enongqai oct 2011
DESCRIPTION
A monthly e-magazine for veterans of the old SA Police and those interested in South Africa's national security historyTRANSCRIPT
1
THE e-NONGQAI
Un-official Police Gazette for VETERANS of the former
South African Police Force and for those interested in the
history of our Police, Defence and South Africa’s National
Security
October 2011; Vol 2 no 10
DIE e-NONGQAI
Nie-amptelike Polisiekoerant vir VETERANE van die ou Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiemag
en vir diegene wat belangstel in die geskiedenis van ons polisie, verdediging en
nasionale veiligheid
Oktober 2011; Vol 2 Nr 10
Sers A van den Bergh met HP 29
Editor – Hennie Heymans – Redakteur
Patron – Gen Johan vd Merwe - Beskermheer
2
Contents / Inhoud
1. WELCOME / WELKOM ................................................................................................. 6
1.1 A quiet moment - Understand Righteousness - Hosea 10:12, 13 ................................... 6
1.2 Redaksioneel – Generaal Johan van der Merwe............................................................ 8
2. PERSONALIA .................................................................................................................. 8
2.1 Deaths / Afsterwe ........................................................................................................ 8
2.1.1 Afsterwe: No. 4097769 senior-superintendent: Johan Heinrich Wilhelm Cowley ...... 8
2.1.2 ‘n CV van my gestremde broer, Pieter Wentzel - Brig. Willie Wentzel ..................... 9
2.1.3 Kolonel Fanie Marais .............................................................................................. 13
2.1.4 Col Peter Mollison .................................................................................................. 13
3.2 Birthdays / Verjaarsdagwense .................................................................................... 13
3.3 In Memoriam ............................................................................................................. 13
3.4 Honours & Awards / Eerbewyse & Toekennings ....................................................... 13
3.4.1 Cav. Andre Martinaglia – retired member of the SA Police ..................................... 13
3.5 Roll of Honour / Ererol .............................................................................................. 14
3. FRIENDS MISSING AND FOUND! / SAP 55 VERMISTE PERSONE ........................ 14
4. REUNIONS / REUNIES / EVENTS / GEBEURE .......................................................... 14
4.1. Oud SAP-Liefdadigheidstrust ................................................................................... 14
4.2 Re-unie SA Spoorwegpolisie 24 September 2011 - Ronnie Beyl ................................ 15
4.2.1 Louis Jordaan, ‘n oud-soldaat (VKR) se verslag oor die SASP-re-unie .................... 15
4.2.2 Foto’s van die SASP-re-unie ................................................................................... 18
4.3 Re-Unie SAP Jan Smutslughawe - Koot Van Schalkwyk ........................................... 19
4.4 Die Brigadiersklub van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie in Pretoria .................................. 21
4.4.1 Brigadiers buite Pretoria ......................................................................................... 24
4.5 Die Generaalsklub van die SA Polisie in Pretoria ....................................................... 24
3
5. PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH/ PERSOONLIKHEID VAN DIE MAAND:
ADJUDANT-OFFISIER O.J. FOURIE ............................................................................... 29
5.1 Brief van Ockert Fourie ............................................................................................. 29
5.2 A/o Ockert Johannes Fourie - Op pad na die Noord Afrika Oorlogsfront, Junie 1941. 29
5.3 O.J. Fourie - Die Nongqai 1944-04-485 – Hennie Heymans ....................................... 35
6. PERSONALITIES & BIOGRAFICAL DICTIONARY/ PERSOONLIKHEDE /
BIOGRAFIESE WOORDEBOEK ...................................................................................... 37
6.1 S/a/o JHGCL du Toit ................................................................................................. 37
6.2 Verskeie lede van die Veiligheidstak, Kompol x302 – Tubby Myburg ....................... 41
6.3 Gesoek – biografiese besonderhede oor alle generaals van die SA Polisie .................. 42
6.4 Frank Belcher – SAAF (Ret) ...................................................................................... 43
7. WE REMEMBER / ONS ONTHOU .............................................................................. 43
7.1 KOD Germiston – Koot van Schalkwyk .................................................................... 43
7.2 SAP Cleveland – Koot van Schalkwyk ...................................................................... 45
7.3 SAP Woodstock en Willie Hofmeyr – Fanie Bouwer ................................................ 50
7.4 My Sakboek – Anoniem ............................................................................................ 51
7.5 SAP Camels 1933 - Lt-Col William Marshall ............................................................ 53
8. VESTED INTERESTS OF VETERANS /AANGELEENTHERDE WAT ONS DIREK
RAAK ................................................................................................................................. 55
8.1 Polmed ...................................................................................................................... 55
8.2 Sale of Books in Aid of the Trust ............................................................................... 55
8.3. Medaljes ................................................................................................................... 55
8.4 Injuries on duty / Beserings aandiens ......................................................................... 55
9. NATIONAL SECURITY HISTORY / NASIONALE VEILIGHEIDSGESKIEDENIS ... 55
9.1 Uittreksels uit die dagboek van Luitenant Igor Anatolevich Zhdarkin: ‘n Russiese
Adviseur vir FAPLA in Angola - Vrylik vertaal deur Johan Jacobs .................................. 55
4
9.2 The Nazi Party South Africa - HBH ........................................................................... 58
9.3 Die ‘klein generaaltjie’ raak vies ................................................................................ 59
9.4 The ANC and the boers .............................................................................................. 62
9.5 Magnus Malan and Mao ........................................................................................... 66
9.6 The Sunday Times' hatchet job on Magnus Malan ..................................................... 69
9.7 SA Military History Society (CT) Newsletter No 392, October 2011 .................. 72
10 HERALDRY, UNIFORMS, COLOURS, FLAGS, MEDALS, MEMORIALS /
HERALDIEK, UNIFORMS, VAANDEELS, VLAE, MEDALJES, GEDENKTEKENS .... 73
10.1 The Air force Structure Rank Insignia ...................................................................... 73
10.2 South African Medals – Deon Fourie ....................................................................... 75
10.2.1 Mention in Despatches (MiD). Vermelding in Berigte ........................................... 75
10.2.2 King’s Commendation (South Africa) (1939-45)................................................... 76
10.2.3 Military Medal. Militêre Medalje. (MM) ............................................................... 76
10.2.4 Medals - World War 2........................................................................................... 76
a. The 1939-45 Star .............................................................................................. 76
b. The Africa Star ............................................................................................. 77
c. The Italy Star ................................................................................................ 77
d. The Defence Medal ..................................................................................... 77
e. The War Medal 1939-45 ............................................................................... 77
5. Military Merit Medal - Militêre Meriete Medalje. ....................................................... 77
6. The John Chard Decoration - John Chard-dekorasie) (JCD) ......................................... 77
7. The John Chard Medal - John Chard-medalje .............................................................. 78
8. SA Decorations & Medals 1975-2003. ........................................................................ 78
8.1 Mentioned in Despatches ........................................................................................... 79
10.3 Some military Models – Johan Jacobs ...................................................................... 79
11 NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS / NUUS EN NASIONALE VEILIGHEID .............. 82
5
11.1 The poor state of public order policing - Kohler Barnard ................................. 82
11.2 Police on Parliamentary carpet regarding ICT .......................................................... 84
11.3 Generaal se lyk lê op vullishoop ............................................................................... 87
11.4 257 deaths in police custody in 2010/11 - Francois Beukman ................................. 87
11.5 Israel Mounted Police: Lital Eizenboim ................................................................... 90
11.6 South Africa - Mounted Police – Mail & Gaurdian .................................................. 91
12. THE LIBRARY / DIE BOEKRAK .............................................................................. 91
12.1 Ongulumbashe: A review by Lt Col (Prof) Deon Visser - Ongulumbashe:
Where the bush war began - Paul J. Els, ..................................................................... 91
12.2 Genl CP Crafford – Van die Depot tot Duitswes ...................................................... 93
12.2.1 Van die Depot tot Duitswes – genl CP Crafford .................................................... 94
12.3 My veertig jaar in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie – Johan Ferreira ............................... 95
12.4 Voorwaarts mars – Hanlie van Straaten .................................................................... 96
12.5 Koevoet: The Men Speak – Jonathan Pittaway ......................................................... 97
13. SPORT .......................................................................................................................... 98
14. HUMOUR IN UNIFORM ............................................................................................ 98
Psychological Operations – US Army Style ................................................................... 100
15. ANECDOTES, A POINT TO PONDER: PARAPROSDOKIANS .............................. 101
15.1 A “police-” and “true-life” story with a difference .... You reap what you sow –
Hanlie van Straaten .................................................................................................... 101
15.2 Wisdom – Jeff Manning ......................................................................................... 104
15.4 Top Five Regrets.................................................................................................... 104
16. OOR DIE NONGQAI SE DRUMPEL ........................................................................ 107
17. NEWS FROM ALL OVER - THE POLICE POST BAG / NUUS VAN HEINDE EN
VERRE - POLISIE-POSSAK ........................................................................................... 107
6
17.1 Toffie Risk ............................................................................................................. 107
17.2 No 4801 Johannes Stefanus de Klerk - Jan de Klerk .......................................... 108
17.3 Brief van generaal Johan van der Merwe ................................................................ 109
18. NETWORKING & “LET’S SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER”/ NETWERK & “KOM ONS
ONDERSTEUN MEKAAR” ............................................................................................ 111
18.1 Versameling van ou SAP-items en ander Uniformstukke van ander Magte. 111
18.2 Wanted Photographs .......................................................................................... 111
19. THE MARKET PLACE / DIE MARK ........................................................................ 111
19.1 Bruce Green – Johannesburg .................................................................................. 111
19.2 SAP Brigadiersklub en SAP Vriendekring se pette ens ........................................... 116
20. WANTED / GESOEK ................................................................................................. 116
21. STOP PRESS / LAAT BERIGTE................................................................................ 116
22. INDEMITY / VRYWARING ...................................................................................... 116
23. NEXT EDITION / VOLGENDE UITGAWE .............................................................. 117
24. CONCLUSION / SLOT .............................................................................................. 117
1. WELCOME / WELKOM
Hartlik welkom by hierdie Oktober-maand uitgawe van ons Veterane se eie tydskrif. Baie
dankie vir al die oproepe, eposse, foto’s, besoeke en uitnodigings. Met baie vriende is die
wêreld so ‘n lekker plek! Piet Steyn van Vryheid skakel en hy noem dat “goeie gesondheid
alles beteken! Goeie gesondheid beteken ‘n goeie pensioen!” Dit het een maal gereën en die
Stad begin stadig so ‘n pers skynsel te kry!
1.1 A quiet moment - Understand Righteousness - Hosea 10:12, 13
The Word of God in the voice of Prophet Hosea is still resounding in the Spiritual realm;
“Sow for yourselves according to righteousness”
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness”
Different translations are trying to explain the word Righteousness, I want to know the
concept “Righteousness” because God Himself is giving the command; “Sow in
Righteousness in order that you may harvest mercy, and loving-kindness.”
7
“Loving Kindness” is another fifty pages of preaching, but Divinely speaking it is “Grace”
and Grace as a Person is what you need when all else fails. No, leave the “Woordelys van
die Afrikaanse Taal” the “Oxford” the “Concise English Dictionary” even the “Webster
Dictionary” to find a meaning of Righteousness, they all dwell between the words ‘morally,’
-‘holy’ and ‘acceptable.’
To grasp the meaning one has to start at the place of repentance, repent enables God to
remove you from darkness, from sin and condemnation and He does that by washing you
with His Blood and place you back into light, but He can only do this if you repent.
Repent doesn’t mean to say you are sorry, to say you are sorry is talking to people, to repent
is to make a 180° turn back to God with your thoughts, your mind, it is thinking differently
and applying what you think in your life, it is imperative that the question always persist;
“What pleases God?”
What in my performance will manifest His pleasure?
In the Spiritual realm nobody can stand upright if one is not cleansed and purged and
purified by the blood of Christ.
To be in a righteous position before God, is what you need when God faces you, when you
faces God in the perception that God will answer and bless what you are asking, it is to be
morally erect and sound in the Divine presence of God, then and only, one will be able to
discern what God is saying in Hebrew 5:14, those whose senses and mental faculties are
trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble
and what is evil and contrary either to divine law.
Yes it is possible in this life, Philippians Chapter One explains that we can ask God to grand
us the ability of moral discernment, intelligent love and absolute precise knowledge to
discriminate between right and wrong in the correct sense of values.
Herman Le Roux
0823395915
8
1.2 Redaksioneel – Generaal Johan van der Merwe
Die groot Sweedse Filisoof Soren Kierkegaardt het gesê die lewe moet vorentoe geleef word
mag agtertoe verstaan word. Ons is onlosmaaklik aan die geskiedenis verbonde. Trouens
die geskiedenis is die bewaarder van herinneringe en ‘n getuie van die groot dade van die
verlede, die voorbeeld en die leermeester van die hede en die waarskuwing vir die toekoms.
Ons was deel van ‘n Polisiemag wat hoog aangeskrewe was in die gemeenskap, waar
korrupsie by hoë uitsondering voorgekom het en waar ‘n lid in uniform gesag en vertroue
ingeboesem het en elke lid van die gemeenskap veilig gevoel het as hy of ‘n lid in polisie-
uniform gesien het. Waar elke lid van die gemeenskap flink en op ‘n bekwame bedien is as
hy of sy by ‘n aanklagkantoor ingestap het en waar elke misdryf wat aangemeld is op ‘n
professionele wyse ondersoek is. Ondersoekbeamptes is gereeld deur ons regters aangeprys
of bedank vir die bekwame en deeglike wyse waarop ‘n saak ondersoek is.
Voorvalle waar lede hulle deur dapper optrede onderskei het en hulle lewens gewaag het
om die gemeenskap teen geweld en misdaad te beskerm het op ‘n gereelde grondslag
voorgekom. Ons was vir meer as 30 jaar in ‘n rewolusionêre stryd gewikkel waar ons
daagliks die gemeenskap teen terreur en geweld moes beskerm.
