The South-West African Police (SWAPOL): 1981 – 1990

Compiled by Wolfgang Witschas

Abstract

The history of the Police Forces of Deutsch Südwest Afrika (DSWA) 1895 – 1915, South West Africa (SWA) South West Africa Police (SWAP) 1915 – 1939, South African Police (SAP) 1939 – 1981 and South West African Police (SWAPOL) 1981 – 1990. The formation of the Counter Insurgency Unit, Operation “Ops” K – Koevoet, later SWAPOL COIN, 1979 – 1989

Keywords

• Deutsch-Südwestafrika (DSWA)
• South West Africa (SWA)
• South West Africa/Namibia (SWA/N)
• Landespolizei (DSWA)
• South West Africa Police (SWAP) 1920 – 1939
• South African Police (SAP) 1939 – 1981
• South West Africa Police (SWAPOL) 1981 – 1990
• Koevoet (1979 – 1989)
• General “Sterkhans” Dreyer
• SWAPOL COIN/TIN
• SWAPO
• PLAN
• 9 Days of War

Introduction

History of Deutsch Südwest Afrika (DSWA), South West Africa (SWA), SWA/Namibia and its Police Forces: 1895 to 1990

Namibia was originally known as Deutsch-Südwestafrika (DSWA) / German South West Africa (GSWA) from 1895 to 1919.  During their rule of the colony, the Germans established a Police Force the “Landes Polizei” to uphold law and order, assisted by the military, the Kaiserliche Schutztruppe für Deutsch-Südwestafrika (DSWA).

World War l

World War l started on 28 July 1914 and South Africa declared war on Germany on 04 September 1914. This decision was made after Germany refused to withdraw its troops from German South West Africa. South Africa, as a British dominion, was automatically drawn into World War I when Britain declared war on Germany on 04 August 1914.

On 15 September 1914 South Africa invaded DSWA. The campaign lasted from 15 September 1914 to 09 July 1915 when the Schutztruppe, capitulated at the railway siding Khorab near the town of Otavi in the north of the country and German rule ended.

Between 1915 and 1919, public security and law enforcement were entrusted to the South African Military Police. In 1920 the rule of law returned to South West Africa when the then (first) South West Africa Police (SWAP) was founded as the territory’s first civilian law enforcement agency, when the South African government assumed administration of South West Africa under the terms of a League of Nations mandate.

SWAP existed from 1920 to 1939 when it was disbanded due to fears of a pro – Nazi uprising amongst the German population. SWAP and its local units were absorbed into the South African Police (SAP). The SAP was responsible for law and order in the territory from 1939 to 1981.

Until 1981 the SAP in SWA was known as Division SWA. The Caprivi strip to the north east bordering Kavango fell directly under the command of the SAP Head Office in Pretoria as Division Far North. A third of all the policemen in the district were SAP transferrals from South Africa, with the remaining two-thirds being personnel recruited locally.

The League of Nations mandate was terminated by the United Nations in 1966, with South Africa from then on illegally occupying South West Africa. During 1979 SWA was renamed to SWA/Namibia when South Africa started its own transitional process for the future independence of the territory when it became self-governing. Government Departments were created out of existing South African Departments. The two best known are the South West African Police (SWAPOL) and the South West African Territorial Force (SWATEF).

Establishment of the South West African Police (SWAPOL)

SWAPOL Badge

The South West Africa Police (SWAPOL) was the national police force of South West Africa/Namibia (now Namibia) and responsible for law enforcement and public safety from 1981 to 1990. All SAP assets in the territory of SWA/N were handed over to SWAPOL. SWAPOL members wore a light grey uniform.

Brief history:

Formation and Mandate:

SWAPOL was established on 01 April 1981, as a successor to the South African Police (SAP) in South West Africa. The force was created to maintain law and order, combat insurgency, and enforce apartheid laws in the territory. It was organised and structured both as a paramilitary force and as a civil police force.

Structure and Operations:

SWAPOL was modelled after the SAP and was initially composed of mostly seconded white SAP officers (both SA and SWA born), with indigenous black and coloured members in lower ranks. The force was responsible for policing urban and rural areas, as well as the border with Angola.

SWAPOL was also involved in counter-insurgency operations against the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), a nationalist movement fighting for Namibian independence.

Ranks of SWAPOL

The ranks of SWAPOL differed from the Ranks of the SAP.

