinary citizen.

The aim of this paper is to highlight emerging trends in African security and to illustrate the challenges with utilising armour in African peace missions. The need to re-introduce multi-role training together with the re-stablishment of a light armour capability is proposed.

Operational strategy and operational theory are two concepts within the levels of war that do not always receive sufficient attention. Russia revived the operational level during the early 20th century while the United States of America came on board during the second half of the same century. The operational level also received insufficient attention in South African military circles until very recently, since it had to compete with a host of military priorities in order to be recognised. In this article it is argued that the South African National Defence Force lacks a clear, coherent operational theory towards a joint operations doctrine for combat operations. One reason for this is the commitment to peacekeeping duties in Africa, which diverts personnel, time and other resources from matters pertaining to operational theory and doctrine. In spite of this, some progress has been made to revive the operational level within the South African National Defence Force, but these initiatives do not sufficiently address the level of operational strategy.

The aim of this paper is to discuss the role of South African armour during the South West Africa/Namibia conflict. It commences with a discussion of the role and definition of modern armour. It then explains how armour was employed in the SWA/Namibia and Angola theatres of operations and by dividing the role of different armoured fighting vehicles into eras, starting with the Eland, then the Ratel and lastly the Olifant tank. The role of armour in de-mining operations and the stopping of SWAPO's last wave of cross-border attacks in the last phase of the conflict is then discussed. The last part of the paper is about the pioneers of South African armour doctrine.

Faz agora 40 anos que, a 5 de Outubro, na vila de Balombo, situada a uma centena de quilómetros do Lobito ocorria, sem que muitos o soubessem, o primeiro confronto entre, de um lado, as forças das FAPLA/MPLA apoiadas por katangueses (congoleses do Katanga anteriormente ao serviço do exército colonial português contra a guerrilha angolana) e, do outro, forças do exército sul-africano (SADF) que apoiavam as FALA/UNITA.

The Union of South Africa’s amphibious invasion of German South West Africa (GSWA) in 1914 predates the Australian naval and military expeditionary force Battle of Bita Paka on the island of New Britain in September. However, the latter is known as the first amphibious operation of the First World War. Military historians have relegated the invasion of GSWA as African operations, far from the epicenter of the European conflict, to mere sidebars in the wider historiography of the First World War. Contemporary attempts to elevate their importance refer to the conflict outside of Europe as the “wider war.” Historians must acknowledge that the African conflict was undoubtedly more than a minor curiosity for hundreds of thousands of its participants and victims. Equally guilty of amnesia are contemporary South African historians—together with the various South African military academies and colleges—who have consigned South Africa’s invasion of GSWA to the historiographical landfill. Readers will be hard-pressed to find details on the amphibious aspects of the operation in the secondary sources. Official historians deliberately protected reputations for political reasons Katz and obfuscated the details of South Africa’s amphibious operation. Academic historians have fared little better, resorting to cross citations rather than engaging in the research process and consulting the primary evidence lying undisturbed in archives.

This chapter breaks the trend by using primary documents from the National Archives of South Africa Pretoria (NASAP), the South African National Defence Force Archives (DODA) and the National Archives of the United Kingdom (TNA) and underutilized regimental histories to reconstruct the Union Defence Forces’ (UDF) first amphibious operation. The narrative is pitched at the strategic and operational levels of war as the landings were unopposed. The strategic aspects of the campaign were rooted in a long, deep-seated desire for territorial expansion shared successively by the colonial government of the Cape Colony, the British Empire, and then by the newly formed dominion, the Union of South Africa in 1910.

This chapter aims to reveal the operational concepts underpinning the amphibious invasion, conceived by the British as early as 1902, and examine the final iteration of the operational plan developed by the UDF’s defense minister, General Jan Smuts. Also under examination will be the performance of South Africa’s fledgling UDF, formed a mere two years before the outbreak of war in 1912. The deeply politically divided UDF was an imperfect instrument of war in many ways, not least in possessing a contested doctrine represented by the former enemies who made up the UDF’s numbers in 1914.