Hierdie Polisiemag sou volgende jaar ‘n eeu oud gewees het as dit nog bestaan het. Die
Oud SAP-Liefdadigheidstrust wil graag met die oog daarop ‘n boek uitgee waarin die
wedervaringe en herinneringe van oud-lede geboekstaaf word om te verseker dat dit nie
verlore gaan nie. Ons het egter die samewerking van alle oud-lede nodig om te verseker
dat dit al die wesenskenmerke van die Polisiemag soos ons dit geken het vergestalt. Ons het
elkeen se verhaal, dokumente, foto’s en kundigheid nodig om dit te verwesenlik.
Lede van die Trust vergader DV op Donderdag, 20 Oktober, om 10h00 in die lapa van die
IPA-huis in Parkweg waar ons graag die samestelling van die boek wil bespreek. Alle oud-
lede is welkom en ons sal dit waardeer as dit vir julle moontlik is om dit by te woon.
2. PERSONALIA
2.1 Deaths / Afsterwe
Met leedwese word die afsterwe van die volgende kollegas bekend gemaak:
2.1.1 Afsterwe: No. 4097769 senior-superintendent: Johan Heinrich
Wilhelm Cowley
9
Wyle Johan Cowley [47] is op Saterdagaand, 10 September 2011, opslag dood in ’n
motorbotsing in Middelburg (Mpumalanga). Sy vrou, Magda, wat saam met hom in die
voertuig was, is vry ernstig beseer, maar sterk tans tuis aan. Johan word oorleef deur sy
vrou en een kind.
Johan was ’n bekende Pretoriase bedrogspeurder wat, onder andere, verbonde was aan die
Sindikaatbedrogeenheid, Brooklyn en wat die Eenheidsbevelvoerder was van die Pretoria-
Sentraal Bedrogeenheid en later van die Pretoria-Moot Speurtak. Hy het ook diens verrig in
die Nasionale Hoofkantoor komponent van die Handelstak.
Johan het op 30 September 2004, na 22 jare getroue en voorbeeldige diens, uit die Polisie
bedank en hom met misdaadbekamping in die privaatsektor bemoei.
Ek salueer die nagedagtenis van ’n kameraad en ’n ware heer. Saluut!
Martin Nel [Genl.-maj. (Afg: S.A. Polisie)]
2.1.2 ‘n CV van my gestremde broer, Pieter Wentzel - Brig. Willie Wentzel
Ek is sewe en vyftig jaar gelede gebore in Langstraat, Lichtenburg en in Langstraat, Groot
Brakrivier my lewe verloor toe ‘n motoris my op my fiets raakgery het.
Ek het nooit kennis gedra van die foutiewe doktersverslae wat ‘n wesentlike invloed vir
die res van my lewe ingehou het nie. Hul het glo vir my ouers gaan vertel dat ek net vyf jaar
sou lewe agv breinskade tydens geboorte. Maar laat ek voor begin.
Kinderjare
My kinderjare was lekker maar onthou nog goed toe daar die eerste keer met my geraas is.
My Ma was baie kwaad omdat ek en my maatjie, Kobus Badenhorst (nou ‘n bekende
kardioloog) mekaar van kop tot tone met blou emalje verf geverf het.
Die eerste keer dat ek agtergekom dat ek wel anders behandel word, is toe Kobus skooltoe
gegaan het en ek agtergelaat is om net te speel. Dit het my egter glad nie gepla nie want
kort daarna het ons na Leswana Park, naby Zeerust getrek. Die vakansieplaas was ‘n ware
lushof. Ek het gou geleer swem en elke dag met my swart maatjies gespeel. Ongelukkig is
my Pa oorlede toe ek net agt jaar oud was en moes my Ma alleen swoeg om my groot te kry.
Bestuur van Voertuie
Op die plaas het ek my liefde vir motors gekry. Het mooi opgelet hoe die grootmense die
ratte verander. Nie lank nie of ek het met die trekker rondgery. Ek was eendag in groot
moeilikheid toe ek al die plaaswerkers opgelaai het met die sleepwa en hul na die
buurplaas wou neem. Halfpad het die trekker sonder diesel gaan staan.
My suster, Sally was onnodig vir my kwaad toe sy op ‘n dag met haar Volksie by die plaas
opgedaag het en ek dit vir ‘n toetsrit geneem het. Dit was nie my skuld dat die takke die
motor liggies gekrap het nie. Die paadjies was baie nou. Ek wil dit op rekord plaas dat ek
nooit ‘n ongeluk gemaak of ‘n motor beskadig het nie. Ek het baie kilo’s in my lewe gery
alhoewel hul nooit vir my ‘n lisensie wou gee nie.
10
Skoolopleiding en werk
My lekker vakansiedae het tot ‘n einde gekom toe daar besluit is ek moet wel skoolopleiding
ontvang. Ek het elke oggend saam met my suster Annette met die bus na die klein
plaasskool op Rooigrond gery. Ek onthou nog goed hoe die kinders my gespot het. Dan het
Annette onder hul ingevlieg en hul geslaan. Die einde van daardie jaar is besluit dat ek nie
na wense vorder nie en na n ander opleidingskool moet gaan.
So beland ek by Gen. Kockskool in Potchshefstroom. Die lewe daar was nie maklik nie. Vir
die eerste keer in my lewe was ek weg van die huis en het hulle my ook niks geleer nie.
Gelukkig kom daar ‘n uitkoms toe ek plek kry by die Beskutte Arbeidsfabriek in Daspoort,
Pretoria. Ek is geleer om meubels te herstel. Gedurende die week het ek het by n dierbare
tannie regoor die fabriek gebly en vir die eerste keer n geldjie ontvang. Elke Vrydagmiddag
het my broer Willie & sy vrou Beulah my kom haal. Dit was gelukkige jare .
Ongelukkig besluit die Staat om die fabriek te sluit en terselfdertyd verkoop my Ma die
plaas en verhuis na Randfontein.
Connie Mulder Sentrum vir Gestremdes
Baie teensinnig word ek geplaas by die Connie Mulder Sentrum vir Gestremdes waar ek die
volgende 17 jaar sou bly. Het by al die verskillende afdelings daar gewerk. Veral die
sementafdeling waar betonpale gemaak is, was harde werk. Ek was nou weer naby my Ma.
My broers en susters het my kom besoek, my geskakel en my kom haal vir vakansies. Maar
ek was baie ongelukkig en kon nie daar aangepas nie. Daarom het ek talle kere weggeloop.
Die meeste kere was na Willie & Beulah in Pretoria. Ek het baie gesukkel met “lifts“. Soms is
ek afgelaai by die Pretoria–ingang en moes ek 20 km verder stap.
Was baie in die moeilikheid by die base van die Sentrum. Op ‘n dag het ek die groot trok
van die Sentrum geneem en die kinders opgelaai. Ek het met hul al om die rugbyveld gery.
Toe hul my daarna straf het ek weggeloop na Sally & Toy in Biesiesvlei. Nie mooi geweet
hoe om daar uit te kom nie maar in die oggendure op die plaas aangekom met stukkende
voete. Ek was so vuil en het sommer op die mat gaan slaap.
Die Connie Mulder-sentrum het streng toegangsbeheer gehad en jy mag nooit die plek
sonder toestemming verlaat het nie. Gelukkig het ek spesiale toestemming gekry om elke
naweek vir my Ma in die Ouetehuis te gaan kuier met my fiets. Het dan die geleentheid
gebruik om ‘n draai te maak by ander familielede en vriende wat my welkom laat voel het.
Ek kan nie nalaat om te spog met my atletiekprestasie nie. Tydens die SA
Atletiekbyeenkoms vir Gestremdes het die Sentrum my ingeskryf vir die mylwedloop.
Sonder enige vorige oefening het ek tweede gekom. Sou ek gewen het, het ek oorsee gegaan.
Maar ek het geleer almal kan nie altyd wenners wees nie.
My Ma se siekte in die begin van 2007 het ‘n groot verandering in my lewe te weeg gebring.
Ek weet my Ma was baie lief vir my en was baie bekommerd wat met my sou gebeur as sy
11
die dag nie meer daar sou wees nie. Toe kry ek die beste nuus van my lewe. Ek hoef nie
langer by die Sentrum te bly nie.
Dankie vir Omgee
My twee broers Jannie & Willie en my twee susters Sally & Annette het besluit dat ek by hul
kan kom bly. Ek sou drie maande van elke jaar by elkeen van hul families wees. My moeder
was ook so bly dat sy nie verder teen haar siekte gestry het nie. Sy is kort daarna oorlede.
Die nuwe reëling het gewerk soos n bom. Dit was lekker om saam met my broers en susters
te wees . Hul kinders het ook soos n kleinood na my omgesien. Almal het uit hul pad
gegaan om my gelukkig te hou. Omdat hulle geweet het dat ek daarvan gehou het om
netjies te wees, is ek goed versorg en het hul gereeld nuwe klere vir my gekoop.
Tjaart & Annette het my altyd saam met hul geneem op hul kampvakansies. Ek het selfs my
eie tent gehad en altyd gehelp met die kosmaak. Tjaart is beslis die beste vleisbraaier van
ons familie en Annette het my Ma se voorbeeld gevolg deur altyd twee borde van haar
lekker kos vir my in te skep.
By elke een van hulle het ek my eie kamer met badkamer gehad en hul spense was oop as ek
wou peusel. By Jannie het sy seun Johan spesiaal ‘n buitegebou omskep in ‘n woonstel met
my eie TV.
My fiets was my vlerke. Bo in Pretoria en Bronkhorstspruit was daar ‘n fiets vir my asook n
ander fiets hieronder by Outeniquastrand. Daarmee het ek kilo’s gery na vriende en plekke
waar ek wou wees.
Maar my lewe het nie net uit vakansie bestaan nie. Ek het my kant gebring. By almal het ek
die gras gesny, in die tuine gewerk , hul motors gewas en skottelgoed gedoen. Tydens my
laaste verblyf by Tjaart & Annette in Bronkhorstspruit het ek selfs n permanente werk as
karwasser gekry. Ek moes soos die ander werkers vaste tye werk. Dit het my so goed laat
voel as ek die einde van elke week n salaris ontvang het.
En natuurlik het ek orals gehelp om die braaivleisvure te pak en te sorg dat die biere in die
yskaste kom. Ook slim begin word en daarop aangedring dat daar met n braai van my
afskeid geneem moet word as ek na my volgende blyplek moes gaan.
Een van my hoogtepunte was die Interkaap busritte met die kospakke en drinkgoed wat
altyd saam gegee is. Ongelukkig het dinge eenkeer lelik verkeerd geloop. Op ‘n dag het ek
vir tannie Hester van Jaarsveldt in die Kaap gaan kuier. Sy was my ma se suster en het al die
jare baie vir my omgegee. Sy het elke verjaarsdag en Kersfees vir my ‘n geskenkpakkie
gestuur. Wel, hul moes my by Bellville kry maar die bus was te vroeg en daar was niemand
nie. Ek is toe by Kaapstad se stasie afgelaai waar ek ure moes wag voordat ek opgespoor is.
Dit was donker en ek was baie bang.
Wierda Park-polisiestasie
12
Alhoewel ek nie geleerd was nie het ek my regte geken as ek te na gekom is. Terwyl ek by
Jannie gebly het, het hy my eendag kwaad gemaak. Ek kan nie nou onthou presies waaroor
dit gegaan het nie, maar ek het na Wierda Park-polisiestasie gery en die sersant daarvan
gaan vertel. Jannie het hom boeglam geskrik toe die sersant met die polisievangwa by hom
stilhou en wou weet waarom hy lelik met my is. Nietemin, ek het lekker by hom gebly.
Dans en vriende
Ek het baie vriende gehad en daarvan gehou om met almal ‘n geselsie aan te knoop. Diegene
wat snaaks met my was en my nie wou aanvaar soos ek was nie, het ek maar vermy.
Gelukkig was daar dierbare mense wat vir my omgegee het. So was ek welkom by al die
bure. Ek was dan ook gereeld genooi na hul straatbraaie. Het selfs ‘n paar danse ingekry.
So van dans gepraat. Ek was baie lief vir dans en my groot dansmaat was Marieta. Ons het
dit geniet om by die Dekke by Groot Brakrivier uit te hang. Marieta, ek weet jy gaan my
baie mis.
Bond van Oud-polisiemanne by Glentana
Vir baie jare het ek vir Willie gehelp met die potjiekos wat hy vir die Bond van Oud-
polisiemanne by Glentana maak. Dit was my werk om die swaar driepootpotte skoon te
maak en die vuur aan te steek. Ek kon goed vuurmaak want nie een keer het dit gebeur dat
die potjies aangebrand het nie.
Al Willie se tennisvriende was ook my vriende. Ek het dit geniet om Saterdae saam na die
tennisbane te gaan en met almal daar te gesels. Willie het natuurlik altyd vir my n bier of
twee gekoop.
In teenstelling met die dokters se aanvanklike bevinding was ek fisies baie gesond en nooit
in ‘n hospitaal nie. As iemand van jul my toevallig by George se Lughawe gesien het waar
hul my in n rystoel ingestoot het, moet jul nie dink dat ek siek was of iets makeer het nie.
Dit was slegs ‘n plan van my suster Annette by Oliver Tambo Lughawe om seker te maak
dat die lughawe se personeel my op die regte vlug sit. Ek kon goed siek speel.
Kerk - Friemersheim
Ek het daarvan gehou om kerk toe te gaan . Ek het dit veral geniet om saam met Willie na
die klein kerkie van Ds Pieter van Niekerk by Friemersheim te gaan. Ek het so vernaam
gevoel as ek elke keer byname vanaf die kansel verwelkom is. Wie van julle het al so n eer te
beurt geval ?
Alhoewel ek nie altyd die preke kon verstaan nie, het ek geweet dat Jesus vir my lief is. Jul
moet nie hartseer wees nie, ek is na my vyfde en finale verblyfplek. My ma het so na my
verlang dat sy Jesus gevra het dat ek asseblief na haar toe moet kom.