The Commissioner of SWAPOL was a former SAP General, Lieutenant – General Dolf Gouws.

Google:/https://en.m.wikepedia.org/wiki/South_West_African_Police

Uniform

The SWAPOL uniform was used from 1981 to 1990. Here’s a description:

Colour Scheme:

• The uniform featured a combination of dark grey and light grey colours

Components:
• The uniform consisted of a light grey shirt with epaulets and a tie

• Dark grey tunic

• Dark grey trousers

• A black belt with a silver buckle.

• A peaked cap, with a dark grey top and light grey band

Insignia:
• Rank insignia were displayed on the epaulets
• SWAPOL badges (star) was worn on the collars
• A SWAPOL badge (star) was worn on the peaked cap or combat cap

Footwear:
• Black shoes and or black boots were worn with the uniform

Operational uniform
• Light grey Long or short sleeve shirts
• Light grey combat trousers
• Light grey cap
• Grey canvas boots

Please note that uniforms may have undergone changes during the period, and this description provides a general overview.

Operation “K” or Koevoet later SWAPOL-COIN/ SWAPOL-TIN

History of Koevoet

One of the most successful police counter – insurgency units (COIN) during the Border War in South West Africa (SWA) (1966 to1989) was the South African Police (SAP) unit named “Koevoet” an Afrikaans word meaning crowbar. Like a crowbar, the Koevoet pried out members of the South West Africa Peoples Organisation (SWAPO’s) Peoples Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) terrorists out from the midst of Ovamboland better than any other South West African or South African Security Force unit.

In 1981 Koevoet became the South West African Police (SWAPOL/ TIN) police counter insurgency unit named also “Koevoet” an Afrikaans word meaning crowbar. Like a crowbar, the Koevoet pried out members of the South West Africa Peoples Organisation (SWAPO’s) Peoples Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) terrorists out from the midst of Ovamboland better than any other South West African or South African Security Force unit. Koevoet produced eighty percent of the terrorist kills in the operational area. From its inception in 1979 until the beginning of 1989 the unit killed at least 3 000 SWAPO insurgents.

Establishment of Operation “K” – Koevoet

Background:

Koevoet or “Operation ‘K’ ” as it was also known, was established due to the fact at that time of the border war in late 1978 it was realised at the highest level of the country’s security command that something had to be done about the situation in Ovamboland where SWAPO had started to make deep inroads. The South African Defence Force (SADF) with their more conventional counter terrorism strategy to attack SWAPO bases in Angola, where not able to counter SWAPO/PLAN effectively after infiltrating into Owambo and Kavango.

The foundation to establish Koevoet was when General Magnus Malan (then Chief of the South African Defence Force ‘SADF’) requested the Intelligence Section of the South African Police Security Branch to set up an irregular type of operation in the operational area to work with 5 Reconnaissance Commando “Recces” of the SADF. The formation of Koevoet was finalised during a meeting between General Malan, the then Commissioner of the SAP, General MCW “Mike” Geldenhuys, Lt-General Johan Coetzee (Chief of the Security Branch) and the Chief and founder of the Recces, Major General Fritz Loots. It was decided that a senior SAP Security Branch Officer Colonel “Sterk Hans” Dreyer was to establish and command this new unit code named Operation “K” later just called Koevoet.

Background of Major General “Sterk Hans” Dreyer

   
“Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”

In the early 1970s the then Colonel “Sterk Hans” Dreyer, had served in Counter Insurgency (COIN) operations of the SAP in the then Rhodesia and it was there where he had his “apprenticeship” in COIN operations.

The then Brigadier Dreyer and other senior SAP Security Branch officers in 1978 visited Rhodesia to have a series of meeting with the Rhodesian Special Air Service (SAS) “C” Squadron (until 1965 formed  part of the British SAS’s “A & B Squadrons, veterans of the Communist insurgency in Malaya in the mid to late 1950s”) and the Selous Scouts, of Lieutenant Colonel  Ronald Francis  “Ron” Reid – Daly, former officer of the Rhodesian SAS “C” Squadron, a multiracial Rhodesian military unit which specialised in counter-insurgency operations having implemented pseudo operations using captured and turned terrorists. Koevoet was thus patterned after especially after the Rhodesian Selous Scouts, the SAS and in a lesser way the Portuguese Flechas (Portuguese for Arrows), which were a special forces unit of the Portuguese secret police (PIDE, latter renamed DGS) were a police unit that operated in Angola and Mozambique during the Portuguese Colonial War. Its title,” Koevoet” was an allusion to the metaphor of “prying” insurgents from the civilian population.

