LIFTING THE VEIL ON THE SECRET WORLD OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE – “THE OWLS AND THE SHADOW WAR”

Walter Volker

For the first time the veil will be lifted somewhat on the Top Secret world of Military Intelligence in the form of a comprehensive history covering all aspects of this important Staff Division of the SADF, stretching from the early 1960s to the 1990s. The series is entitled “The Owls and the Shadow War” as the Owl has been adopted as the official symbol – depicting vigilance, wisdom, alertness, and the ability to swoop on its prey silently and under cover of darkness. Members of the division are generally known as “Uiltjies” (Afrikaans for little owls).

The history will consist of a thirteen-volume series, with the following titles:

THE OWLS AND THYE SHADOW WAR:

The Inside Story of Military Intelligence in South Africa

Volume I The Inside Story of Military Intelligence in South Africa

Volume II The Chiefs, Support Services and Intelligence Training (SAMIC/SADIC)

Volume III Sub-Division Military Intelligence (SDMI) and Directorates

Volume IV Sub-Division Counter-Intelligence (SDCI) and Directorates

Volume V Chief Directorate Collection (CDC) Part 1: Directorate Technology (D Tech),

Directorate Crypto Analysis (DCA), and related Directorates

Volume VI Chief Directorate Collection (CDC) Part 2: Directorate Covert Collection

(DCC)

Volume VII Directorate Foreign Relations (DFR)

Volume VIII Directorate Special Tasks (DST) and Sub-Division Intelligence

Operations (SDIO) Part 1: West Front, including DST1 and UNITA

Volume IX DST and Sub-Division Intelligence Operations (SDIO) Part 2: North, East and

Home Front, including DST2, RENAMO, LLA, Inkatha

Volume X DST and Sub-Division Intelligence Operations (SDIO) Part 3: DST Covert

Training Bases

Volume XI Sub-Division Communication Operations (SDCO) and Sub-Division

Intelligence Operations (SDIO) Part 4: Communication Operations (Comops)

Volume XII Military Intelligence WHO’s WHO and HQs, Bases and Field Offices

Volume XIII The Revolutionary Context, RSA National Security Strategy and Intelligence

Coordination – including ALGORA, the State Security Council (SSC) and CIC

The account of tactical and operational intelligence of the various arms of the SADF will be covered in the following five volumes:

The Jackals and the Shadow War: The Story of Army Intelligence (GS2)

Air Force Intelligence (AS2)

Naval Intelligence (NS2)

Medical Services Intelligence (MS2)

Special Forces Intelligence and Op Barnacle/ CCB

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The first volume to be published will, however, not be Volume I, but Volume III.

THE OWLS AND THE SHADOW WAR VOLUME VIII

Directorate Special Tasks and Sub-Division Intelligence Operations – West Front: DST1 and UNITA

For the first time a comprehensive guide to one of the most Top Secret operations of the SADF and Military Intelligence, namely the support for UNITA, is disclosed to the public. This operation continued for almost three decades, from 1975 to the end of 1992 under a series of secret code names. It is an account of one of the most remarkable and most unlikely military alliances in modern warfare. It is surprising because, despite many fundamental differences, the SADF and UNITA were able to work together in a synergistic way that resulted in a force multiplier of note. While the SADF was generally regarded being there to support a white minority government, UNITA was a black guerrilla liberation movement. And yet, their common enemy – the Communist-backed SWAPO and MPLA (both backed by the Soviet Union and Cuba) – proved to be stronger than any differences. This work for the first time discloses the origins of the alliance, the people involved, the strategic intent, the extent and nature of the support, and the major contribution made to the military success of the SADF during the Border War, as well as to countering the imperialistic ambitions of the Soviet Union – until an acceptable political settlement could be achieved in the region. This is a must have for any serious student of intelligence and military history who is interested in the Cold War confrontation which took place in Angola and northern Namibia between South Africa and its pro-Western allies, and the Communist-aligned SWAPO, MPLA, Cuban and Soviet Forces.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DIRECTORATE SPECIAL TASKS and SUB-DIVISION INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS

PART I: The West Front, including DST1 and UNITA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

FOREWORD by Maj Gen (ret) Neels van Tonder

FOREWORD by Isaias Samavuka, former President of UNITA

PREFACE by Walter V. Volker

1. Background to the DIRECTORATE SPECIAL TASKS (DST) (1975 – 1986) / SUB-DIVISION INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS (SDIO) (1986 – 1990)/ DIRECTORATE SPECIAL TASKS (DST) (1990 – 1992)