Dankie vir almal wat vir my omgegee het .
13
Pieter Wentzel : 29/8/2011
2.1.3 Kolonel Fanie Marais
Hennie, Speurder/Kolonel Fanie Marais Ouderdom 72 Jaar is gister oorlede
(Hartversaking). Begrafnis NG Kerk, Townsview, Hexrivierweg Tonsview (sic) op Saterdag
15 Oktober 2011 om 11h00. Huis tel. (011) 682- 1506. Kolonel Marais was 'n lektor by die
Speurderskursusse gedurende die 60tiger jare by John Vorsterplein toe hy nog adjudant-
offisier was. Kolonel Marais was wel bekend by John Vorsterplein en Hillbrow. (RIP)
Saluut.!!! Groete Koot Van Schalkwyk.
2.1.4 Col Peter Mollison
Larry Hanton posted in Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie - Afgetrede Lede.
Larry Hanton 8:43am Sep 20
08:42:40 Col Peter Mollison of Durban funeral: 2pm Friday 23 September, at the
Presbyterian Church, Frere Rd, Umbilo. (New street name is Ester Roberts road).
Notices will also be in today and tomorrow's paper.
• Ons innige meegevoel met almal
3.2 Birthdays / Verjaarsdagwense
10 Oktober –Engela Pretorius
10 Oktober – Bessie du Plessis
12 Oktober – Brig WJ Viljoen
13 Oktober - Brig Fanie Bouwer
15 Oktober – Brig Johan Gijsbers
19 Oktober – Brig LD vasn Vuuren
22 Oktober – Marianne van Vuuren
28 Oktober – Brig Wolf Pelser
06 November – Rina Vink
15 November – prokureur Jac Kloppers, Welkom
21 November – Jos Sevink, Nedeland
25 November – luit-genl Hennie Westraat
3.3 In Memoriam
Niks om te rapporteer.
3.4 Honours & Awards / Eerbewyse & Toekennings
3.4.1 Cav. Andre Martinaglia – retired member of the SA Police
Dear Regional Directors,
14
We are glad to inform you that Cav. Andre Martinaglia was appointed as the Regional
Director for the Republic of South Africa. Please visit our “Patrons & Officers” page for his
brief profile: http://www.nobility-association.com/patronsofficers.htm
Let’s welcome him aboard.
Sincerely,
Salvatore Caputo.
3.5 Roll of Honour / Ererol
No Rank Name Date
126 1/Sgt CFC Lange 28 Jul 1914
286 1/Sgt R Mansfield 13 Sept 1914
368 2/Sgt N McLeod 13 Sept 1914
67 1/D/Sgt CA Mynot 15 Sept 1914
3. FRIENDS MISSING AND FOUND! / SAP 55 VERMISTE
PERSONE
• Niks te rapporteer
4. REUNIONS / REUNIES / EVENTS / GEBEURE
4.1. Oud SAP-Liefdadigheidstrust
Lede van die Trust vergader DV op Donderdag, 20 Oktober, om 10h00 in die lapa van die
IPA-huis in Parkweg waar ons graag die samestelling van die boek wil bespreek. Alle oud-
lede is welkom en ons sal dit waardeer as dit vir julle moontlik is om dit by te woon.
15
4.2 Re-unie SA Spoorwegpolisie 24 September 2011 - Ronnie Beyl
Hennie jy het versoek dat ek kortliks verslag doen oor die re-unie.Die gedagte was dat die
re-unie op 1 Oktober moes plaas vind omrede op die datum 25 jaar gelede het die
amalgamasie tussen die twee magte plaasgevind. Die saal by Esselenpark was alreeds vir
die datum van 1 Oktober bespreek, derhalwe het ek op die datum van 24 September besluit.
Aanvanklik het ons vir 100 oudlede beplan maar soos wat die tyd aangestap het, het die
getal na 210 gegroei. Op die betrokke dag het 197 oudlede en hulle families by die re-unie
opgedaag. Asgevolg van ongesteldheid kon ‘n paar wat reeds hulle gelde inbetaal het, nie
kom nie. Die hoogte punt was toe die enigste oorlewende oud-kommissaris, generaal JJJ Van
Vuuren (91) self met sy motor by die geleentheid opgedaag het. Ander senior offisiere was
generaal André Horak, generaal Nic O’Kelly wat in die SAPD ‘n generaal geword het, brig,
Mounie Mouton ens. Behalwe vir die kollegas wat in Gauteng woonagtig is, het hulle vanaf
Namibië, Kaapstad, George, Danabaai, Mosselbaai, Bloemfontein, Utrecht, Tzaneen,
Pietersburg, Durban, Zeerust, Secunda. Kimberley, Potchefstroom en Bethlehem gekom.
Sommige lede het mekaar 43 jaar laas gesien of van gehoor. Dit was nie vreemd om twee
groot mans te sien wat mekaar om die skouers val en ‘n traan gepik het nie. Soos een kollega
dit gestel het, dit was nie ‘n re-unie van die Spoorwegpolisie nie, dit was ‘n familie
byeenkoms. Ja, en was daar die Spoorwegpolisie se eie Waarheid en Versoeningskommissie
ook gehou. Een van my studente van 1970 het die geleentheid gebruik om sy siening
rondom my as sy instrukteur en later as offisier te lig. Ek was verstom oor die respek en
agting wat hy na soveel jare nog vir my het, dit het my baie nederig laat voel. ‘n
Buitestander wat ‘n kollega wat hart probleme het na die geleentheid vergesel het, was aan
die Verkennings Kommando van die Weermag betrokke. Hy het na afloop van die re-unie
sy ervaring van die dag aan my gestuur wat ek hierby sal aanheg. Dit was vir ons wat die
reëlings getref het, ‘n riem onder die hart om te kon aanskou hoe hulle dit geniet en
waardeer het. Die bande wat baie jare gelede by Esselenpark gesmee was, het nou weer
nuwe lewe gekry en die manne en vroue kyk al weer uit na die volgende byeenkoms. Wat
vir my treffend was is die feit dat die Provinsiale Kommissaris van KwaZulu Natal
magtiging verleen het dat lede van Durban per amptelike voertuig na die re-unie kon reis.
Groete
Ronnie Beyl
4.2.1 Louis Jordaan, ‘n oud-soldaat (VKR) se verslag oor die SASP-re-unie
Geagte Leser ~ Gun my asseblief die geleentheid om my ervaring van die SASP se re-unie met u te
deel in alle eerlikheid en derhalwe is dit nodig dat ek verwys na “byname” en persepsies wat by my
bestaan het, maar dit word gedoen met respek en agting ten einde die agtergrond te skets!
Geagte brig. Beyl
16
Dit was ‘n Woensdag oggend in Januarie 1977 toe ek aangemeld het vir Basies in die
Weermag – die Troeptrein het op die Johannesburg stasie gestop en ons het op en
aanmerkings gemaak oor die “Stasie-blompotte” wat daar gestaan het. Vir ons klomp op die
trein was dit ‘n klomp ouens wat die weermag wou vryspring en ons het hulle gekoggel en
allerhande byname toegesnou. Ons is “army” toe en daar het dit gebly – of altans so sou ek
dink vir 34 jaar en 10 maande. Nou 34 jaar en 10 maande later word ek deur my werkgewer
Mnr Stears genooi om saam met hom na die “Stasie – Blompotte” se re-unie te gaan! Min het
ek geweet watse ontnugtering daar op my sou wag. By Brig. Beyl aangekom die Donderdag
aand (22/09) het u en u vrou ons dadelik welkom laat voel en so oor ‘n koppie koffie het die
stories en staaltjies begin. (Ek was maar baie skepties toe Brig. noem dat daar by die 200
mense verwag word – baie optimisties het ek gedink, ons kon skaars 23 ouens bymekaarkry
vir n re-unie). Vrydag (23/09) is ons “gejoin” in die lapa deur van die Durban manne.
Weereens het ons laat gekuier die aand en die stories, staaltjies en die manne se
wetveranderings het my laat skater van die lag of met nuwe insig laat kyk na die spreker, ek
is in afwagting gelaat vir Saterdag om van die ander manne en legendes soos Generaal JJJ te
ontmoet. Ek het begin besef dat ek my laaste 34 jaar onder ‘n wanpersepsie was want dinge
wat ek gehoor het oor opleiding, dissipline ensovoorts het nie gestrook met wat ek gedink
het dit sou wees vir ‘n “stasie-blompot” nie. My proses van ontnugtering het begin! Ek het
my vergaap aan die wyse waarop u die manne se voorletters onthou het na soveel jare –
elkeen het kans gekry en die een storie of wedervaring wat die manne gedeel het was net
beter as die vorige een. (Gelukkig was Phyllis daar met haar tissues toe u my die storie op bladsy 30
van u boek laat lees – ek het lanklaas in my lewe so lekker gelag en die trane het letterlik gerol soos ek
gelag het – “dankie vir die tissues Phyllis”)
Later die aand was daar opeens ‘n eerbiedige atmosfeer, ‘n stilte – so vir ‘n paar oomblikke,
sommerso, sonder dat dit beplan was of ‘n oorsaak gehad het – toe begin julle gesels oor die
vriende en kollegas wat op die grens dood is, gewond is of wat intussen gesterf het. Elkeen
is onthou en oor elkeen was daar ook ‘n storie of staaltjie te vertel. Die hoeveelheid respek
en admirasie wat ek by julle opgemerk het, het my met ‘n knop in die keel gelaat – as
iemand eendag so oor my sou gesels as ek dood is, sou ek gelukkig en tevrede in my graf lê.
Die aand in die bed het ek nog lank gelê en dink en met ‘n skok tot die besef gekom dat ek
jaloers voel omdat ek nie deel is van hierdie klomp manne wat ek die afgelope paar uur leer
ken het nie, al het julle my tuis laat voel was ek, en is ek ‘n buitestander wat bevoorreg
genoeg was om ‘n blik te kon kry van iets baie spesiaals wat besig was om te gebeur. Ek het
uiteindelik later in afwagting op Saterdag aan die slaap geraak. Met ons aankoms by die saal
Saterdag oggend was daar reeds ‘n klomp mense - al was ons vroeg. Soos ek begin foto’s
neem het kon ek nie help om myself te verwonder aan die manier hoe ou kamerade en
vriende mekaar omhels het nie – twee keer moes ek omdraai en wegstap van ‘n potensiële
goeie foto omdat die trane in my oë baie naby was toe ek sien hoe groot mans mekaar
omhels en die trane van blydskap vrylik en skaamteloos teen hul wange afrol. Die res van
17
die dag het ek soos ‘n skaduwee probeer wees en van groepie na groepie manne en vroue
beweeg om na die stories te staan en luister.
Brig. in my 4 jaar 8 maande eers as operateur en later offisier by die Verkennings
Kommando het ek my “fair share” van die oorlog gesien, maar ek kan jou vandag
onomwonde verseker dat ek enige tyd saam met enige van julle oorlog toe sal gaan, want
om na 25 jaar nog die kameradie en respek tussen die manne te sien het my laat besef watse
spesiale klomp manne en vroue die SASP was – en is want ek weet vandag dat as jy eenmaal
n “Sporie” was jy altyd een sal wees – maak nie saak waar jy vandag is nie. Ter afsluiting wil
ek julle almal baie graag bedank vir die wonderlike voorreg om by julle re-unie toegelaat te
kon word, vir my was en sal dit altyd ‘n onvergeetlike ervaring bly en ek beskou myself
vandag as baie bevoorreg om dit saam met julle te kon deel. Behalwe die nostalgie,
kameradie, respek en vriendskap wat ek by julle gesien het was die een ding wat my
opgeval het – seker een van die belangrikste dinge van die hele re-unie – die feit dat ek nie
een keer van Donderdag tot Sondag iemand iets negatiefs van enige iemand anders hoor sê
het nie – nooit was daar ‘n negatiewe opmerking of aanmerking gemaak oor ‘n voormalige
kollega of sleg gepraat of iets gesê nie en dit is iets wat my altyd sal bybly van die “Sporie”
re-unie 2011 wat ek bygewoon het.
Baie dankie aan julle almal.
Louis Jordaan, 072 167 0334, [email protected]
18
4.2.2 Foto’s van die SASP-re-unie
19
Ronnie Beyl (regs) met swart trui. Onder genl’s Van Vuuren en Horak.
4.3 Re-Unie SAP Jan Smutslughawe - Koot Van Schalkwyk
Hennie: Re-unie afgetrede lede Jan Smuts-lughawe en Germiston in die ’60-tiger
20
jare. Van ons lede het mekaar 40 jaar laas gesien. Almal het lekker gekuier en die dag
geniet. Ons sê dankie aan ons Hemelse Vader vir die voorreg om mekaar weer te kon sien,
en bid vir goeie gesondheid en om mekaar weer in die toekoms te kan sien.
Op die foto verskyn sittende voor Koot Van Schalwyk. 1ste Ry sittende van links na regs
Sampie Cronje, Tinnie (sic) van Staden, Koos Mostert, Kapt George Franke, en Hans
Jooste. Agter staan van links na regs Paul Vorster, Koos Kotze, Dries Le Roux, brigadier
Jorrie Jordaan, Des Flewin, Chris Maritz, generaal Jac Olivier en kapt Kallie Calitz.
Op die hierdie foto verskyn die Pantoffel regering. Ek noem geen name nie - dit is te
gevaarlik. Groete Koot Van Schalkwyk.
21
• Beste Koot. Dankie, u bring baie herinneringe terug. Van die dames herken ek net
Jeanette Jordaan, sy was die sekretaresse van genl Bert Wandrag. Brig Jordaan was
op ’n stadium my seksiehoof. Genl Olivier is ’n ou bekende by John Vorsterplein.
HBH
4.4 Die Brigadiersklub van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie in Pretoria
Die volgende brigadiers en hul gades het die jongste Brigadiersklub se “Bring en Braai”
bygewoon!