Camps interning black civilians during the South African War (1899War ( -1902) ) are known as concentration camps, yet this is not the full picture of what transpired during the conflict. Rather, by mid-1901, the concentration camps established for black civilians in South Africa during late 1900 and early 1901 were incorporated into the newly formed Native Refugee Department, which fell under direct command of the British Army. At this point, the camps were mostly closed and the internees relocated to Boer farms cleared of civilians. There, departmental camps were established with a completely different function to that of the concentration camp system. These camps, established by the Native Refugee Department, operated as forced labour camps wherein women, children and elderly men were compelled into forced labour, growing crops for the British military in exchange for food. If they refused, they were starved to death on the 'let die' basis. Able-bodied men in turn sought work with the military or the mines to support their dependants. Dry Harts Forced Labour Camp forms the focus of this article. A combination of sources was used to reconstruct this history; archaeological surveys, the fragmentary written archive, and accessing local oral history and memory at the site during 2001-2008. Through this research, a narrative emerges. What is learned is that the fight for land, the creation of forced labour, civilian displacement and the horror of Total War are not, as some scholars advocate, a shared experience with the Boer population at the hands of a common enemy, commensurate with mutual suffering or black participation in the war. The experience of civilians inside Dry Harts Forced Labour Camp was fundamentally different to that of the Boers interned in camps. Theirs' was not so-called black participation, rather it was a standalone experience of land, labour, war and displacement. brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by University of Johannesburg Institutional Repository Marshal, Lord FS Roberts, implemented a counter-guerrilla warfare strategy. Known as "scorched earth," this saw British military retaliation against civilian property in areas where the commandos were active. Farms and towns were destroyed, livestock seized or killed and crops destroyed. During the final quarter of 1900, Boer and black civilians were interned into camps, hurriedly established near garrisoned towns and outposts positioned along the railway lines (Mohlamme 2017). Black concentration camps, however, were designed along a different model than those for white civilians. Their role was to provide coerced labour in support of the British war effort. Through the implementation of a "work or starve" policy, combined with the practice of withholding food, medical support and shelter, many perished from systemic neglect. Yet the memory of this experience of the black concentration camps has entered historical discourse only recently, in the last three decades. By mid-1901, these initial camps were placed under the administration of the newly formed Native Refugee Department, established on farms cleared of Boer civilians. These departmental camps were established with a completely different function to that of the Boer concentration camp system. These camps utilised forced labour in that women, children and elderly men were compelled to grow crops for the British military in exchange for food, while able-bodied men in turn sought work with the military or the mines to support their dependants. Black internees were to grow food for the army departments and pay for their rations. Refusal lead to deliberate starvation (NA, Military Governor Pretoria, 27 May 1901). This 'no work no food' or 'work or starve' policy coerced women, children and elderly men to cultivate crops on the department farms (Nasson 2013). Those who worked could purchase maize and those who refused, either paid double the price, or starved. Kitchener's policy was in line with the colonial military policy of the time for doing the bare minimum for enemy civilians who were managed along the basis of "let die" . This was the fate that awaited those interned in concentration camps at Kimberley, Orange River Station, Taung and Dry Harts, which this article details. This is the first written history dedicated to the Dry Harts Forced Labour Camp, in existence from November 1901 until December 1902. This camp experienced a high death rate, as evidenced by the graves on the historic terrain, located by the author and E. Voigt on 13 June 2001. While the graves 4 formed an initial focal point of investigation, and are described in detail in this article, other sources were also used to recover and reconstruct a history of the camp. The research used three primary sources; the written archive, archaeological examinations, and discussions with local residents from Moretele and Ntswanahatse villages, which overlay the original site of the camp. A collation of these three resources in turn leads to a fuller understanding of what transpired inside Dry Harts, which this paper details. This approach is unique in the archaeological investigation/historical investigation of black concentration camps in South Africa, as it was the first such project to use a multi-source methodology of this kind. The use of archaeology and oral history and memory offers a valuable avenue of inquiry, as current literature based on the written archival record alone offers little value in understanding Dry Harts Camp. Prior to my own work (Benneyworth 2016a, 2016b, 2019a, 2019b), only Warwick (1983) had alluded to the camp in that he includes quotes from a missionary who had visited the camp. Subsequent works have cited his reference to the missionary but have not produced further primary research. As noted above, this research utilises documentary, archaeological and oral traditions and memory as sources. The documentary research is useful in that it provides the dates that are important to establishing the timeline of events. Although scant, the few archival documents about Dry Harts Camp offer insights into the conditions inside the camp. A number of archival records, such as those in the De Beers Consolidated Mines archives, document the history and the formation of the Dry Harts Camp and form a spine to the narrative, which opens in Kimberley, 1901.