1.1 Origins and Evolution of SDIO ………………………………………… 17

1.2 Mandate, Purpose and Role of SDIO …………………………………. 18

2. Location of Headquarters, Field Offices and Other Bases

2.1 Headquarters ……………………………………………………………… 23

2.2 Log Bases …………………………………………………………………. 23

2.3 Front Companies …………………………………………………………. 23

2.4 Field Offices ……………………………………………………………….. 24

2.5 Special Tasks School at Fort St Michel (Jan 1983 – Apr 1989) ………… 25

3. Chief Directors, Directors and SSOs ……………………………………………… 29

4. DST Support Functions

4.1 Personnel Section (Pers) …………………………………………………. 39

4.2 Counter Intelligence Section (CI Section) (Jan 1985 – Sep 1989) ……… 39

4.3 Comops Section (CO Section) (Mar 1983 – Sep 1988) ………………….. 39

4.4 Finance Section (Fin) (March 1983 – Sep 1988) ………………………… 39

4.5 Logistics Operations Section (Logops) …………………………………… 40

4.6 Staff Services Section (SS) ………………………………………………… 40

4.7 DST Projects ……………………………………………………………….. 42

4.8 History Writing Section …………………………………………………… 43

5. Aviation Operations Section (Aviation Ops) and Pasload Flights ………………. 45

6. Historical Overview of Special Tasks and Intelligence Operations (1962 – 1992) .. 57

7. Special Tasks in the West Front (1975 – 1992) including DST-1 (1986 – 1990)

7.1 Mandate, Purpose and Role ……………………………………………….. 123

7.2 Directors & SSOs ………………………………………………………… 126

7.3 DST-1 Bases ………………………………………………………………. 136

7.4 Historical Overview of DST-1 (1986 – 1990) …………………………… 154

8. Support for UNITA – Operation POTTER / SILVER/ DISA/ FORESTER/ DISPENSER / CORONATION / BYRONIC (1975 – 1992)

8.1 The Early Years of UNITA (1961 to 1974) ……………………………….. 161

8.2 First Contacts with the SADF in 1974 ……………………………………. 167

8.3 The Era of Maj/Cmdt/Col Philip du Preez (May 1975 to Jul 1983)

and the Role of Cmdt Mo Oelschig (Jan 1979 to Dec 1982) ………. 170

8.4 The Era of Col Jack Snyman (Aug 1983 to Jun 1986) …………………. 271

8.5 The Era of Col Fred Oelschig in Rundu (Jul 1986 to March 1989) …….. 286

8.6 UNITA Operations and “CSI Forces/ DST Liaison Teams” in Battle …. 296

8.7 Closing the Mbambi/ Rundu Base in 1989 ………………………………. 449

8.8 Covert Support Continues at Boa Fe (1988 to 1992) ……………………. 481

The Era Col Fred Oelschig (March 1989 to June 1990)

The Era of Cmdt Pat Keyser (June 1990 to 1992)

8.9 Enter Executive Outcomes ……………………………………………….. 493

8.10 UNITA’s Final Phase …………………………………………………….. 501

8.11 Evaluative Review and Assessment of the SADSF-UNITA Relationship 523

8.12 Epilogue by Col Fred Oelschig ………………………………………….. 531

ANNEXURE A: OVERVIEW OF UNITA

A1. A Brief History of UNITA ………………………………………………… 533

A2. Political Leadership and Who’s Who ………………………………….. 539

A3. Main Bases …………………………………………………………………. 555

A4. Political Ideology ………………………………………………………… 559

A5. Symbols …………………………………………………………………… 561

A6. Political Organisation …………………………………………………… 563

A7. FALA – Organisation, Leadership and Military Strategy & Tactics ….. 565

A8. Industry and Other Sources of Funds – Wood, Diamonds and Ivory …. 585

ANNEXURE B: THE SADF RELATIONSHIP and AID PROGRAMME

B1. Chronology of Important Dates in the SADF-UNITA Relationship (1975 – 1992) ……………………………………………………………………………. 595