The Beginning

Operation “K” or Koevoet was officially established on 11 January 1979 and operated until 12 January 1990 under the command of then Brigadier “Sterk Hans” Dreyer Koevoet’s formations included white South African police officers, usually seconded from the South African Security Branch or Special Task Force, and black volunteers from Ovamboland. Koevoet was originally set up to develop and exploit intelligence that was gathered by the police and the SADF’s 5 Recce. Their original task was to collate and pass this intelligence along so the security forces could react quickly and exploit the information. In addition, Koevoet provided trackers for the SADF and the South West African Territorial Force (SWATF, mainly 101 Battalion in Ovambo and 202 Battalion in Kavango).  Relying on units of the SADF/SWATF for a reaction force deployment, however, caused problems and often by the time the intelligence was collated/decimated and analysed, passed on to the reaction force and then acted upon, it was too late. General Dreyer continued to press his view that a special police unit should combine both the intelligence gathering, tracking ability and reaction force capability until finally, the authorities bowed to the Generals’ arguments, and Koevoet formed its own reaction force to cut through the red tape and eliminate all the delays. The new reaction force was a tremendous success, engaging in thirty-six contacts in its first ninety days of operation. It didn’t take long for Koevoet to become well-known throughout the operational area. During its first year of operation, Koevoet killed 511 PLAN terrorists while losing only twelve of its own men.

Koevoet as an Independent Force

The secret of Koevoet’s success is working with and relying on timely information from the local population in the operational area. The information they obtained is up to date and obtained through normal police investigative work. Their approach to counter insurgency is that it is “essentially normal police work” involving a lot of combat and that it is not warfare in the normal military sense.  Koevoet, like SWATF’s 101 Battalion, also uses the principle of setting a “thief to catch a thief” (pseudo-operations) by employing former terrorists to catch PLAN infiltrators.

Koevoet patrol, gathering information from local Ovambos: “Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”.

About a quarter of the Koevoet trackers were ex-PLAN terrorists. Not only did they pursue their former comrades with the zeal of the converted, but their knowledge and use is invaluable due to their uncanny insight into the likely movements and reactions of the hunted PLAN groups. They would follow a trail to a conclusion no matter where it took them. Koevoet was not restricted by battalion, company or military sector boundaries. It was not unusual for Koevoet groups to chase their target back and forth through Ovamboland, over the border into Angola and to catch them near FAPLA (Armed Forces of Angola) bases some distance into Angola.

Contacts with single terrorists or small groups of PLAN terrorists were handled by the trackers pursuing them on the ground, with the Casspirs providing cover on the flanks. Larger contacts were normally carried out mounted on the Casspirs, taking advantage of the vehicles’ firepower, manoeuvrability, protection and fields of vision. This procedure eliminated most of the confusion as to friend or foe, common to a major contact.  In general, Koevoet personnel came from the ethnic group in which area the Koevoet team would be operating.  Ovambo’s work in Ovamboland, Kavango’s in Kavango etc. …. However, the groups are not made up exclusively of sub tribes within the main tribal area.  They are usually mixed so that each group will have at least one or two men from each area that will be familiar with its terrain, people, dialect and customs.

This “procedure is similar” to having policemen patrol the neighbourhoods they grew up in – they know it and the people living in it.

Air Support

Koevoet operations were very often supported by utilising the South African Airforce (SAAF) Sud – Aviation SE3160 and Aéro – Spatiale SA316B Alouette lll helicopter gunships stationed at Ondangwa SAAF base and Eenahna SADF camp; first armed with twin 7,62 mm FN MAGs or M4 “Brownings” machineguns and later with the highly effective 20mm French MG 151 (later produced in South Africa as the Vectra MG 151) for tactical air support.

Zulu Teams

Koevoet consisted of highly mobile, offensive, intelligence – gathering combat teams, each consisting of four Casspirs Mk ll turbo and later Wolf Mkll turbo (Armoured Personnel Carriers), one Blesbok (Armoured logistical vehicle), forty Owambo’s and four white police men who ranged from constables to captains. On average there were forty-two Koevoet combat teams in total. Thirty combat teams were stationed in Ovamboland with Oshakati (Zulu) as their headquarters, eight in Kavango with Rundu (Zulu 4) (Aarendsnes) as their headquarters and four in Kaokoland with their headquarters at Opuwa (Zulu 5). The shoulder flashes of the Koevoet combat teams featured the radio call sign (taken from the Morse code alphabet) of that specific combat team.