Review of "Remembering my Totem 'Unity is Strength' growing in Bophuthatswana"
This reflective piece by Matthews Bantsijang offers a personal narrative intertwined with historical insights into the cultural and socio-political landscape of Bophuthatswana during the era of apartheid in South Africa. The author provides anecdotal evidence of his early indoctrination into the ANC Masupatsela and the formative role that various youth organizations played in instilling values of unity and resilience. This submission is both a memoir and a reflection on the enduring importance of unity within the African National Congress (ANC) and the wider South African context.

Overview
The work primarily contributes a personal historical narrative that connects the author's experiences with broader themes of unity and resilience in the face of apartheid. The author recounts his involvement in various youth initiatives, most notably the ANC Masupatsela, and their impact on his development as an advocate for unity. Implicit in the narrative is the assumption of a shared cultural heritage and the continuity of struggle against systemic divisiveness, embodied in his lifelong adherence to the principle "Unity is Strength" or "Kopano ke Matla." This principle governed his actions and worldviews within the context of both familial obligations and broader socio-political movements.

Relevant References
Including a clear literature review helps reviewers quickly see what's new and why it matters, which can speed up the review and improve acceptance chances. The following references were selected because they relate closely to the topics and ideas in your submission. They may provide helpful context, illustrate similar methods, or point to recent developments that can strengthen how your work is positioned within the existing literature.

Nolutshungu, Sam C. “Reflections on National Unity in South Africa: A Comparative Approach.” Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis, 1992, doi:10.1080/01436599208420300.
Farred, Grant. “Unity and Difference in Black South Africa.” Social Text, Duke University Press, 1992, doi:10.2307/466227.
Kasrils, Ronnie. “Lessons from South Africa: A First-Hand Testimony *.” Edinburgh University Press EBooks, Edinburgh University Press, 2021, doi:10.3366/edinburgh/9781474467117.003.0002.
Lissoni, Arianna. “Transformations in the ANC External Mission and Umkhonto We Sizwe, c. 1960–1969*.” Journal of Southern African Studies, Taylor & Francis, 2009, doi:10.1080/03057070902919850.
Jones, Peris S. “'To Come Together for Progress': Modernization and Nation-Building in South Africa's Bantustan Periphery ‐ the Case of Bophuthatswana.” Journal of Southern African Studies, Taylor & Francis, 1999, doi:10.1080/030570799108489.
Cherry, Janet. Spear of the Nation: Umkhonto WeSizwe: South Africa’s Liberation Army, 1960s–1990s. 2012, https://www.ohioswallow.com/extras/9780821444436_intro_and_chapter_02.pdf.
Bornman, Elirea. “Post-Apartheid South Africa: A United or a Divided Nation?” Peace Psychology Book Series, Springer International Publishing, 2014, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-05464-3_9.
“SOUTH AFRICA: ANC United?” Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series, Wiley, 2006, doi:10.1111/j.1467-825x.2006.00388.x-i1.
Jones, Peris S. Mmabatho, 'Mother of the People' : Identity and Development in an 'Independent' Bantustan, Bophuthatswana, 1975-1994. 1997, http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA5212591X.
Macmillan, Hugh. “‘Past History Has Not Been Forgotten’: The ANC/ZAPU Alliance – the Second Phase, 1978–1980.” Journal of Southern African Studies, Taylor & Francis, 2017, doi:10.1080/03057070.2017.1262639.
Strengths
One of the most significant strengths of this narrative is its personal perspective that provides authentic insights into the life of a young ANC Masupatsela member during this historical period. This firsthand account enriches our understanding of the cultural and political dimensions that shaped South African youth under apartheid. The work's sincerity is compelling, offering a richly textured recount of the author's lived experience. Furthermore, Bantsijang effectively illustrates the theme of unity both through personal action and collective struggle, emphasizing its continuing significance for the ANC.