B2. Command & Control and Organisation of Support ……………………. 605

B3. List of Known Former DST, DST1 and DST2 Members ………………. 607

B4. Summary of West Front Operations …………………………………….. 611

B5. Training Bases …………………………………………………………….. 631

B6. Logistics and Material Aid – Standardised Logistics, Procedures & Arms Supply …………………………………………………………………………… 637

B7. Psychological/ Political Aspects & Comops ……………………………… 641

B8. Socio-Economic Aspects ………………………………………………… 651

B9. Medical Support …………………………………………………………… 653

ANNEXURE C: Foreign Backing and Provision of Material Aid to UNITA

C1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………… 659

C2. Club of Five ……………………………………………………………… 660

C3. France and the SDECE and DGSE ………………………………………. 660

C4. Peoples Republic of China ………………………………………………. 663

C5. USA and CIA ………………………………………………………………. 666

C6. CIA Covert Air Supply Operations …………………………………….. 673

ANNEXURE D: ANGOLAN PLACE NAMES WHICH CHANGED DURING THE POST-COLONIAL PERIOD ………………………………………………………… 683

ANNEXURE E: LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY TERMS ……… 685

ANNEXURE F: SOURCES & REFERENCES …………………………………….. 695

ANNEXURE G: MAPS ………………………………………………………………. 709

“It is undisputable that the multiplier effect of our investment in these organisations [UNITA and RENAMO] paid a huge dividend, and the positive outcomes that were gained would have been either far more costly in lives and financial resources, or would have had less conclusive outcomes.” 

– Maj Gen (ret) Neels van Tonder, former Chief Director Intelligence Operations, MID

“This book is…the reservoir of numerous accounts of actions and secrets that shaped the Southern African Region. Reading it is definitely an exercise in the discovery of a history worth knowing.

“…for all of the accounts kept in this recollection, there are those related to people who took risks in the process of operating in dangerous, secret missions and, among them, many are those who lost their lives in the action. All the activities mentioned here were carried out as a covert operation which lasted more than a decade during which tens of thousands of men and women, hundreds of tonnes of war material, food supplies, and medicines were moved in trucks and planes from one point to another all over Angola.”

“The main purpose here is not to evoke the merit or demerit of this operation, but to tell the story and the effort expended, the sacrifices made, and the professionalism with which everything was conducted.” – Isaias Samakuva, former President of UNITA

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Availability Timeframes for Volume VIII

Although orders can be placed immediately, availability of Volume VIII will be by mid-July 2025.

The rest of the series is already close to completion, but a new volume will be published every few months due to the time consuming nature of the final editing and formatting.

Options and Costs

The format of the book is A4 and consists of over 700 pages.

• The standard edition – soft cover: R740-00 & courier costs
• Special edition – limited to 100 hard cover books with signed & numbered certificate:   R980-00 & courier costs
• Packaging and Courier costs to a physical address in South Africa:    R120-00 (regardless of numbers)

How to order

Respond by emailing the following information to walter@mkhondo.com :

• Name & Surname
• Physical address
• Cell number
• Email
• Which option you wish to order – standard or limited edition
• Proof of payment

Contact details

Email: walter@mkhondo.com   / walter.volker@gmail.com

Cell phone: +27-(0)82-851-6166

Banking details

WV Volker

Absa bank

Current account number 4025458161

About the author – Walter V. Volker

The author has enjoyed an extensive career in banking and payment systems of over 35 years – including eighteen years at Absa/ Barclays and twelve years at PASA (Payments Association of South Africa). Walter and his wife live in Cape Town and he has already published seven books – ranging from genealogy, military history to payments. These include:

• THE COTTON GERMANS OF NATAL. From Bramsche to New Germany: the Story of the Bergtheil Colonists and their Descendants 1848 – 2006 (published 2007).
• ARMY SIGNALS IN SOUTH AFRICA. The Story of the South African Corps of Signals and its antecedents (2010)
• SIGNAL UNITS OF THE SOUTH AFRICA CORPS OF SIGNALS AND RELATED SIGNAL SERVICES (2010)
• 9C – Nine Charlie! ARMY SIGNALLERS IN THE FIELD. The Story of the Men and Women of the South African Corps of Signals, and their Equipment (2010)
• PIET RETIEF COMMANDO. The Story of a Border Commando 1880 – 2007 (2012)
• BOER WAR STORIES OF THE PIET RETIEF COMMANDO AND DISTRICT (2012)
• ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO PAYMENTS (2013 and 2025)