The overall command element for Koevoet was stationed at Oshakati and their call sign was Zulu; they did not wear a specific shoulder flash. The call sign Zulu 1 was for the transit base at Ongwediva. The recovery teams were stationed here, and they had a shoulder flash with a Casspir recovery vehicle on it. Zulu 2 was a relay station at the SADF base at Eenhana and Zulu 3 was for the interrogation base where prisoners were held at Oshakati; these two had no specific shoulder flash. Zulu 4 was for the Kavango Headquarters at “Aarendsnes” (Eagles Lare) outside Rundu, a sub-base of Oshakati, and they wore a fish eagle on their shoulder flash. Zulu 5 was for the Kaokoland Headquarters at Opuwa, which was also a sub-base of Oshakati; this base wore a shoulder flash with the emblem of a Cape hunting dog (wild dog) upon it. Zulu 6 was for the Koevoet relay station at Ruacana, and no specific shoulder flash was worn. Zulu 2 to Zulu 6 was under the command of Oshakati (Zulu). Zulu 7 was for the rehabilitation centre at Tsumeb; here, too, there was no specific shoulder flash worn. Zulu 8 was for the Koevoet training base at Ondangwa and wore a shoulder flash with the map of South-West Africa on it. Zulu 9 stood for the checkpoint at Oshivello and Zulu 10 was a mobile transit station in the Etosha Pans. Zulu 11 was just a call sign at Tsumke (Boesmanland in SWA) and was never operational and Zulu 12 was for the workshop at Oshakati. The last four call signs had no specific shoulder flash.

Equipment

Each Koevoet fighting team adopted stylised shoulder patches and T-shirts depicting a mascot animal. Some of the patches also included an illustration of a broken insurgent AK-47 rifle. While on operations, Koevoet personnel dressed light and informally Individual operators wore a wide variety of uniforms with little consistency, including SAP camouflage, SWAPOL camouflage, and brown SADF fatigues. Late in the war, Koevoet adopted an olive-green uniform and green canvas boots to distinguish itself from other police units and the SADF.

Like the insurgents, Koevoet operators carried their ammunition in chest webbing rigs; this load-carrying tactic was favoured as it was less likely to restrict movement when moving through thick vegetation.  The standard issue weapon in the unit was the Vektor R4 and Vektor R5 rifles, although some operators also carried captured PLAN Kalashnikov-pattern rifles (AK 47 & AKM) Koevoet sections were also issued support weapons during operations, namely the FN MAG general-purpose machine gun and the M79 grenade launcher.  A few sections had access to Milkor MGLs or captured PLAN RPG-7s.

Koevoet initially possessed no vehicles aside from a number of old Ribbok, Swerwer mine protected vehicles and later three Hippo mine protected troop carriers, which were designed to be blast proof and mine-resistant.  For logistical transport old “Zebra” blast proof and mine-resistant vehicles were used. As Koevoet was accustomed to fighting on foot, there was a distinct lack of enthusiasm for vehicle-borne operations. However, in time the unit’s leadership opted to modify the Hippos essentially as infantry fighting vehicles and integrate them into Koevoet teams to increase their mobility. Koevoet used Hippos that were open-topped, as the hull roofs made the vehicles too hot for the extreme temperatures in Ovamboland and degraded situational awareness.

Interior water tanks were also fitted, as well as additional rifle racks and turrets for heavy weapons.  The Hippos were initially mounted with general-purpose machine guns, such as FN MAGs, captured PLAN PKMs, and Browning M1919s/M4s. In time, some were fitted with ZPU-2 anti-aircraft guns and even a French variant of the 20mm MG 151 cannon.

After 1980, the Casspir Mk l (can be recognised from the single spare wheel on the right-hand side of the body) and later Mkll turbo (two spare wheels on each side at the back); replaced the Hippo in Koevoet service, and weapon mounts became more standardised. Most Koevoet Casspirs were armed with a .50 calibre Browning M2 heavy machine gun on the hull roof, directly behind the driver’s compartment. Ten Casspirs were fitted with 20mm cannon in lieu of the heavy machine gun, and a few section commanders replaced the single Browning with a twin mount for two general-purpose machine guns. It was not uncommon for Casspirs, like the Hippos, to be armed with M1919s or captured PKMs as auxiliary support weapons.  For logistical support Koevoet adopted the mine resistant “Blesbok” logistics vehicle, the “Duiker” Diesel Bowser and the “Gemsbok” Recovery vehicle, all three vehicles were based on the original Casspir chassis and cab.