Major Comments
Methodology
Given the nature of this submission as a personal reflection, the work lacks a conventional research methodology. However, the incorporation of more structured historical analysis alongside personal reflection could enhance its academic rigor. Presenting corroborative historical data and aligning personal anecdotes with broader historical timelines would strengthen the narrative.

Clarity and Coherence
While the narrative is engaging, the clarity of some passages could be improved. The work occasionally shifts abruptly between personal anecdotes and broader reflections on unity, sometimes causing disorientation for the reader. A more organized structure delineating personal experiences from general observations could enhance the narrative flow and coherence.

Minor Comments
Presentation and Formatting
The submission would benefit from improved formatting and organization. Implementing section headers and organizing the text into distinct sections for background, personal narrative, and reflections would guide the reader through the narrative more effectively. Additionally, careful editing for grammatical accuracy and consistency in style would improve readability.

Terminology
Clarifying certain terms and providing translations where necessary would make the work accessible to a broader audience. For example, phrases like "Kopano ke Matla" should be contextually defined early in the text to ensure all readers understand their significance.

Reviewer Commentary
This submission offers a deeply personal exploration of unity's role in both individual development and collective struggle within the ANC. The narrative serves as an important reminder of how personal experiences are interwoven with historical and political developments. However, the work could benefit from an engagement with scholarly literature and historical context to ensure that personal anecdotes are anchored in historical critique. There is notable potential for interdisciplinary dialogue, particularly in the fields of history, political science, and cultural studies.

Summary Assessment
Overall, "Remembering my Totem 'Unity is Strength' growing in Bophuthatswana" presents a unique personal narrative that underscores the enduring significance of unity within both the author's life and the wider context of the ANC. Through his reflection, Bantsijang invites readers to consider the powerful impact of shared ideologies in shaping political movements and personal identities. While the work would benefit from greater structural and scholarly enhancement, its core contribution remains valuable in its humanizing portrayal of historical events.

(Optional closing)
The narrative is not only a testament to historical events of the past but also serves as an inspiration for future generations to value and pursue unity as a vital principle. Its potential to spark dialogue amongst scholars and activists alike is commendable and presents opportunities for enhanced understanding of South African history and politics.


Learning everything about Unity started when I joined the ANC Masupatsela or ANC Young Pioneers partly underground and camouflaged under other organisations in the early 1980s, being at young age of around 10 years in Mafikeng, under Bophuthatswana then. Even 40 years + later, as a product of ANC Masupatsela, I am still the hardcore believer, an agent, and a protagonist of Unity. I might not be present "Tintswalo", but I am "Matthews" of ANC Masupatsela, who was part of pre 1994 Masupatsela that boldly defied Bophuthatswana Government with some Young Comrades, late and some still alive, persecuted for wanting to see Bophuthatswana being part of South Africa, as it was envisaged by ANC led by Nelson Mandela and ANC President Oliver Tambo! It was irony of our upbringing as our Christian parents then that were pro-Bophuthatswana mainly of three reasons. being bread and butter issues, being part of Kingly Royalty simply 'Bogosi' under Bophuthatswana Government, and lastly, the progressive Bophuthatswana government.

African liberation movements and Communist parties often collaborated in their efforts to remove the yoke of colonialism and imperialism from the African continent. This cooperation is not evidence of Communist parties dictating the affairs and decisions of these liberation movements. This inference may be applied to the African National Congress (ANC), Nelson Mandela, and the South African Communist Party (SACP). While the ANC and Mandela worked with Communists and the SACP, Mandela himself was not a Communist, nor did the SACP manipulate or dictate his actions. Mandela worked with Communists, and Communists joined the ANC, where they assumed high positions within that party. Both the ANC and SACP came to realize that their goals of removing colonialism and imperialism were identical and that they thus needed to work together. This essay looks at the relationship and symbioses between Mandela and the SACP, as well as popular media's perceptions of this relationship.