Valie Viljoen Johan “Dieck” Diedericks Magnus Wessels
Johnnie Zinzerling Hester Wernich Zelda Bothma
22
Mev “TP” van der Walt en Johnnie
Zinzerling
Lieb Liebenberg (Karasburg) is op die
“kurke-lys”
Katrina en brig A Steyn – Sien ook foto van sers Steyn van Cleveland hier onder. Lyk nog
net dieselfde soos gedurende 1962! Onder mev “Oil” Olivier.
23
Onder: Ans en Theuns Botha Arlow. Barrie Badenhorst is besig om te praat en Valie luister
aandagtig.
Lollo en Marianne van Vuuren. (Ek voel sommer lus om julle te laat aan tree!!)
24
Jorrie en sy goeie gade het ook die braai geniet!
4.4.1 Brigadiers buite Pretoria
Daar word gesoek na alle brigadiers van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie met die oog op ’n
nasionale Brigadiersklub vir lede van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie. Ons wil kyk of daar
voldoende belangstelling is om ’n nasionale tak te stig.
4.5 Die Generaalsklub van die SA Polisie in Pretoria
Die Generaalsklub van die SA Polisie het ook ’n braai gehad en hier is ’n paar foto’s. Soos u
kan sien het daardie deskundige moord- en roofspeurder en oud-Welkomiet, genl Suiker
Brits die “toetswerk” gedoen.
25
“Dis mos wors!”
Van die braaiers onder aanvoering van genl Daantjie Hugget:
26
Daantjie vertel dat hy ook “papiere” het om te braai – hy was, ook soos sy Vader, ’n
speurder voor hy DK van Eshowe en BO van die SAP Kollege geword het! Hy ken van
braai!
Genl’s Ben Groenewald en Herklaas Meyer braai en “Suiker” hard aan die “toets” in die
agtergrond! Herklaas vertel die braaier waarop hy braai dateer van 1969 en kom van SAP
27
Umzimkulu, Kokstad distrik nr 20, se dae waar hy die stasiebevelvoerder was.
Genl Vic Haynes was ook daar – word nie ouer nie!!
28
Genl’s JG “Le Roux” Stemmet en Sakkie Minnaar – nog twee Welkomiete!
‘n Historiese foto: In omgekeerde volgorde, die drie laaste BO’s van die SAP Kollege:
Daantjie Huggett, Johan Fourie en Ben Groenewald. Almal was dit eens – die braaivleis is
professioneel gebraai.
29
5. PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH/ PERSOONLIKHEID VAN
DIE MAAND: ADJUDANT-OFFISIER O.J. FOURIE
5.1 Brief van Ockert Fourie
Dagsê Hennie:
Ek heg vir jou aan ‘n kort chronologie van a/o O.J. Fourie se polisie- en militêre diens tot en
met sy ontslag as soldaat in 1944. Ek sluit ook in sy dagboek notas van die reis na die
Noord-Afrika oorlogsfront en ‘n koerantuitknipsel van sy ontsnapping uit die Italiaans
gevangenekamp. Ek is nog steeds op soek na enige inligting oor sy polisiediensrekord. ‘n
Versoek is aan die Polisie museum gestuur soos jy laas voorgestel het, en ek wag nog op ‘n
antwoord. Ek het ook vir jou 'n paar foto’s ingesluit van sy polisieopleiding in 1935 wat jy
dalk interessant sal vind.
Groete uit Kanada. Ockert Fourie.
5.2 A/o Ockert Johannes Fourie - Op pad na die Noord Afrika Oorlogsfront,
Junie 1941.
• Sluit aan by die Suid Afrikaanse Polisie – 1935?.
• Militêre Vrywillige, 2 Bataljon SA Polisie: Datum van Attestasie: 3 Julie 1940.
• 10 Junie 1941 – Vertrek vanaf Durban na Noord Egipte aan boord die S.S. Mauretania.
• 21 Junie 1941- Ontskeep Suez.
The following are excerpt from the official military service records of Pte. O.J. Fourie:
• 20 June, 1942 - Reported missing at Tobruk believed P.O.W. (2 SAP) Posted to X3 List
20 June 1942.
• 20 December, 1942 – Confirmed a P.O.W. POW Camp Location: P.G. 129
Montelupone, Macerata, Italy.
• 13 August, 1943, Friday - Escaped before the Italian Armistice (He always considered
Friday 13th a lucky day).
• 3 September, 1943 – Released P.O.W. Struck off X3 List.
• 1 November, 1943 – In Allied hands, Italy.
• 12 November, 1943 – Arrived in Egypt.
• 4 December, 1943 - Left UDF (Union Defence Force) Transit Camp, Ataka.
• 17 December 1943 - Emplaned for Union of South Africa.
• 4 April, 1944 - Date of Discharge.
• 9 Augustus, 1946:- Receives 1939/45 Star; Africa Star; Africa Service Medal; and The
War Medal (1939-45).
Dagboek Notas wat Manskap O.J. Fourie gehou het van sy vertrek en reis aan boord die S.S.
Mauretania, en aankoms in Noord Afrika tydens die Tweede Wêreld Oorlog.
“Op die oggend van die 10de Julie 1941 voordat die voordag nog sy vertoning kan maak
was ons kamp in Pietermaritzburg al reeds aan die lewe. Almal gaan val in by hulle
30
verskillende Kompanies, en ons is reg om te vertrek na die stasie waar die trein toe al reeds
vir ons wag toe ons daar papnat gesweet aankom want ons moes ons hele uitrusting saam
karwei, en dit was ‘n stywe ent na die stasie. By die stasie is ons toe ordelik in die trein. Na
‘n lang wag is ons uiteindelik op pad na Durban waar ons toe sommer tot reg in die dokke
geneem word want die bote wat ons moes vervoer na die Noorde wag toe alreeds lankal vir
ons.
Ons val toe eers in op die dokke waar ons orkes toe op en af marsjeer en speel. Na ‘n ruk is
ons op die boot in ‘n enkel lyn en maak toe kennis met ons onmiddellike omgewing. Nadat
ons van al ons uitrusting ontlas is, is ons op na die boonste dek want na ‘n uur sou ons
vertrek. Ongeveer ‘n uur later was die twee sleepbote weg en vertrek ons uit die dokke en
die boot begin beweeg op haar eie stoom. Ek wil liewer nie probeer die gevoel beskryf wat
daar in my opgekom het nie, behalwe dat daar ‘n knop in my keel opgekom het wat net met
geweld gedwing het om my te wurg toe die verskillende bootjies en skuitjies se skerp
fluitjies van vaarwel die lug vul en geantwoord word deur ons boot met haar diep basuin
fluit, en die land so stadig agterlaat totdat dit naderhand net so vaagweg op die horison was
en naderhand heeltemal verdwyn het.
Toe word die honderd-en-een instruksies aan ons uitgelê, onder ander geen lig van enige
aard moet wys na sononder, daar mag selfs nie eers gerook word buite op die dek na
sononder en verder moet daar ook nooit sonder die reddingsgordel en waterbottel
rondgeloop word nie - die moet altyd byderhand wees. Die boot word dan ook nou goed
deur ons deurgekyk, en selfs op die verbode plekke ingeloer. Dit moet seker aangenaam
wees om op so ‘n boot te reis in vredestyd. Alles is so netjies en agtermekaar want ons 35
duisend ton boot was die vinnigste in ons konvooi van drie bote en het selfs ‘n pragtige
swembad gehad. Daar was ook maar min slaap gewees die eerste nag aan boord seker die
vreemde atmosfeer en die opgewondenheid. Die volgende dag is daar meer orders nadat
ons ontbyt geniet het. Die ontbyt was nogal eersteklas, alhoewel ons so ‘n groot klomp was
wat voor verskaf moes word. Ons was bedien deur ons eie kêrels wat as tafelbediendes
moes dien.
Gelukkig het ek nooit ‘n beurt gehad nie want ons Kompanie was verantwoordelik vir die
lugafweer veiligheid. Ook maar baie dankbaar dat ek nooit ‘n beurt gekry het nie want dit
was nou omtrent bedompig en warm in die eetsaal. Dit was goed om die etes oor te kry om
weer in die vars lug te kom. Daar was drie eetkamers, en elke eetkamer het twee sittings
gehad behalwe nog die van die Offisiere en Sersante. Praat van eet, die Skeepsbemanning
was selfs verbaas deur ons aptyt. Die vorige soldate wat hul op gehad het was die eerste
paar dae van hulle kos af, en daar is ook ‘n groter gedeelte van hulle seesiek as toe ons daar
was. Ek het net drie teëgekom wat regtig seesiek was. Hul was ook al omtrent groen in die
gesig, en moes seker gewens het om maar lepel in die dak te steek om van hulle leiding
ontslae te wees want hul het regtig sleg gelyk. Daar was ook twee kantiene waar ‘n mens
kan koop net wat jy wou hê, daar was ook gewoonlik so ‘n gedrang dat ‘n mens papnat
gesweet was, en by papnat bedoel ek papnat dat die sweet van jou af drup, van die
bedompigheid, want al die vensters moes toe in die aand.
Ons het toe ook al naderhand geleer om saans rond te loop in die donker sonder om oor
iemand te val of jou skeen velaf te stamp teen een of ander ding, en soms, sit daar nog een of
31
ander kwajong reg met sy Mae West (reddingsgordel) en slaan jou half katswink as jy skielik
uit die lig in die donker kom, en nog allerhande ander kwajong streke.
Na ‘n paar dae is ons oor die ewenaar. Praat van warm, ‘n mens kan amper nie klere
aantrek nie, en die meerderheid het omtrent dan ook niks aan nie. En in sulke hitte hou hul
dan ook nog bokswedstryde. Gelukkig breek die aand aan en dan is daar gewoonlik ’n koel
luggie wat trek en die word dan ook ten volle gebruik gemaak deur die reëlings toe te staan
en te kyk na die wit fosfor pad wat die boot agterlaat.
Die kleur van die see verander ook soos ons vaar, partykeer is dit inkblou, dan weer
donkergroen, ligblou, en partykeer ‘n pers kleur. Op die 8ste dag op see het ons boot ‘n
skyfskiet oefening gehad met haar 6 duim kanon waarmee sy bewapen was. Die skuif was
iets wat gesleep was deur ons kruiser. Ek het niks van die besigheid af geweet nie met die
gevolg dat toe die eerste skoot bulder val ek amper reg agteroor soos ek skrik want die
kanon was sommer by my. Gedurende die hele reis het ons geen land gesien tot ons by die
Golf van Aden deur is, en toe al met die Rooi See op, wat so ‘n rooibruin skynsel op gehad
het, wat amper na olie lyk. Op die 10de dag het ons by ons bestemming aangekom by Port
Taufiq.
Nadat die Egiptiese owerhede die skeepspapiere deurgekyk het, het hul ook sommer
dadelik begin om ons kêrels te land, maar dit was maar ‘n lang proses, want ons word
vervoer van die boot na die strand met sleepbote met die gevolg dat ons nog ‘n nag op die
boot moes deurbring.
Die volgende oggend het ons nog ‘n vroeë ontbyt geniet, maar na ‘n ewige gedrentel het ons
toe ook uiteindelik daarin geslaag om die middag omtrent 3 uur te vertrek van die boot, en
na ‘n halfuur het ons toe weer eindelik die eer gehad om ons voete op moeder aarde te sit.
Na ‘n tyd val ons toe weer in vir tee en koek, ek voel toe ook net al baie skraal, want ons het
toe nog niks geëet van die oggend af nie. So was dit glad nie in te ‘n goeie bui wat ek na
Egipte gekyk het nie, want die tee was yskoud en kon nie juis sê of dit tee was of koffie nie,
want dit het nie na een van die twee gesmaak nie, en die koekie was nie eers genoeg vir my
kiestand nie.
En praat van vlieë, die goed dra ‘n mens amper weg. Die jong Egiptenare is nog lastiger as
die vlieë, hulle val om ‘n mens rond vir “baksheesh”. Skop en klap help niks, hulle bly hang
maar hier om jou rond. Ons is toe op lorries gelaai en op pad na Kaïro. Die aand ses uur
kom ons toe eers in Kaïro aan waar ons toe moes oornag na ‘n skraal ete want daar was
maar baie swak voorbereidings gemaak soos gewoonlik.
Vroeg die volgende oggend is ons toe weer op pad, en het toe darem die Piramides so op ‘n
distansie gesien voordat ons vertrek het. Vroeg die volgende oggend is ons toe weer verder
na ons kamp wat ‘n paar myl van Alexandrië geleë was. Die dag nadat ons daar aangekom
het moes ons ook sommer begin deur regtig kennis te maak met die pik en graaf deur ons
tente in te grawe en loopgrawe langs aan die tente te grawe. Dit het ook nie lank geduur nie
of ons hande was vol blase, maar dit kon nou nie hoër of laer nie ons moes die tente klaar
kry.
32
Die kos was ook maar taamlik skraal vir ons Suid Afrikaners wat ‘n groot eetlus het want
ons moes van Engelse rantsoene oorleef totdat alles in order gesit is. Praat van vlieë, ek het
nooit geweet die goed kan so ‘n pestilensie wees nie, is seker die dooilikste vlieë wat ek nog
gesien het. ‘n Mens moet die goed van jou gesig afvee want waai help niks.
Nadat ons so ‘n paar dae daar was word ons een nag wakker met die geluid van die alarm.
Die een kêrel skrik so groot dat hy sommer bo oor ons spring en byna ‘n half dosyn uit aksie
trap. Ons is ook toe uit om die vuurwerk te aanskou, en na ‘n ruk het die besigheid vervelig
geword en dit was koud en toe het ons maar weer gaan inkruip.
Party kêrels het met die alarm so ver gehardloop met die gevolg dat hulle eers die volgende
oggend met sonop daar aankom uit alle rigtings. Die volgende lugaanval alarm was ons
darem baie makker en baie min het opgestaan want die lugaanval was in Alexandrië.”