Casspir Mkl
Casspir Mkll “Turbo”
Blesbok
Duiker
Gemsbok

Very late in the war, in 1981, the Casspir was complemented in Koevoet service first by the Windhoeker Maschinen Fabrik (WMF) Wolf and then the Wolf ll Turbo, a similar vehicle optimised for Namibian conditions. (Hannes Kögle of the then WMF was the designing engineer of the Wolf series, he is retired and resided in Swakopmund, Namibia). He unfortunately passed away during 2023. Some Casspirs and Wolf ll Turbos were equipped with a mount for a 60mm mortar on the hull roof; this was used for suppressing ambushes. For logistical transport and support the WMF designed “Strandwolf” as well as the “Sterkhans” Recovery vehicle, blast – proof and mine resistant based on the chasse and cab of the Wolf were introduced.

Wolf ll Turbo
Strandwolf
Sterk Hans

Uniforms

The original uniform of Koevoet in 1979 was the SA Police second pattern Camouflage uniform worn by members of the SAP deployed on counter-insurgency duty in the operational area. Whilst out on patrol members would wear a mixture of uniform that suited the conditions, as it was the policy of the SA Police to issue a member with only two camouflage long sleeve shirts, two long trousers, a jacket, scarf and bush hat or cap with a police badge that was sown onto the cap or bush hat. The mixed uniforms worn by members of Koevoet in the field ranged from Rhodesian camouflage to SAP issued “Howard” green t-shirts and denim shorts. Some members would have their long camouflage trousers shortened. The footwear was the original SA Police leather boot, but was later replaced with khaki Israeli Scout boots … the famous “Green Boot”

Each Koevoet fighting team adopted stylised shoulder patches and T-shirts depicting a mascot animal. Some of the patches also included an illustration of a broken insurgent AK-47 rifle. While on operations, Koevoet personnel dressed light and informally Individual operators wore a wide variety of uniforms with little consistency, including SAP camouflage, from 1984 SWAPOL camouflage, and brown SADF fatigues.

SAP 2nd generation camouflage
“Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”

Late in the war, Koevoet adopted an olive-green uniform and green canvas/Israeli style boots to distinguish itself from other police units and the SADF”.

Headgear was the official SA Police camouflage cap or bush hat, but members on patrol started wearing what a mixture of caps. A favourite was a cap based on the Portuguese swallow tail camoe cap but made from Cuban camoe. These caps were made to order by Owambo females working at the Koevoet base at Ongwediva, and they had a roaring trade. Some members especially the Owambo trackers preferred wearing the SA Police camouflage beret which was rather scarce (either SAP taskforce or SADF 32 Battalion camouflage Berets. Major General Dreyer preferred wearing his Rhodesian camouflage cap with his SA Police camouflage uniform.

Koevoet renamed as SWAPOL- TIN (COIN)

After the establishment of the South West African Police (SWAPOL) in 1981, Koevoet members of SWAPOL and the Owambo trackers were issued with the SWAPOL camouflage uniform and SWAPOL followed the same SAP policy regarding the issue of these uniforms. This uniform was also a hit with the SAP members of Koevoet, and soon everybody ensured that they had at least one full set of SWAPOL camoe. This added to the mixture of uniform worn by members of Koevoet in the veldt.

With the international politics as it was, the Koevoet Unit was placed under the control of the SWAPOL and was officially referred to as SWAPOL-TIN.

SWAPOL-TIN camouflage
“Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”

Koevoet HQ decided that the Koevoet unit should be issued with their own unique uniform and by the end of 1984 all members of Koevoet were issued with the unique Koevoet green uniform. In the beginning this was not a popular choice of uniform. The uniform came out in long and short sleeve shirts and trousers as well as anti-infrared uniforms and green canvas boots. Headgear consisted out of Green Beret with a metal or cloth SWAPOL badge, or a green bush hat or cap with the cloth SWAPOL badge. For the winter green balaclavas were issued to members of Koevoet.