African liberation movements and Communist parties often collaborated in their efforts to remove the yoke of colonialism and imperialism from the African continent. This cooperation is not evidence of Communist parties dictating the affairs and decisions of these liberation movements. This inference may be applied to the African National Congress (ANC), Nelson Mandela, and the South African Communist Party (SACP). While the ANC and Mandela worked with Communists and the SACP, Mandela himself was not a Communist, nor did the SACP manipulate or dictate his actions. Mandela worked with Communists, and Communists joined the ANC, where they assumed high positions within that party. Both the ANC and SACP came to realize that their goals of removing colonialism and imperialism were identical and that they thus needed to work together. This essay looks at the relationship and symbioses between Mandela and the SACP, as well as popular media's perceptions of this relationship.

Lifelong learning includes transitions across education, work, and life contexts, which bring about transformational changes in individuals at various levels, such as knowledge, competencies, and identity. In an attempt to determine how integrating lifelong learning into the Veterans Welfare Programme can ensure that veterans reintegrate fully, this study employed a systematic review methodology informed by the military transition theory and the notion of lifelong learning. The study's results indicated that the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs offers a range of benefits to veterans through the Veterans Welfare Programme to help veterans with job creation, income generation and gain acceptance back into societal life. The study found that delays in counselling, adult basic education, and the acquisition of relevant knowledge and skills are factors impeding veterans from fully capitalizing on the benefits provided by the Veterans Welfare Programme. Pursuing lifelong learning plays a crucial role in fostering ongoing personal development, addressing deficiencies in literacy across multiple domains, promoting the advancement of skills, combating poverty, and improving the well-being of veterans. Therefore, this study recommends that the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs collaborate with relevant stakeholders to develop training and development interventions that conform to adult education and lifelong learning principles to address the identified skills gap and further the human capacity of the veterans.

The response follows to a request for a critique of van Aswegen's lengthy case study on Russian espionage in South Africa with a special focus on myself and my wife, Ruth. Please know that I am completely indifferent to opinions on my past, especially those coming from ex-servants of the SA apartheid regime, all of which, in my view, reflect their ideological prejudices rather than the truth.