SAP Depot
33
‘n Artikel in die Diamond Fields Advertiser (Kimberley Koerant) van 1944 oor die
ontsnapping van OJ Fourie uit die Italiaanse Gevangenekamp
34
Troep 91: O.J. Fourie 2de Ry, 2de van Regs - By sy aankoms as een van die “boys at a Great
Character Developing Institution” vir Polisieopleiding in 1935
O.J. Fourie, Voor 4de van Regs
Staff & Recruits Pretoria Show, August 1935. O.J. Fourie, voor 2de van links.
Vyfde van links in die voorste ry: hoofkonstabel Claude Balfour Sterley, 7de mnr Roothman
– ek sal nie verbaas wees indien Robey Leibbrandt en/of sy broer ook op die foto is nie -
HBH
35
Nota op foto spreek van self. Ek stuur dit aan jou as ‘n interessante foto van ‘n berede
polisieman se begrafnis wat tussen my Pa se foto’s was. Ek weet ongelukkig niks van die
sers WJ Rheeder1 nie en moontlik kan jy of een van jou lesers meer lig op die saak werp.
Let op die seremoniële drag van die offisiere – swart tunieks, wit helms – sabels maar geen
Sam Browne. Party offisiere het ook wit vere op die helm gedra. Ek kan nie die plek uitmaak
nie. Miskien in Pretoria voor ou Sentraal? - HBH
5.3 O.J. Fourie - Die Nongqai 1944-04-485 – Hennie Heymans
1 Hy het beslis nie aandiens gesterf nie.
36
Beste Ockert, Ek was besig om navorsing
te doen vir Jonathan Pittaway se boek ivm
die SAP Brigade. Met die deurlees van
verskeie oorlogtydse Nongqai’s het ek op
Matatiele se nuus afgekom. My Moeder is
‘n Malan van Cedarville en sy het haar
matriek te Matatiele gedoen. Sy het my
baie vertel van mense daar – hulle “held”
was speurder-konstabel Bill Joyner en sy
het my baie van Kapt CJ Chaplin vertel –
hy was glo familie van Charlie Chaplin.
Toevallig het ek ‘n foto van Kapt Chaplin
en ander mense van Matatiele. Nie te min
ek het die brokkie oor u Vader raakgelees.
So laat elke mens ‘n papier spoor na om te
volg. Groete - HBH.
[‘n Vriend vra my om te help met
navorsing oor sy Oupa. Hy kry niks vir
drie jaar nie – Oupa het nie eens sy Ouma
se begrafnis bygewoon nie! Afleiding: Ek
vra die jaartal en hy sê c1905. Ek sê
moontlik was hy in die tronk! Dis na die
Anglo-Boereoorlog en mense gaan tronk
toe want hulle is arm – dis of diamante of
dranksmokkel. Hy is baie verontwaardig
– “hulle is ‘n goeie familie!’ Hy kom nou
die ewe druipstert hier aan. Sy niggie se
man se Pa was ‘n polisieman.
“XXX het ek jou ooit vertel hoe my Pa jou
Oupa gevang het?”
Die hele storie het oor diamante smokkel
gegaan. Oupa is gevang en polisieman het
net trapfiets gehad. Hulle moes mekaar
“lift” tot by Villiers se polisiestasie. Die
polisieman het die nag saam met Oupa in
die sel geslaap en volgende oggend weer
op sy fiets terug na sy eie stasie.] So Oupa
was, in die geheim, vir drie jaar in die
tronk!]
37
6. PERSONALITIES & BIOGRAFICAL DICTIONARY/
PERSOONLIKHEDE / BIOGRAFIESE WOORDEBOEK
6.1 S/a/o JHGCL du Toit
Uittreksel uit ‘n berig in SARP Nov. 1964 en aanvullende inligting:
“Ons neem voorwaar swaar afskeid van ‘n legendariese figuur, t.w. s/a.-o. J.H.G.C.L. du
Toit, tevore van die verdenkpersoneel en tans van die Veiligheidspolisie, Afdeling Noord-
Transvaal, wat aan die einde van November 1964 die tuig neerlê. (Tussen hakkies – ons is
maar bly hy gaan, want hy het tog so baie voorletters!)
Hierdie gewilde lid van die Mag het op 2/1/1931 by die Mag aangesluit. Na sy opleiding in
die toendertydse depot is hy na Kroonstad, toe na Bloemfontein vanwaar hy na die
speurdiens oorgeplaas is. Terwyl hy in Bloemfontein diens gedoen het, het hy die Polisie se
Weltergewig kampioenskap in boks verower. Hy het toe vir ‘n paar jaar op Kroonstad
misdaad bekamp en gedurende die tydperk 2/9/1940 tot 24/8/1942 was hy met aktiewe
diens, waar hy ‘n eervolle ontslag ontvang het.
Na ‘n rukkie op Kroonstad (±1945) is hy na Zastron en vandaar (1949) na Harrismith.
Gedurende 1957 is hy na Pretoria en aan die begin van 1958 word hy seksiehoof van die
speurdiens by Brooklyn waar hy vir byna twee jaar aan die spits gestaan het. Hy het
Brooklyn se stof afgeskud en is toe na Pretoria-Sentraal waar hy op verskillende seksies sy
beste gelewer het. So ‘n paar maande gelede is hy na die Veiligheidstak, Afdeling Noord-
Transvaal.”
Gedurende 1959 onder leiding van kapt. Fred van Niekerk het hy sake ondersoek teen sers.
N.J.J. Arlow en sers. J.L. Hattingh, was gemoeid met die Pangasaak en die van Eeden-
moordsaak.
In Junie 1960 en gedurende die ongesteldheid van maj. Richter, toe kapt. Van Niekerk in
bevel was van die veligheidsmaatreëls met dr. Verwoerd se verblyf in die Pretoriase
Algemene Hospitaal na die poging om hom te vermoor, het mnr. du Toit gereeld daar diens
gedoen.
In 1961 was hy deel van Maj. Fred van Niekerk se span wat ‘n groot Volkskas bankroofsaak
binne 36 uur opgelos het! In 1962 het hy die ondersoek gelei teen Johannes Buchling wat sy
tante en haar twee kinders wreed vermoor het.
“S./a.-o. Du Toit is ‘n beminlike figuur en ‘n man van min woorde. Hy is baie gewild onder
sy makkers en hy sal baie gemis word. Hy is ‘n veteraan op die gebied van atletiek en het
gereeld sy gewig ingegooi om die jongere hande aan te moedig en aan die sportsoort deel te
neem. Selfs gedurende die huidige jaar het hy ‘n span atlete na Bethlehem as assistant-
bestuurder vergesel, ‘n taak wat hy met sukses uitgevoer het.
38
Gedurende 1946 is hy na 2/s/sers., 1950 na 1/s/sers., en op 1/1/1958 na s/a.-o. bevorder. Hy is
met mej. Dina Crous gedurende 1936 in die huwelik bevestig en hulle het twee kinders,
André en Julia.
Mnr. Du Toit is ‘n betrekking by die Raad op Atoomkrag aangebied. Hy bly op Pretoria
waar ons hopelik van tyd tot tyd sy gesig sal sien.
Benewens sy diens as Polisieman het hy reeds vir die tydperk 1927 tot 1930 by die Weermag
diens gedoen en ‘n “Voorbeeldige” ontslagsertifikaat is aan hom uitgereik. Ons merk die
volgende interessante opmerking op sy ontslagsertifikaat wat 31/12/1930 gedateer is:
“Qualification for Employment in Civil Life: Should make a good telephonist.” (Hieraan
twyfel ons glad nie, hy kan sy ou sakie altyd op ‘n deeglike en bekwame wyse oor die
telefoon stel.)
Hy is ook die houer van die medaljes:
• Afrika Ster,
• Afrika Diens Oorlog medalje 1939 – 1945,
• Polisie Trouediens,
• Polisie Ster en
• Polisie Getroue Diens Medalje.”
Naskrif: Na net ‘n paar jaar by die Raad op Atoomkrag, kon hy nie langer wegbly van die
Mag nie en het weer aangesluit en totdat kanker hom neergetrek het, by Sunnyside en
Brooklyn Polisiestasies as speurder gewerk. Hy is op 8 Maart 1974 op die ouderdom van 65
oorlede na ‘n baie lang siekbed.
André het die volgende foto’s van sy Vader gestuur:
39
40
Die foto is in die hof geneem.
Vlnr: ???, brig Fred van Niekerk, s/a/o Du Toit en ???.
41
6.2 Verskeie lede van die Veiligheidstak, Kompol x302 – Tubby Myburg
Johnnie Theron, Alf Heuer, Pepe van der Westhuisen en ?? – Foto Tubby Myburgh
Drukker Jacques Hamman en Koos Benade. Heel regs mev Koos Moolman.
42
Links kol “Tas” Coetzee en staande genl CF
Zietsman.
Daar’s water! Links Louis Koekemoer en regs Tubby Myburg. Lyk soos “Daisy”.
6.3 Gesoek – biografiese besonderhede oor alle generaals van die SA Polisie
Die eerste generaals is na die tweede wêreldoorlog aangestel. Genl-maj IP de Villiers en
genl-maj Bobby Palmer was ons eerste twee generaals. Indien u weet van ‘n generaal van
43
oudsher af, verstrek asb die besonderhede. Ons beoog om ‘n biografie van al ons generaals
in die polisie op te stel.
6.4 Frank Belcher – SAAF (Ret)
Fred Belcher served during WW2 in 8 Wing, 2nd Squadron, SAAF – and still proud of the
SAAF!!!
7. WE REMEMBER / ONS ONTHOU
7.1 KOD Germiston – Koot van Schalkwyk
Hennie,
44
Aangeheg is 'n ou foto van die Germiston en Germiston distrik speurtak geneem in 1959. Ek
was daardie jaar verplaas vanaf Durban na Germiston en was nog in die uniformtak. Ek het
die voorreg gehad om al die speurders op die foto te ken. Daar is 34 lede op die foto
waarvan 29 alreeds oorlede is. In die agterste ry 10de van links staan “Jumbo” v.d. Wall toe
nog proef-speurder-konstabel. Hy het later rugby vir Pretoria Polisie gespeel en vir die
gekombineerde magte. Hy was ook die afrigter van die Pretoria Polisiespan vir jare. Hy het
tot die rang van brigadier gevorder en is ook intussen oorlede. Vier van die oorlewendes
woon in Germiston-distrik waarvan die oudste lid al 83 jaar oud is.
Ek het ook die voorreg gehad om saam met hulle te werk toe ek oorgeplaas was na die
Speurtak. Sandy Evans Hayes wat tans in Engeland woon se skoonpa sp/konst J.J. Van Eden
staan 3de van links in die agterste ry. Ek het laas week vir Sandy 'n afskrif van die foto
gestuur hy het dit baie waardeer. Die name van die lede verskyn onder aan die
foto.
Groete Koot Van Schalkwyk.
45
7.2 SAP Cleveland – Koot van Schalkwyk
46
1928 - Die speurder links voor is een van oorlogtydse “Special Branch” manne – hy het later
die KPM verwerf. Hy het adv John Vorster aanghou – later maj Diedericks.
47
Cleveland 1979 Staande van links na regs: s/sers. Nico Baard (afgetree as kapt.) S/konst At
Van Tonder (afgetree as a/off.) S/sers. George Barnes af as majoor ontslag geneem. S/sers.
Tim Gildenhuys (Afgetree as a/off.) S/a/off. Koot Van Schalkwyk. (afgetree as a/off. te John
Vorsterplein.) Groete Koot Van Schalkwyk.
Papierwerk ivm Cleveland – No job is finished until the paperwork is done!
48
49
50
7.3 SAP Woodstock en Willie Hofmeyr – Fanie Bouwer
Woodstock polisiewyk (wat insluit Woodstock, Soutrivier en Observatory) daar reg langs
Kaapstad is maar ‘n taamlike gemengde gebied - ’n kosmopolitiese deurmekaarspul.
Die ANC se eerste Kaapse hoofkantoor was ook ná dié organisasie se ontbanning daar. Die
Portugese was ook lief vir die area. Daar is ‘n gemeenskap wat bekend staan as “Little
Madeira”.
Op dié stasie het ek eienaardige dinge beleef en snaakse ervarings gehad – ook met bekende
politieke aktiviste van daardie tyd.
Ek wil hier oor twee van hulle skryf:
Dit was juis toe ek as stasiebevelvoerder gedien het dat sekere politieke aktiviste wat in
1988/89 deur die Veiligheidspolisie aangehou was, na die Groote Schuur hospitaal – wat ook
in Woodstock se stasiewyk geleë is – vir behandeling moes geneem word sou dit nodig
wees.
My polisiestasie moes die hospitaalwagte voorsien. Die polisiemanne het hierdie taak
gehaat.
Een so ‘n persoon wat daar opgeneem is nadat hy op ‘n eetstaking gegaan het tydens sy
aanhouding, was Willie Hofmeyer – tans hoof van die Batebeslagleggings-Eenheid.
Terwyl hy daar in sy hospitaalbed gelê het, het daar opdragte van Hoofkantoor gekom dat
diesulkes aan die hospitaalbed vasgeboei moes word. Hierdie opdrag was, terloops,
uitgereik kort na die ontsnapping van ‘n paar ander bekende aktiviste elders in die land.
Ek was toevallig by die Groote Schuur hospitaal met ‘n gewone amptelike besoek aan die
hospitaalwagte soos dit die gebruik was om te doen. Ek het toe vir die hospitaalwag daar
boeie laat voorsien en was ek teenwoordig toe dit om Hofmeyer se enkel geplaas was.
Die polisieman wat dit gedoen het, het hom om verskoning gevra daaroor, maar Hofmeyer
was alreeds in ‘n taamlike swak liggaamlike toestand en glo ek nie dat hy dit eers gehoor het
nie.
Ek onthou baie goed dat die dokter wat daar teenwoordig was, glad nie met die toedrag van
sake beïndruk was nie. Hy was duidelik ‘n Hofmeyer simpatiseerder gewees. Die koerante
was vol daarvan.
