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Die piece reflects on a former police career, anti-communist convictions, intelligence work, and service within the SAP and security structures. It argues that history should be preserved and recalls opponents, colleagues, and the realities of conflict and transition in South Africa.
Under Fire in South Africa presents the extraordinary life and frontline experiences of Colonel Schalk Visagie, a South African Police officer who served at the heart of some of the country’s most turbulent and violent chapters. From the Border War in South West Africa/Angola, to presidential protection duties for P.W. Botha, to high‑stakes investigations within the Security Branch, Visagie’s career placed him at the centre of events that shaped national history. He confronted the aftermath of the St. James Church Massacre, the Planet Hollywood bombing, and the deadly campaigns of PAGAD and QIBLA, leading specialised units against organised violence, hit squads, and terror networks. His survival of the Black River Parkway ambush in February 1999—described by medical and ballistics experts as humanly impossible—stands as a profound testimony to providence and the power of prayer. Written with the precision of a seasoned detective and the humility of a man who has endured the unimaginable, Under Fire in South Africa is a gripping, deeply human narrative of courage, faith, trauma, and resilience. It is a story of national significance and cinematic potential, offering vital insight and inspiration for readers living in uncertain and troubled times.
1 SWA Specialist Unit, or 1 SWASpes, was a unique South West African Territorial Force (SWATF) counter-insurgency unit during the Border War. Formed in 1977 as 101 Specialist Unit in Oshivelo (in 1980 became part of the SWATF), it combined horse-mounted infantry, motorcycles, expert trackers, and specialized dogs. The idea of this combined unit rose from the use of tracker dogs and mounted infantry that the South African Defence Force (SADF) at the beginning of the Border War.
Title: If the Legs Look Like This… What About the Mind? Moral Injury and Spiritual Trauma Among SAP Veterans This article explores the invisible wounds carried by South African Police (SAP) veterans who served during the Border War and internal conflict periods. While physical injuries from landmines, burns, and animal attacks are documented, the psychological and spiritual trauma — including moral injury, PTSD, alcoholism, and suicide — remains largely unacknowledged. Drawing comparisons with the United States’ veteran care system, the article highlights the lack of national support for SAP veterans and calls for recognition, healing, and historical justice.
2025: THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE (SAP) COUNTER INSURGENCY (COIN) UNIT VETERANS LEAGUE'S ANNUAL MEMMORIAL
Memories of 14 year old boy visiting the border area in northern Namibia for the first time in 1988