With the implementation of UN Resolution 435 and the implementation of the ceasefire agreement at the end of 1988, Koevoet was deployed into normal policing and the members of Koevoet wore the grey SWAPOL field uniform and rank insignia when on patrol. The headgear consisted of a grey SWAPOL cap or bush hat with a cloth SWAPOL badge. Members who were qualified by the SWAPOL Task Force also wore the black SWAPOL Beret with their grey uniform.

Major General “Sterk Hans” Dreyer
“Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”

Koevoet members in their unique green uniform
“Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”

Koevoet members in their unique green uniform
“Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”

Koevoet tracker in green uniform wearing an issue cap with SWAPOL star
“Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”

Koevoet members in their unique green uniform: “Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”

Koevoet trackers following a “spoor”: “Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”

Koevoet member sitting on top of a Casspir APC loading a machinegun ammunition belt
“Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”

Nine Days of War

Background:

On 01 April 1989, after an agreement had been reached between South Africa and the U.N. to hold “free and fair elections” in Namibia, a large force of heavily-armed SWAPO guerrillas flooded across the Angola/Namibian border in an attempt to seize control of the country before elections could be held.

One of the conditions of the agreement had been that South Africa would withdraw most of its troops and demobilise the SWATF (South West Africa Territorial Force). This had been almost completed and SWAPO believed that they would encounter no resistance in their takeover of the country. Standing in the way of their success was a thin blue line of 1200 SWAPOL policemen, many of them former members of the elite counter-insurgency unit, Koevoet. For nine days they fought SWAPO to a standstill and prevented the planned invasion.

SWAPO’s main intention was to be in a position to influence and subvert the elections by intimidating the voters with the presence of armed groups spread throughout the country.

The demobilised SWAPOL policemen were hurriedly recalled to oppose the infiltrators , many of them refusing to believe that the reports of invasion were accurate, but reacting speedily to the call-ups just the same.

The Battle:

31 March / 01 April 1989

On the night of 31 March / 01 April, approximately a thousand PLAN insurgents were stationed just north of the border.  They carried personal weapons and heavy arms in the form of SAM-7’s, mortars and RPG-7’s and infiltrated at a number of places over 300 km apart. Some entered near Ruacana and other around Ombalantu eventually widening to a 300 km front.  180 SWAPOL-COIN units had been patrolling the border area since January and made the first contact with a PLAN unit around 06:00 on 01 April. Thirty PLAN insurgents and two policemen died in that first contact.  As more and more contacts took place and fierce fighting began, the SWAPOL-TIN members realised that a major incursion was underway.  Initially, the South African Air Force (SAAF) Alouette lll helicopter gunships stood by helplessly and watched the SWAPOL units come under attack, but their orders would soon change, and they would be rearmed.  The policemen were also under armed, their vehicles had their heavy weapons removed as part of the ceasefire, and only had their light weapons to defend themselves.  Foreign Minister Pik Botha phoned Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar to inform him that SWAPOL could not prevent the incursions and if UNTAG could not contain the situation, the confined SADF units would be released from their bases. Martti Ahtisaari reluctantly agreed to release a limited number of SADF units after UNTAG members flew into border zone and confirmed the incursions by PLAN insurgents, a decision which he would be criticised for later.

101 Battalion of SWATEF was the first unit to have its troops recalled and rearmed. 101 Battalion, SAAF helicopter gunships, 61 Mechanised Battalion Group, 4 SAI Bn Gp 62 Mechanised Battalion Group and 8 SAI Bn / 63 Mechanised Battalion Group’s Ratel-90’s would soon follow.

02 April 1989

By 02 April, UNTAG officials were able to interview two PLAN insurgents that had been captured the day before and would be presented to the media the following day. They informed the UNTAG officials that they had been instructed by their commanders to enter SWA/Namibia, avoid South African security forces and set up bases which were to be under UN management. SWAPO said meanwhile, it had not violated the ceasefire and that its personnel were already based in Namibia, had been attacked and wanted to hand their weapons over to UNTAG, while the South African government maintained that the PLAN was continuing to cross the border. At the end of 02 April, the death toll stood at 130 PLAN insurgents and 10 SWA policemen.

03 April 1989

The UN Secretary-General addressed the Security Council on 3 April concluding that SWAPO had infiltrated across the border violating the ceasefire but that their intention was to surrender to UNTAG, even though SWAPO maintained their previous argument that no infiltration had taken place, he urged restraint by both parties and the implementation of all agreements. The two captured PLAN soldiers that were interviewed by UNTAG on 02 April 1989 were presented to the press for interviews on 03 April 1989.