• Baie mense vergeet ons was ook maar gewone mense met gevoelens! Ons het ook ’n
innerlike stryd tussen plig en gewete gehad! Ons het ook kerk toe gegaan en ook
gebraai, gedrink en rugby gekyk soos gewone mense. Ons was ook beskaafde mense
met goeie Christelike opvoeding en waardes – maar oorlog is oorlog! ... En
hoofkantoor is nooit verkeerd nie! HBH
51
7.4 My Sakboek – Anoniem
52
Sers Heymans
“Sers AF Heymans van SAP Somtsue-weg het my sakboek volgens voorskrifte geinspekteer
en bekrap, ek was so vies ek het maar “onwettig” ’n nuwe sakboek begin. Maar op daardie
tydstip was daar bevel en beheer.” – Kol Anoniem
Baie dankie Kolonel! Ja dit was ander dae daardie. Ek word platgetrek met “pampoentjies”
toe skryf sers Chris Keulder in my sakboek: “This detail is off sick!” Was baie goed genoem
in die polisie, maar dis eerste keer dat ek ’n detail genoem is! Dankie vir die sakboek, dis
darem iets van my Vader! - HBH
53
7.5 SAP Camels 1933 - Lt-Col William Marshall
54
Names to index: Sgt Clem Mould, Sgt A Lane and Const R Knoesen.
55
8. VESTED INTERESTS OF VETERANS /AANGELEENTHERDE
WAT ONS DIREK RAAK
8.1 Polmed
Lt-kol Sakkie Kotze se saak teen die polisie is aan die gang.
8.2 Sale of Books in Aid of the Trust
Ek het boeke beskikbaar.
8.3. Medaljes
Afgehandel.
8.4 Injuries on duty / Beserings aandiens
Geen verdere inligting ontvang nie – die manne (en vroue) sukkel nog steeds!
9. NATIONAL SECURITY HISTORY / NASIONALE
VEILIGHEIDSGESKIEDENIS
9.1 Uittreksels uit die dagboek van Luitenant Igor Anatolevich Zhdarkin2:
‘n Russiese Adviseur vir FAPLA in Angola - Vrylik vertaal deur Johan Jacobs
25 Oktober, 1987
• 07h40 tot 10h20 - op hierdie pragtige more het ons die vorige dag se mars voortgesit.
Dit het gepaard gegaan met hewige en aanhoudende bombardement vanaf die Suid
Afrikaners met 81mm mortiere. Verskeie kere moes ons stop aangesien groepe van
die vyand ons kolom aangeval en hewige gevegte uitgebreek het.
• 15h00 - het ons met ‘n subdivisie van die Eerste Taktiese Groep kontak gemaak. Het
hulle met brandstof en olie voorsien. So ‘n paar kilometers weg het ons 59 Brigade
opgespoor.
• 17h00- die Brigade is deur vegvliegtuie van die vyand gebombardeer. Die Suid
Afrikaners het ‘n nuwe taktiese plan uitgewerk. Eerstens het hulle ‘n artillerie
bombardement geloods en al die Angolese het vir skuiling gehardloop, insluitend
die lugafweer bemanning. En dan het hulle vliegtuie onverwags verskyn en die
stellings gebombardeer en vinnig weer verdwyn voordat die lugafweer bemanning
uit die skuiling kon kom.
• 18h00 - ons het net begin aandete geniet toe ons die rammelende klank van die
Kentron (SA vervaardigde Valkiri multi-vuurpyllanseerder) vuurpyle hoor. Dit is ‘n
Suid-Afrikaanse anti-personeel vuurpyl stelsel met ‘n reik afstand van 17 kilometers
en sy projektiele is gevul met klein balletjies wat ‘n verwoestende krag het. Ons het
reeds die norm van hulle bombardement uitgewerk: in ‘n fraksie van ‘n sekonde
was niemand meer aan tafel nie. Die Suid Afrikaners het net ‘n kort rukkie met die
2 Later Luitenant-Kolonel
56
‘Kentrons’ geskiet en toe oorgeskakel na 120mm mortiere en later stil geraak - die
misbaksels!
Valkiri G5 – Kanon
26 Oktober, 1987
• 07h30 - vanoggend vroeg het ons, ons Taktiese Groep verlaat en vorentoe beweeg.
Die Suid Afrikaners was weereens laat met hulle bombardering en het eers begin
vuur op ons posisies nadat ons dit verlaat het. Na twee dae van bombardering het
ons Brigade vier manskappe verloor en twee en twintig is gewond. Vandag teen die
aand sal ons uiteindelik ons bestemming bereik.
• 18h00 - ons het kamp opgeslaan en onsself in die grond ingegrawe. Wie weet hoe
lank sal ons hier vertoef?
27 Oktober, 1987
• 17h00 - verlede nag en die hele dag vandag was ons onder ‘n mantel van
aanhoudende kanon vuur. Die Suid Afrikaners het die 59ste Brigade, die kruising
oor die Shambinga rivier en die Taktiese Groep gebombardeer. Tot nou het hulle ons
nie lastig geval nie, miskien omdat hulle nie geweet het waar ons is nie.
• 18h00 - die middag het die Angolese ‘n boerbok gevang en as geskenk vir ons ‘n
boud gebring. Ons kok het dit vir aandete saam met aartappels gekook. Dit was so
smaaklik ons het die pot uitgelek.
• 19h30 - ek het begin om liedjies te komponeer oor hoe ons in Angola lewe. Ons
Russiese manne het geluister en met almal se goedkeuring ook liedjies begin
komponeer en natuurlik, met respek oor ons styl van liedere...kan ons dit nie met ons
eie kultuur en soetvloeiende taal sing nie, die liedere is vol swak taal, spesiaal as ons
aan die Suid Afrikaners en aan UNITA dink. Hulle het op ons senuwees gewerk met
hulle bombardering en het ons nie eers rus gelaat om te eet nie.
57
29 Oktober, 1987
• 04h00 - dit word lig op die horison, die vyand bestook die 59ste Brigade naby ons
kampplek met artillerievuur. Vanoggend na die aanval, vind ons as gevolg daarvan
dat een offisier, een sersant en vier soldate gedood is. Heelwat soldate is ook gewond
en een offisier en een soldaat is vermis. Wonder waar kan hulle wees?
• 06h00 - terwyl ons ontbyt geniet, was daar ‘n skielike skoot vanaf die vyand se
rigting, soos gewoonlik nie vêr weg nie, om ons ‘n "goeie môre" en ‘n "goeie ontbyt”
toe te wens. Deur gewoonte het ek my ore gespits om waar te neem waar die
projektiel vanaf kom. Skielik skreeu ons Lugverdediging-spesialis, Slava: "val plat"!
‘n Geweldige ontploffing volg naby ons, ek het van my stoel afgeval en die grond
getref. Ek het dadelik ‘n skerp pyn in my linker skouer gevoel, dit was gelukkig net
geskaaf. Ek het dadelik opgespring en vinnig skuiling onder ons gepanserde
troepewa gaan soek. Almal het in verskeie rigtings gehardloop om skuiling te soek.
Die vyand het ons met 120mm mortiere bestook en een projektiel het 20 meters van
ons ontplof. Dit is al laat in die middag en my skouer pyn nou nog en ek kan dít
skaars lig.
• 14h00 - na die oggend se bedrywighede ontvang ek ontstellende nuus, om 13h10 het
die vyand weer die 59ste Brigade gebombardeer met chemiese wapens gevul met
giftige gas. As gevolg hiervan was verskeie soldate vergiftig, vier soldate het hulle
bewussyn verloor en die Brigade bevelvoerder het bloed gehoes. Van die Sowjet
raadgewers was ook besmet. Die wind het na ons rigting gewaai en almal het gekla
van kopseer en naarheid. Hierdie nuus het ons geweldig gepla, want sien, ons het
geen gasmaskers gehad nie.
58
• 16h00 - geen verdere gebeure het tot dusvêr die dag gevul nie. En so eindig vandag
se gebeure.
3 November, 1987
• 05h00 - die dag het begin met twee lugaanvalle vanaf die Suid-Afrikaners, daar was
sewe vliegtuie wat ons laat skarrel het vir skuiling.
• 13h20 - ons brigade se 1ste bataljon het ‘n UNITA basis ontdek. As gevolg van die
skermutseling is 7 UNITA soldate gedood. Een radiostasie, 13 outomatiese aanvals
gewere en een anti-tenk vuurpyl is gekonfiskeer. Van ons kant is daar geen verliese
gely nie.
• 17h00 - my skouer gee my nog las. Ek eindig die dag met ‘n glimlag.
4 November, 1987
• 07h00 - verlede nag om 21h00, het die vyand ons Brigade se derde bataljon onder
hewige bombardering geplaas vanaf hulle ‘Kentrons’ en 106mm kanonne. Die
nagevolge daarvan was: ons Bataljon bevelvoerder en hoof van staf is swaar
gewond, die hoof logistieke offisier en hoof van die spesiale seksie was gedood asook
twee ander soldate en sewe gewondes. Later het ek radiokontak gehad met van ons
adviseurs in Cuito-Cuanavale. Hulle het my ingelig dat hulle ook gebombardeer is
maar dat alles wel was. Op 2 November, by die UNITA basis, het ons troepe
afskrifte van die ‘Quacha’ die offisiële tydskrif van UNITA bekom. In die tydskrif
was daar ‘n foto van die voormalige hoof van staf van 16de Brigade, kaptein Luis
Antonio Mango wat in April van hierdie jaar oor geloop het na UNITA. Ons span
leier, Anatoly Mikhailovich, het hom goed geken en het verlede jaar nog saam met
hom gewerk toe hy nog een van ons was. Van alle dinge was hierdie baie erg!
• 14h00-16h00 - die vyand het ‘n intensiewe bombardering geloods vanaf twee
‘Kentrons’ en 6-7 sarsies was gevuur teen die verdedigende areas van ons brigade
asook die 59ste Brigade. Teen 14h00 het die 1ste Infantrie Bataljon ook van ons
Brigade UNITA, suid van Lemba, aangeval. Die uitslag was: ons het beslag geneem
van 6 granate, 1 ligfakkel, 1 anti-tenk missiel en 1 operasionele kaart .
• 17h00 - die eerste Taktiese Groep bereik ons brigade. Hulle ontvang 200 liters diesel
brandstof en bensien van ons en voer die gewondes weg.
©01/10/2011JohanJacobs
Erkenning:
• War in Angola-www.warinangola.com
• Foto’s JohanJ versameling
• Redigering- Jeanette Jacobs
9.2 The Nazi Party South Africa - HBH
This is not a political discussion; it is fact however that the South African Police took note of
the activities of the Nazi Party in South Africa and in Southwest Africa. One of the reasons
why the South African Police “invaded” Southwest Africa during 1939, before the Second
59
World War was declared, was because of their subversive activities. A few friends are
interested in the local activities of the Nazi Party.
What happened to the Southern Africa Nazi’s? To answer that question would be to enter
into the realm of politics. However some members did end up in the National Party. Here
are some SA Nazi photographs and emblems:
9.3 Die ‘klein generaaltjie’ raak vies
http://www.beeld.com/By/Nuus/Die-klein-generaaltjie-raak-die-mr-in-20111014
2011-10-14 21:59
Ek ken die diplomaat-generaal Jannie Geldenhuys reeds sedert 1977. As joernalis het ek met
hom te make gehad in sy jare as bevelvoerende generaal in Suidwes wat – deur sy groot
aandeel daaraan – meer as ’n dekade later Namibië geword het. Saam met hom gereis na en
oor “Die Grens”; hom gevolg na waar die onderhandelings om ’n einde te bring aan die
oorlog in Angola plaasgevind het – Havana, Genève, Kaïro, Brazzaville, New York...
Nooit het ek die man wat al as “die soldaat se soldaat” beskryf is, hoor vloek of ’n kras
woord gebruik nie. Om verlede week oor middagete te hoor hy is “die moer in” is nogal ’n
60
oomblik. Hy sien die vraagteken op my voorkop en verander dit na “teleurgesteld”.
Jannie Geldenhuys is keelvol vir die stortvloed van boeke, koerantartikels en ander
belydenisgeskrifte deur skrywers wat ’n post-facto Damaskus-oomblik beleef oor die
“sinloosheid” van die Bosoorlog van die jare sewentig en tagtig. Hy het dit teen die
“stigmatisering van ons weermag en die ondergrawing van sy moreel” en die “blatante
geknoeiery met die geskiedenis”.
Daarom hou Geldenhuys nie van die woord “Bosoorlog” nie. Dis hoogstens die
“grensoorlog”, maar – in sy gemoed en meer akkuraat – die “Koue Oorlog” waarvan die
“warm gedeelte hom in die suidwestelike deel van Afrika” afgespeel het.
Die middaguur-ontmoeting gaan juis oor sy en 62 ander skrywers se repliek in ’n boek van
92 hoofstukke teen die koor van kritiek en post-facto veroordeling van veral die oorlog in
Angola. Ons Was Daar is die titel van Geldenhuys se nuwe boek waarvan hy medeskrywer
en samesteller is. Dié boek verskyn teen die einde van die maand.
Die doel is om deur ’n chronologie van konteks en persoonlike vertellings Suid-Afrika se
oorlog in Angola en Namibië te vestig binne die Koue Oorlog tussen die Weste en die
Sowjetunie.
Dis ’n oorlog wat – nié toevallig nie – byna gelyktydig eindig in die epogmakende jaar van
1989 in Berlyn, met die val van die Muur, Tiananmen-plein in Beijing, die onttrekking van
die Russe aan Afganistan en die gevolglike begin van die einde van die Sowjetunie.
Daar is by Geldenhuys geen twyfel nie dat Suid-Afrika, as die Weste se proksie, Kuba in
Angola verslaan en daarmee ’n deurslaggewende rol gespeel het om Sowjet-ekspansionisme
in Afrika noord van die Kunene te stuit voordat hy dit moes doen by die Oranje.