Remembering my Totem “Unity is Strength” growing in Bophuthatswana
Matthews Bantsijang
Learning everything about Unity started when I joined the ANC Masupatsela or ANC Young Pioneers partly underground and camouflaged under other organisations in the early 1980s, being at young age of around 10 years in Mafikeng, under Bophuthatswana then. Even 40 years + later, as a product of ANC Masupatsela, I am still the hardcore believer, an agent, and a protagonist of Unity. I might not be present “Tintswalo”, but I am “Matthews” of ANC Masupatsela, who was part of pre 1994 Masupatsela that boldly defied Bophuthatswana Government with some Young Comrades, late and some still alive, persecuted for wanting to see Bophuthatswana being part of South Africa, as it was envisaged by ANC led by Nelson Mandela and ANC President Oliver Tambo! It was irony of our upbringing as our Christian parents then that were pro-Bophuthatswana mainly of three reasons. being bread and butter issues, being part of Kingly Royalty simply ‘Bogosi’ under Bophuthatswana Government, and lastly, the progressive Bophuthatswana government.
It was difficult then to undertake military training in the 80s at that young age. The opportunity available for military training then at that age under Bophuthatswana Government then was limited, only the likes of Boys Scouts organisations. It was then my late Brother Oupa Bantsijang – may his soul rest in peace – and myself then that joined Boys Scouts where we learned about a Scouting that helps youth to develop academically, discipline, self-confidence, ethics, leadership skills, and citizenship skills, and that influenced the future of our adult lives. We also learned about the basics of camping, basic riffle handling and some military survival skills. Typical Compatriots who  lived my typical life as “Matthews” of ANC Masupatsela, are Oarabile Podile and Warabile Mokaila in Mahikeng.
The other opportunity that we also received with my late Brother apart from Boys Scout and sometime undertaking Karate training, it was joining Military Cadet provided by Bophuthatwana Government at High School level. We were motivated to die for the good principles, that brought my present believe, that is inline with what President Nelson Mandela once said as “…  It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to see realised. But my Lord, if it needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”. Beyond unity understanding, I still and will always subscribe to the Military Cadet Code of obeying all lawful commands and respecting all superiors but will refuse to obey an obviously illegal order. I will always carry out my mission with courage and assist my comrades-in-arms, even at the risk of my own life. Unity was still a lesson which was defined by Boys Scout which are similar principles of having teamwork, time management, leadership, initiative, planning, communication, self-motivation, cultural awareness, and commitment.
The lesson that I will also always treasure is the Scout Law that says a Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. In addition to that, the lesson of “United we stand” has brought me so far. Experience of undergoing all the training of Boys Scouts, Karate and as a Military Cadet, taught me that united we conquer, we win, hence my totem for life is that “Kopano ke Matla” or “Unity is Strength”. I can only wish that all Cadres of ANC Nationally, Provincially, Regionally, and at Branch levels can understand the strength of Unity is Strength, and it will always be my mission and dream to see ANC united. A wish to our young ANC Masupatsela Boys and Girls is that we raise them well and teach them proper to be strong men and women who can lead and unite society like their parents, respecting the ANC Constitution that Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu was executed for.
(Matthews Bantsijang) My #WCW is Totem, I grew up with  as “Unity is strength” as “Kopano ke matla”.

Remembering my Totem “Unity is Strength” growing in Bophuthatswana
Matthews Bantsijang
Learning everything about Unity started when I joined the ANC Masupatsela or ANC Young Pioneers partly underground and camouflaged under other organisations in the early 1980s, being at young age of around 10 years in Mafikeng, under Bophuthatswana then. Even 40 years + later, as a product of ANC Masupatsela, I am still the hardcore believer, an agent, and a protagonist of Unity. I might not be present “Tintswalo”, but I am “Matthews” of ANC Masupatsela, who was part of pre 1994 Masupatsela that boldly defied Bophuthatswana Government with some Young Comrades, late and some still alive, persecuted for wanting to see Bophuthatswana being part of South Africa, as it was envisaged by ANC led by Nelson Mandela and ANC President Oliver Tambo! It was irony of our upbringing as our Christian parents then that were pro-Bophuthatswana mainly of three reasons. being bread and butter issues, being part of Kingly Royalty simply ‘Bogosi’ under Bophuthatswana Government, and lastly, the progressive Bophuthatswana government.

This study examines narratological aspects in two Zulu novels namely Kungasa ngifi/e (2000) and Kuxolelwa abanjani? (2002). These works are selected and compared in an effort to draw some conclusions as to how they deal with narratological aspects. Concerning narrative order, the two novels run parallel but the writers use anachronies abundantly. However, the anachronies do not violate the chronological order of events. They merely serve to recall past events and to mention in advance what will happen in future. In handling narrative duration, it is found that events are disproportionate. Both writers employ narrative frequency to indicate the frequency of an event. In both novels the writers have succeeded in creating realistic, live, dynamic, complex and multi-dimensional characters. The change and development of characters are influenced by environmental change. Both writers employ third person narration. The reason why they employ this type of narration is that 'it gives the narrator freedom of expression. This position enables him to access his character's thoughts, feelings and emotions. Both writers portray the themes in the titles of their novels. It is found that sub-themes of these novels are related to the main theme. In other words they have an impact on the whole novel. It is concluded that both writers handle the themes of their novels very well. DEDICATION I dedicate my work to my mother, Winnie, my wife Nompumelelo, my children Sthembiso and Siphosethu, my family, friends and colleagues. Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za