04 April 1989

By 04 April the death toll stood at 172 PLAN insurgents and 21 SWA policemen.  The South African Foreign Minister Pik Botha stated to the Secretary-General, that more than 1000 PLAN insurgents had crossed into SWA/Namibia, with more PLAN forces based on the border and were ready to cross. He said unless something was done now, the peace agreements could collapse.

05 April 1989

On the 05 April, the UN Secretary-General proposed a ceasefire to SWAPO and the South African government. The details proposed the setting up of assembly points for PLAN insurgents to gather at and then returned to Angola or disarmed allowed to go to their homes in SWA/Namibia. Within 48 hours of the ceasefire, SADF and SWATF members would be returned and confined to their bases. Pik Botha, South African Foreign Minister, informed the UN Secretary-General that PLAN insurgents were being notified by radio to return to Angola with safe passage to areas north of 16th Parallel, which was the agreement prior to the 01 April 1989.

06 April 1989

On 06 April the death toll stood at 179 PLAN insurgents and 22 SWA policemen and 1 SADF/SWATF soldier. An emergency summit of African Front-line States, on the same day, agreed with the UN Secretary-General’s ceasefire proposal but requested that the PLAN insurgents remain at the assembly points until the SWAPO leadership themselves return to SWA/Namibia.

07 April 1989

By 07 April, UN member countries began to increase their efforts to speed up the arrival of UNTAG forces in Namibia. The UN Secretary-General’s 05 April proposed ceasefire, with the SADF/SWATF members confined to bases with 48 hours, was rejected by South Africans as it failed to take account of all existing agreements, the PLAN insurgents were supposed to be beyond the 16th Parallel. PLAN insurgents continued to stream across the border and the SADF security forces encountered two groups close to Oshakati, one containing 200 insurgents in trenches. The death toll at the end of the day stood at 253 PLAN insurgents and 26 policemen and SADF/SWATF members.

Mount Etjo Declaration

08 April 1989

08 April saw Sam Nujoma announce that SWAPO had instructed PLAN insurgents in SWA/Namibia to stop fighting and regroup to withdraw under UNTAG escort to Angola. This would occur in 72 hours. At the same time, the South African government temporarily stopped the implementation of Resolution 435 and reintroduced curfew in the border area and reactivated the area force units. On the same day, the Joint Monitoring Commission made up of the South African, Cuban and Angolan representatives met at a game ranch at Mount Etjo, with American and Soviet observers. The UN Namibian representatives were invited on the 09 April. By the end of this day, 261 PLAN insurgents had died.

09 April 1989

The 09 April resulted in Mount Etjo Declaration which had been agreed to by all those parties present. The declaration stated that all parties agreed to the existing peace agreements and that PLAN insurgents withdraw to nine border assembly points maintained by UNITAG forces, to be in place by 11 April, and then transported to places above the 16th Parallel in Angola.   PLAN insurgents would be given a week’s grace to arrive at these assembly points while South African forces would not attack unless they were attacked first. Only a few arrived at these points with most choosing to cross the border on their own, not trusting the declaration and more PLAN insurgents would die because of this.

SWAPOL Disbandment

SWAPOL was disbanded in 1990, when Namibia became an independent state on 21 March 1990. Many former SWAPOL members were integrated into the new Namibian Police Force, NAMPOL.

Former Koevoet/SWAPOL-COIN members joined the Namibian Police Force (NAMPOL); however, the integration process was not without controversy. Some former Koevoet/SWAPOL -COIN members were excluded from joining NAMPOL due to their alleged past human rights abuses. Others were allowed to join but faced challenges in adapting to the new policing culture and standards.

The majority of Koevoet/SWAPOL- COIN members however returned to South Africa and the SAP in 1990.

References:

Google:/https://en.m.wikepedia.org/wiki/South _West_African_Police

Google:/https://www.warinangola.co./default.aspx?tabid=2170

Google:/https://kommandopost.com/2015/08/26/south-west-africa-polce-swapil-koevoet-camo-1980s/

Photo Credit: Koevoet/SWAPOL- COIN/TIN: “Koevoet Veterans League: Members”

“Photo credit: Koevoet Veterans League”

Photo’s added by Brig Hennie Heymans

Gouws, Dolf

Servamus 1981-11-38