Oor deesdae se stortvloed van wroegpublikasies oor “Die Oorlog” is Geldenhuys hoogs
geïrriteerd. “Dit het my afgesit dat daar so baie verkeerde weergawes is van die Oorlog. Baie
is negatief oor ons soldate en die weermag van daardie tyd.
“Die oorgrote meerderheid van dié boeke en artikels is feitelik verkeerd, en met opset
verkeerd.”Hy sê baie van die wroegings en “openbarings” hou verband met baie kort
belewenisse deur skrywers en politiek-korrekte kommentators, “sonder aanloop en
agtergrond van die oorlog in Angola en daarom buite konteks”.
“Baie van dié retrospeksie het te make met ’n tendens om die weermag se rol te veroordeel
om sodoende (eerste minister) John Vorster en (president) P.W. Botha by te kom.”
Hy het dit ook teen kritici wat hom en die weermag bespotlik maak met hul aanklagte van
’n beheptheid met die sogenaamde Rooi Gevaar. “Hoe kon jy, Geldenhuys, wat van beter
behoort te weet, jou daarmee ophou?” moes hy al tydig en ontydig aanhoor.
Geldenhuys, die skrywer van verskeie boeke oor sy diensjare, sê hy het ’n verpligting om
nou die storie van die gewone soldaat – offisier, onderoffisier én troep – se rol in die Oorlog
61
te vertel. En hy laat hulle self praat. Hy het nie “hang-ups” daaroor nie, net ’n “innige
teleurstelling” in die wyse waarop die oorlog en hul rol daarin in die modegier van
terugskouing gekleineer word.
“Die troepe kry nie die nodige erkenning wat hulle verdien nie, en dit maak my die moer
in.” In die vooraf-eksemplaar van Ons Was Daar, vertel hy en sy soldate húl Oorlog-storie
sonder brieke.
“Jy moet onthou,” sê die generaal, “soos in rugby het die heelagter en haker nie dieselfde
ervaring van ’n wedstryd nie.” Dieselfde geld politici, bevelvoerders en troepe in oorlog.
Die boek is geskryf deur soldate, nie spookskrywers nie. Die uitgewers het al hul dae gehad
om die taal (en soms ook die feite) te probeer “op-polish”. “Ek het dit nie toegelaat nie, dis
óns boek dié,” sê Geldenhuys, sigbaar geïrriteerd. En skryf, skrýf hulle. Een voorbeeld wat
Geldenhuys self uitwys, is die bydrae van Jock Harris, eens ’n bevelvoerder van die SAW se
grondmagte in Angola. Harris vertel met ’n sweem van bitterheid van ’n ministeriële besoek
aan sy hoofkwartier. “Ná die totstandkoming van 20 SA Brigade het ’n aantal politici by ons
kom besoek aflê. Die gebruik was om ná donker in te vlieg en weer die volgende nag te
vertrek.
“Deon Ferreira was van plan om in vroeg-September drie van sy veg- groepe teen 47
Brigade te ontplooi. Genl. Geldenhuys, wat voor die tyd aangekom het, was reeds in ons HK
met die taak om vir genl. Magnus Malan, min. Pik Botha en ander hoog-geplaastes oor die
komende operasies voor te lig. Na donker het die geselskap per helikopter by ons HK
aangekom. Die paadjie van die landingsplek deur die bos af na ons HK was met
verligtingstokkies gemerk om te verseker dat hulle veilig by die regte plek vir die
voorligting sou uitkom. Party van die geselskap het duidelik ’n paar doppe gesteek voor
hulle vertrek uit Rundu. Min. Botha, so dronk soos ’n spook, het dit moeilik gevind om op
die gemerkte paadjie te bly en het soos ’n troep geswets. Wat daarna tydens die voorligting
gevolg het, was ’n groot verleentheid met min. Botha se gereelde tussenwerpsels en
opmerkings en vrae of ‘die klein generaaltjie’ van sy feite seker was. Ek en Deon het met
ongeloof na mekaar gekyk. Genl. Geldenhuys het die man geïgnoreer en rustig met sy
voorligting voortgegaan.”
Die “klein generaaltjie” het ook nie veel ooghare vir min. Botha se manewales nie.
“Pik Botha het gesoek daarna,” sê Geldenhuys met verwysing na Harris se ontnugterde
ervaring van ’n regeringslid wat na sy oordeel nie die soldate se rol en opofferings op
slagvelde in Angola na behore waardeer het nie. Vir Geldenhuys bly Botha “onmoontlik” en
’n “grootkokkedoor” wat weermagsuksesse vir sy politieke opportunisme uitgebuit het.
Soos dit ’n professionele soldaat betaam, laat hy die politiek en politici aan mekaar en aan
die openbare mening oor.
Geldenhuys se uitgesproke liefde en waardering vir sy soldate en respek vir die vyand is die
goue draad in ons restaurantgesprek én deur die boek. Hulle verdien nie die “blatante
geknoei met die geskiedenis” nie. Hy gebruik “vyand” en “opponente” (die Russe en die
62
Kubane in Angola) as wissel- vorme, en met die respek van een soldaat vir ’n ander, sê hy:
“Hulle was in dieselfde oorlog as ons. As ek hulle nie gerespekteer het nie, het ek hulle nie
met die nodige respek behandel nie. As ons emosioneel oor hulle moes wees, sou dit ons
gesonde denke en ons goeie oordeel aangetas het.”
Dit het nie gebeur nie. “Ons het sonder haat teen die Sowjet-soldate geveg.”
Daar was ’n wedersydse agting tussen professionele, vegtende soldate in ’n oorlog wat deur
politici begin en oor dekades gehandhaaf is.
Geldenhuys onthou en skryf hoe genl. Arnaldo Ochoa Sanchez, “daardie held van die
Republiek van Kuba” vir hom ’n karton vol droë rantsoene gestuur het. Sanchez is kort
daarna in opdrag van pres. Fidel Castro deur ’n vuurpeloton gefusilleer.
Oor sy eie rol, sê Geldenhuys, en wyk ietwat af van sy kenmerkende self-gereserveerdheid:
“Ek wil glo ek het goed gedoen. Ek weet nie of iemand anders daardie rol (diplomaat-
soldaat) sou kon speel nie. Ek het my job gedoen.”
Van Angola sê hy “dit was nie hulle oorlog nie – dit was net hulle land”.
In 2011 glo Jannie Geldenhuys – nee, hy weet – dat as Suid- Afrika die oorlog in Angola
verloor het, sou dié land vandag ’n ander plek gewees het.
Wat hom betref, het sy weermag, die skutters, die kolonels en die generaals die Sowjet/
Kubaanse magte verslaan.
Hulle het Afrika met leë hande verlaat, “wat van oorbly is hul oorlogskroot in Angola,” sê
Geldenhuys.
Daarteenoor, sê hy, deel Suid-Afrikaners en Namibiërs vandag “self-ontwerpte,
onafhanklike, nie-kommunistiese, nie-Sowjetiese en nie-Kubaanse model-demokrasieë”.
In sy groetwoord, sluit hy af: “Ek salueer almal aan ons kant – gesneuwel, gewond en nog
lewend – en al hul geliefdes.”
9.4 The ANC and the boers
James Myburgh - 20 September 2011
James Myburgh on what MK's landmine campaign of 1985-1987 says about the concept of
"ibhunu"
In an article published in ANC Today on Friday Ayanda Dlodlo, secretary general of the
Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA), stridently criticised Judge
Collin Lamont's recent judgment in the hate speech case against ANCYL President Julius
Malema. Dlodlo complained that the judgment was aimed at killing the history of MK.
63
She argued that when MK cadres sung "awudubula ibhunu" ("shoot the boer") the "ibhunu"
being referred to were the military enemy, not Afrikaners in general. Dlodlo stated:
"In MK military language and I dare say struggle colloquium, ‘ibhunu' is the ‘enemy'. And
contrary to Judge Lamont's view, a hausfrau who supported apartheid did not necessarily
constitute, the ‘enemy' or ‘ibhunu' and neither did a farmer who was not an extension of the
South African Defence Force (SADF) brigade as a member of the Commandos. By extension
it is not everyone who supported the apartheid system that was the ‘enemy' in a military
sense." (For Dlodlo this definition of the ‘ibhunu' as the specific enemy "was one that was
destroyed when we found liberation. Today ‘ibhunu' is no more. ‘Ibhunu' died when
apartheid died.")
As Dlodlo implicitly acknowledges white farmers who were members of the commando
system were regarded as ‘ibhunu' i.e. as legitimate targets of attack. Indeed, farmers were
openly targeted by MK cadres in the mid-to-late 1980s most notably in the landmine
campaign in the Northern border areas that ran between 1985 and 1987. It is instructive
returning to that period for it casts considerable light on the ANC's conception of the
"enemy."
On November 26 1985 two people were injured in two separate land mine blasts on roads
near Messina in the then Northern Transvaal. A Pretoria News report the same day
proclaimed that this was "the first time that mines have been planted on South African
roads." (Edward Meluba, a passenger in one of the vehicles, died sometime later of his
wounds). Four South African Defence Force (SADF) members, sweeping the area for other
mines, were slightly injured the following day after their troop carrier detonated a mine.
In a Radio Freedom broadcast from Addis Ababa on November 28 1985 the ANC took credit
for these attacks. It said the landmines in Messina were a "sign of the intensification of the
struggle that is seen inside our country by our people." It warned white South Africans that
this and other such activities would soon "become the order of the day" and advised that
"they must also keep it in mind that such activities will not only intensify but will also
spread and engulf the entire country including their residential areas."
The first person to die in these attacks was Jas Balie, 25, a black tractor driver. His vehicle
had struck a landmine on a farm road on November 27 and he died the following day. A
day or two later another black farm worker, Philemon Ngcobo, was killed when his tractor
was blown up on a farm in the area. On 16 December six people were killed when their
bakkie detonated a landmine on a game farm near Messina. Mrs Kobie van Eck, 34, her
children Ignatius,2, and Nellmarie,8, Marie Denyschen, 59, and her grandchildren Kobus, 3,
and Karna, 9, were all killed in the blast.
In a Radio Freedom broadcast on January 6 1986 the ANC effectively accepted responsibility
for these deaths. It described the victims of the blasts as "six white Boer farmers and one
black." It stated that "The ANC HQ in Lusaka has not admitted responsibility for the recent
blasts while it awaits reports from our combatants operating inside the country" but "really
it is not even important whether the ANC HQ does finally admit the action or not because it
is, after all, one of the actions that are part of the on-going and intensifying armed struggle
64
inside South Africa. Whoever carried out the attack or planted the mine is most certainly a
South Africa patriot..."
In early January 1986 Elize de Beer, 32, and her father-in-law Hubert de Beer, 63, died after
their vehicle struck a landmine on a farm close to the Botswana border near Ellisras in the
Northern Transvaal.
In a Radio Freedom broadcast on February 26 1986 Chris Hani, then army political commissar
and deputy commander of MK, made clear that although MK was not targeting white
civilians willy-nilly white farmers were regarded as legitimate targets:
"Umkhonto we Sizwe is a revolutionary army and it is not about to embark on mayhem
against whites, civilians, against children, but we are going to step up our attacks against
enemy personnel we are referring to the members of the police forces, to the members of the
SADF, to those in the administrations terrorising and harassing our people to those farmers
and other civilians who are part of the defence force in our country, of the military,
paramilitary and reserves. But comrades we are realists. The theatre of these actions are
going to be in the white residential areas, and it is inevitable that white civilians will die."
(According to a contemporaneous press report in mid May 1986 two MK cadres were killed
when the landmine they were priming on a farm near Hectorspruit exploded. A farm
worker, Mzanzi Mabone, was also killed in the blast.)
In May 1986 Biza Mahlangu, 25, and Daniel Sindane, 40, were killed after the minibus they
were travelling in hit a landmine on a farm in the then Eastern Transvaal near Davel. On
August 17 1986 three woman and two children were killed after the BMW they were
travelling in struck a landmine on a road near Nelspruit. Ernelena Sebiti, 28, Lindiwe
Mdluli, 20, Katie Sambo, 23, died in the blast as did Joyce Nkowayne and Regina
Nkowayne, both whom were less than one year old.
On October 28 1986 the ANC defended these attacks in a long broadcast on Radio Freedom
(see full transcript here). It stated:
"For some time now, areas around the northern borders of our country have experienced a
spate of landmine explosions in which quite a number of racist farmers have either been
killed or seriously injured...The vanguard liberation movement of our people, the ANC, has
long declared these areas war zones. This is because the farmers in these areas have been
fully integrated in the enemy's so-called security and defence network. White men, women
and youths are part and parcel of the military and paramilitary units of the SADF."
The ANC's justification for the targeting of white farmers extended beyond just their
participation in the structures of the SADF however. It stated that "This white farmer
community is [made up of] exploiters with a slave-owner mentality... they monopolise the
land claiming it as their own... the Boers impose their presence and their rule with cold-
blooded brutality. They do not think twice before beating a farm worker to death. They see
nothing wrong in taking our children on nightmare joyrides or sexually assaulting black
65
women farm workers: And this is all in the name of white civilisation, white power, super
profits and free enterprise."
Apart from promising to escalate MK actions in farming areas the ANC incited black farm
workers - who it said were not targets of its actions - to go after white farmers. "You owe the
Boers nothing. In fact it is they that owe you everything because they have grown fat and
wealthy on your poverty and labour. Sabotage his farming operations. Destroy his crops.
Sabotage his implements and machinery. Daring actions of Umkhonto we Sizwe are not the
only way of confronting the enemy. Sabotage operations are part of the people's war. And
actions of the people are: Do not allow the Boers to arm you against the people. Take the
guns and communication equipment ...and everything you can lay your hands on and turn
them on the exploitative farmers."
On November 2 1986 Lance Corporal Albert Marthinus Le Roux was killed after his horse
detonated a landmine near Barberton. In a landmine attack on March 29 1986 two Motha
brothers, a Mrs Phikhiti and an unnamed black female were killed when their vehicle
detonated a landmine. (Siphiwe Nyanda, Solly Shoke, and Dick Mkhonto were granted
amnesty in 2000 for these latter two attacks.)