The author explores the context that contributed to the evolution of the South African Intelligence Community (SAIC) from political police to an independent security state during the apartheid, nondemocratic regime (1961-1994). It also assesses the circumstances that led to the demise of authoritarian rule and the reform of the intelligence apparatus. It finds that such factors as the security landscape, changes in leadership, and enabling legislation assisted the SAIC's consolidation of power as political police, morphing it into an independent security state during that period. Subsequently, leadership, liberalization measures, scandals, and inquiries contributed to the demise of the apartheid intelligence apparatus and the slow emergence of a democratically inclined SAIC. From 1961 to 1994, South Africa was a bureaucratic, authoritarian, apartheid regime under the rule of a small white minority. 1 The apartheid regime's main concern was to ensure white supremacy in the country. Nonwhite South African citizens were deprived of such privileges as the right Dries Putter obtained his Ph.D. in Military Sciences from Stellenbosch University, supplemented by a M.Mil. (cum laude). He has a 35-year military career that includes the Military Attach e Programme and the Security and Defence Studies Program. He is the Chair for Security and Africa Studies and

Lifelong learning includes transitions across education, work, and life contexts, which bring about transformational changes in individuals at various levels, such as knowledge, competencies, and identity. In an attempt to determine how integrating lifelong learning into the Veterans Welfare Programme can ensure that veterans reintegrate fully, this study employed a systematic review methodology informed by the military transition theory and the notion of lifelong learning. The study's results indicated that the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs offers a range of benefits to veterans through the Veterans Welfare Programme to help veterans with job creation, income generation and acceptance back into societal life. The study found that delays in counselling, adult basic education, and the acquisition of relevant knowledge and skills are factors impeding veterans from fully capitalizing on the benefits provided by the Veterans Welfare Programme. Pursuing lifelong learning plays a crucial role in fostering ongoing personal development, addressing deficiencies in literacy across multiple domains, promoting the advancement of skills, combating poverty, and improving the well-being of veterans. Therefore, this study recommends that the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs collaborate with relevant stakeholders to develop training and development interventions that conform to adult education and lifelong learning principles to address the identified skills gap and further the human capacity of the veterans.

The tourism industry generates substantial benefits for to the economies of developing nations, particularly through foreign exchange earnings, employment opportunities, the creation of job opportunities, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the boosting of sales of different commodities such as agricultural products and handicraft, as well as cultural entertainment, mostly done by the locals.

This chapter examines Brazil's policies for the protection of its strategic resources. The new agenda on security and defence is reshaping the Armed Forces missions at the domestic level (which includes support for natural disasters and constabulary missions), and at international level, characterised by asymmetric conflicts and non-traditional threats, such as international terrorism, and arms, human and drug trafficking. The transnational character of these threats has been boosting the countries to search for shared resolutions. In this context, the process of horizontalisation of diplomacy and the increasing involvement of the military in non-coercive activities has raised questions regarding the limits placed on the armed forces in the international arena, and has shed light on the prospect of using the military apparatus as a peaceful instrument of foreign policy. Discussing how these issues materialised in Brazilian defence policies, and how the defence sector is acting to provide national development and protection to the national strategic resources through deterrence and cooperation, are the central themes of this chapter. The chapter is divided into three sections: the first session present Brazil's defence documents and show the country's main objectives in this field, as well as the role of defence diplomacy in achieving them. The second section describes the main defence diplomacy activities developed by Brazil in South America, while the third section details the strategic projects that the country has been developing in order to guarantee its sovereignty, national treasures and territorial integrity. For this chapter, we consulted academic literature on Brazilian defence policy and the governmental documents related to the subject.

Schwella et al (1996:5) continued by stating that public management is an intrinsic part of public administration and focuses on the relationship between public management functions, skills and techniques and the resources used to achieve organisational goals and objectives. 2.5. PUBLIC MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS A large number of approaches to public management exist. This study is based upon the public management model of Schwella, as depicted in Appendix B. The model accepts the fundamental premises of the contingency approach to management. The contingency approach is based upon the open systems theory and emphasises the importance of the environment for the theory and practice of management. The model indicates the functions of public management as policy making, planning, organising, leading, control and evaluation. 2.5.1. Policy making Public policy is described by Jones in four dist:nct phases; specified means to the achievement of goals, authorised means to achieve goals, specific actions taken to implement programmes and the measurable outcome of programmes (Fox et al 1991 :27). Dye provides another definition of public policy as "whatever government choose to door not to do" (Fox et al1991 :27). The policy process is a complex set of events that determine what actions government will take, what effects those actions will have on sociaiconditions and how those actions can be altered if they lead to undesirable outcomes. The fact that a specific policy has been adopted bya government, and a policy statement produced, does not imply that the process is complete. The policy must still be implemented and the resulting outcomes of such actions assessed. Policymaking is therefore a continuous process without a distinctive beginning or end (Fox et al 1991 :31).

During the South African Bush War, the Chief of the SADF decided to use a captured Russian T34/85 tank for part of the alloy that was used for the Southern Africa Medal. The task of recovering this tank was given to 10 Armoured  Car Squadron. The recovery occurred on 9 August 1982 on the same day that a Puma helicopter was shot down at the Mui River killing 12 paratroopers and 3 air crew.

Whereas the German Major Richard Albrecht, the Commander uf the Orange Free State Artillery, is a well-known figure of South African military history, this is not the case with Captain Adolph Zboi'il. Zboi'il (a Czech name, pronounced 'Sbor-shil') from 1886 to 1893 held the second-highest rank in the Transvaal Artillery. Admittedly, his achievements were less spectacular-and convincing-than Albrecht's and he left the Transvaal Artillery six years before the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War. Still, it seems worthwhile to trace Zboi'il's career.

Every military initiative or activity involves people, and the nature of soldiering in Africa in the 21st century involves deploying personnel in conventional and unconventional activities, generally under conditions of heightened stress. For these reasons, "the field of psychology has never been more important to the military than it is today" (Van Heerden, 2016a, p.10). It is people who unlock the potential of technology and who must possess wide-ranging competencies to respond to the multiple threats with which the modern military contends. As much as technology may be replacing people, human resources and their mental health remain a source of competitive advantage in battle. Military psychology is thus a crucial support function for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), as well as an intrinsic factor in the security of South Africans. The focus of this book is to explore the critical issues facing the South African military in terms of psychology and the implications of current psychological research for the military. THE LOCAL AND GLOBAL CONTEXT OF THE SANDF The end of apartheid and the Cold War concluded a period of intense regional conflict for southern Africa. It also signalled the end of the South African Defence Force, which re-emerged as the South African National Defence Force. The media sometimes (unfairly) portrays the SANDF as an indolent, somewhat unnecessary expense in the 21st century. This perception could not be further from the truth. The SANDF's mandate is to "defend and protect the Republic, its territorial integrity and its people" (Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996). The 2015 South African Defence Review highlighted that, given the changing global security environment, the SANDF would be expected to participate in wide-ranging operations (conventional and unconventional). These might include disaster relief, support to government departments, counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency, and responding to safety and security threats at many levels (Van Heerden, 2016a, p.10). Recently, the SANDF has had to embark on several domestic operations ranging from improving food and water security to maintaining law and order during elections. Climate change is also expected to present new disasters and creates new scenarios where the SANDF will be expected to defend and protect the Republic and its people.

W omen establish their entrepreneurial projects for economic independence and to reduce vulnerability to poverty. The number of women engaged in entrepreneurial activities has increased as a result of access to business training and mentorship facilitated by non-governmental organisations. This paper advances empirical evidence in the field of social development and sustainable livelihoods. Using qualitative methodology, I present evidence from 20 women who were beneficiaries of a Non-Governmental Organisation's entrepreneurship training in the province of Gauteng, South Africa. Underscored by the sustainable livelihood approach, this paper deliberates three connected themes: motivational factors that promote women entrepreneurs, nurturing social networks, and navigating financial capital challenges. The paper affirms women entrepreneurship as a positive social development strategy to assist unemployed women to work towards economic self-reliance.