In early May 1987 Karel Thou was killed after the truck he was transporting ten others in hit
a landmine near Messina. These operations were finally called off by the ANC in late 1987.
Between November 1985 and May 1987 at least 24 individuals were killed in the ANC's
landmine campaign (excluding the three who died in the Hectorspruit incident). Of these, 15
were black and 9 were white. Of the white South Africans killed three were women, four
were children and two were men. Lance Corporal Le Roux was the only soldier, and only
white male of army going age, killed in these operations.
Despite its overt ANC sympathies the Truth and Reconciliation Commission nonetheless
found that "the ANC's landmine campaigns in the period 1985 -1987 in the rural areas of the
Northern and Eastern Transvaal cannot be condoned, in that it resulted in gross violations of
the human rights of civilians including farm labourers and children, who were killed or
injured, The ANC is held accountable for such gross human rights violations."
As the Radio Freedom transcripts indicate the targets of this campaign were farmers and
their families. The concept of "ibhunu" - as defined by Dlodlo - was an elastic one which
could be extended, if need be, from white male farmers to their wives and children (not to
mention black ‘collaborators'). The October 28 1986 broadcast further suggests that farmers
were not simply being targeted for their involvement in SADF structures but for racial and
ideological reasons as well. Furthermore the ANC persisted with these attacks despite the
consistently high fatality rate among black civilians from the beginning to the end of the
campaign.
In 1957 C.W. de Kiewiet observed that the "Afrikaners with the strongest sense of grievance
developed a special feeling of innocence and rectitude, which blocked their ability to
envisage a society, hospitable to all men, or to discern error in themselves."
66
Something of the same spirit seems to be at work among the ANC, and its supporters, in
their strident defence of their right to go around singing "awudubula ibhunu" wherever they
please and regardless of the consequences.
Such is the ANC's feeling of "innocence and rectitude" that it seems incapable of taking
meaningful responsibility for the crimes it committed during the armed struggle and for its
complete failure, once in power, to protect farmers from the most horrendous criminal
violence.
Ref:
http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page72308?oid=256988&sn=
Marketingweb+detail&pid=90389
9.5 Magnus Malan and Mao
Hermann Giliomee - 01 August 2011
Hermann Giliomee on the late former minister of defence and SADF head
The recent death of General Magnus Malan, the former head of the SADF and later Minister
of Defence, brought to mind two interviews I conducted with him.
The first was in the grim winter of 1986 just after the declaration of a general state of
emergency and with no end in sight of the unrest, which had broken out in September 1984.
I was writing at the time for the somewhat left leaning quarterly, Die Suid-Afrikaan, and had
miraculously secured an interview with the minister.
In certain circles of the University of Cape Town, where I was a lecturer of political studies,
he was regarded as even more of a political demon than President PW Botha. It was
speculated that he was behind the militarization of South Africa and was planning to turn
the regime into a military dictatorship, through the imposition of martial law followed by a
military coup.
My first question in the interview of 1986 was whether the winning of "hearts and minds"
was as important, for the combating of racial unrest, as it was in a war where insurgents had
to be fought. Malan's answer was surprising: "The state must satisfy the expectations of the
masses, who have huge needs. The radicals want to exploit this situation. I have on my desk
Mao Zedong's red book - go read it. This is how the enemies of South Africa are driving
their assault."
67
In that period it was generally accepted that the top rung of the ANC was a coalition of
nationalists and communists, all strongly inspired by the writings of Karl Marx. Cosatu was
also seen as an organisation relying upon Marx rather than Mao. But Malan did not think
that it was, in the first instance, a class struggle that was being fought in South Africa in the
1970s and 1980s. Rather it was a case of a revolutionary elite using poor people, living in
dreadful circumstances, to take to the streets on their behalf against a state authority. In
South East Asia it is still Mao rather than Marx on whom revolutionaries rely upon for
guidance in trying to mobilise the poorest of the poor.
Magnus Malan was a member of the first white military generation that received an
academic training in military studies He went to university during the 1950s when
revolutionary war increasingly displacing the conventional kind. In the thirty years after
receiving his BSc Mil in 1953 at the University of Pretoria, one revolutionary war followed
another: Malaya, Algeria, Vietnam, the Portuguese colonies in Africa, Namibia and
Zimbabwe.
In his interview Malan underlined one point in particular: "You never lose this sort of fight
militarily. You lose it diplomatically, politically, economically and on similar terrain. The
military or security aspect is only a small component." At the same time Malan believed that
the black masses were more concerned with the betterment of their living conditions than in
full democratic rights. He clearly did not believe that a liberal democracy was appropriate
for South Africa.
It is a bit silly, as was done in many articles on his death, to present Magnus Malan as a
sinister figure responsible for the ‘militarisation' of society through the framework of the
total onslaught, total strategy and the State Security Council. In the first place South Africa
was never really militarised and, in any case, military conscription for white males was
introduced in 1967, well before Malan became head of army and of the defence force.
Secondly, in the 1970s South Africa was under increasing diplomatic, economic and political
pressure. Coordination and coherence in decision making was urgently needed, particularly
as the Vorster government managed the country a bit like an outmoded family shop. South
Africa became militarily involved in Angola in 1975 without clear goals being identified or
followed. It could easily have ended in catastrophe. If a properly functioning state security
council had been in place, such a situation would probably have been avoided.
General Malan became head of the army in 1973 and in 1976, at the age of only 46, head of
the defence force. Four years later, in 1980, he became minister of defence in PW Botha's
cabinet. After PW Botha he can be credited with building up of the armed forces into one of
the most formidable in Africa.
On the State Security Council PW Botha and the politicians still had much more say than the
generals. General Jannie Geldenhuys, head of the army in the second half of the 1980s,
estimated that he spoke for a total of twenty minutes during his time on the council. General
Malan and his successors always insisted that the defence force was, as in the British
tradition, required to loyally serve the civilian authorities. There was never in talk within the
officer corps of a possible coup d'état. To emphasise the distinction between the military and
68
the civilian roles Malan, on being appointed Minister of Defence in 1980, refused to be
nominated to Parliament but insisted on fighting a parliamentary seat.
Malan was one of the architects of National Security Management System which reported
the State Security Council. Below the NSMS there Joint Management Centres for twelve
national regions, sub-JMCs for metropolitan centres and mini-JMCs for each town, where
officials and businessmen met under the chairmanship of a military or police officer. The
JMCs provided information on local security issues and acted as an early warning system by
spotting areas of friction and identifying bureaucratic obstacles to improvements in living
conditions in the townships.
Malan wished to launch a large scale housing programme in the most turbulent townships
to win ‘the hearts and minds' of the oppressed people and thwart the efforts of radical to
establish control over them. He and the military officers quickly ran into the turf battles,
particular the Department of Constitutional Development and Planning under whom
housing construction in the townships fell. "South Africa" is one of the most difficult
countries in the world to govern", Malan told Harvard's Samuel Huntington in 1986. It is a
sentiment many ministers today would echo.
Malan never contemplated seizing power. He told me in the 1986 interview:
"A military regime is never a solution, just a deferral of the problem. South Africans were
the very last people who would have accepted a military coup." This principle of a non-
political military, from which Malan did not deviate, was one of the most important reasons
for the peaceful transition to democracy in 1994.
Malan went along when the cabinet in December 1989 decided to lift the ban on the ANC
and some other extra-parliamentary organisation, but he remained deeply sceptical of the
wisdom of negotiating with a that section of the ANC committed to the ANC's National
Democratic Revolution, that had been drafted by members of the South African Communist
Party in the early 1960s.
Malan was a proponent of the cross-border operations aimed at attacking the "terrorists" - as
they were called - before they infiltrated the country. I asked him what he thought of the
view, expressed by the National Intelligence Service that the security forces should have
limited their operations to within South Africa's borders. His answer was: "Such people do
not understand war. If we had allowed the ANC insurgents to cross the border in great
numbers we would have ended up in a full scale and bitter war, which would have had ten
times more fatalities and which would have made a settlement impossible."
As a proportion of the total population South Africa's political deaths were - along with
Northern Ireland and Israel - the lowest of all major ethnic conflicts of the second half of the
Twentieth Century. The reasons are complex but the cross border operations were probably
one contributing factor.
A huge blot on the name of the defence force was the existence of a Civil Cooperation
Bureau whose internal section was guilty of murders on ANC cadres and other gruesome
69
deeds. General Malan's claim that he was unaware of what was going on in the unit is
generally not accepted. It could be said, on reflection, that it would be much better if a
person with a civilian background had been the political head of the defence force in the
1980s. There is a good reason why this is the situation in Western countries.
In my 2008 interview with him I asked him why the hearts and minds strategy did not work
so well in the 1980s. He said: "The big problem was the poverty of so many black people. We
had to build houses for them on a huge scale." But he ran into bureaucratic turf battles and
inertia. He dismissively referred to "ministers who were gods on their own territory" Chris
Heunis would warned him "Keep your paws out of my departments area."
In the interview he was also highly critical of the way in which a political settlement was
reached. "We won militarily but lost politically." FW de Klerk had the personality of a
negotiator but was not actually a negotiator. He was unbelievably bad in his choices of
negotiators. From this point Nelson Mandela had the upper hand over FW de Klerk and De
Klerk simply retreated.
Until the end Malan did not believe South Africa was fit for a majoritarian form of
democracy in which a single party drawing almost all its votes from blacks dominated the
political process. He remained convinced that a system in which the minorities enjoyed a
significant share of the power was the only way in which the country would be governed
well and would prosper.
This an expanded version of an article that first appeared in Rapport
http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page72308?oid=248514&sn=
Marketingweb+detail&pid=74709
9.6 The Sunday Times' hatchet job on Magnus Malan
Maritz Spaarwater - 11 August 2011
Maritz Spaarwater's reply to Chris Barron's obituary of the late SADF head
Chris Barron's hatchet job on Magnus Malan (Review July 24) requires a response. I would
like to point out only a few of his disingenuous misrepresentations.
Dwight Eisenhower, arguably the most illustrious supreme military commander of the 20th
Century, "without ever leading soldiers in combat . . . and never (knowing) what it was like
to be under fire", successfully commanded the Free World's assault on the Nazi scourge in
Europe, sending his troops, including thousands of 18 and 19 year-olds, into battle on the
murderous beaches of Normandy.
Both Malan and Eisenhower reached senior rank during periods when there were no wars to
fight and had already risen to high command when those arose. I'm sure both would have
excelled at lower levels as well. There is even the parallel between Malan and Eisenhower of
both having undergone staff training at the eminent Fort Leavenworth Staff College in
Kansas, USA.
70
Barron eulogises and juxtaposes Gen Constand Viljoen, intellectually superior and
wonderful soldier and human being that he is, to Malan, while omitting to mention that
Viljoen had for the same reason not "faced fire" before he reached high command level.
His only combat experience was when, already a commanding general in South West Africa,
he parachuted with his troops into the Swapo base at Cassinga in Angola in the airborne
assault phase of Operation Reindeer in 1978, which spoke eloquently of his bravery, but was
otherwise ill-considered and highly imprudent. Barron praises the one general for no other
reason than to nail the other.
Barron seems in principle to be a pacifist as far as the war against the communist forces in
Angola are concerned, but would he also argue that the armed resistance to Hitler's Nazi
forces was wrong? If South Africa hadn't disabused the Soviet Union of their notion that the
SADF would be a cheap walk-over for its surrogate Cuban and other forces in Angola, what
would have been the end result? If the communist forces had prevailed militarily, why
would they have negotiated at all?
Surely not to establish the liberal-democratic constitutions and systems of governance now
evident in Namibia and South Africa - with their attendant free-market economies,
entrenched private property and all the individual freedoms of Western-style liberalism?
Stalinist systems of subjugation of the individual and command economies eventually
imploding into oblivion would have been the result.
Under Malan's command the SADF, through the generally effective State Security
Management System, and in the face of the infuriating indolence of some civilian state
departments represented in the forums of that system, identified real needs and as a start
undertook the huge task of upgrading Alexandra township by for instance tarring roads and
installing street lighting.
When mobs destroyed what was being achieved there, Barron surely can't be serious in
suggesting that the appropriate response would have been to go in with "spades and
trowels" when that township "went up in flames?" How naive can one be! Malan was not
"supposedly" in favour of a hearts and minds approach; he constantly preached this in and
outside of the SADF and did his best to put action to the words. And, incongruously, Barron
deplores Malan's use of his "secret funds" (again the innuendo), a facility of the security
establishments of every serious country on earth to hide strategic expenditure from enemy
eyes, to not only make the SADF self-sufficient but to make Armscor "South Africa's largest
exporter of manufactured goods".
And how, pray may I ask, does Barron know to be able to factually report about Malan's
state of mind in that "(It is ) known that he regarded the resources of the SADF as his to
dispose of as and when he liked"!
The ANC at its Morogoro, Tanzania conference in 1969 declared all-out war with its
"strategy and tactics" of the "four pillars of struggle" heralding the "total onslaught" in the
defined areas of armed struggle, mass protest action to make the country ungovernable,
underground organisation and international isolation of South Africa.
71
Would the South African government and Malan not have been seriously derelict in their
duty if they hadn't devised a sound "total national strategy" to counter this "total
onslaught"? Unfortunately, South Africa's, including Malan's, efforts at explaining this to the
populace was so woefully inadequate that the impression remains in the minds of many to
this day that the "total onslaught" was a figment of Malan's and others' imagination.
Barron decries the pre-emptive raids on terrorist bases in neighbouring countries, but seems
to have forgotten the shocking images of people being burned, hacked and stoned to death
in townships under the direction and leadership of elements in those neighbouring
countries, or the sickening sight of aged black women being force-fed washing powder
because they dared to defy violently imposed consumer boycotts, or the shredded civilian
bodies strewn across Church Street in Pretoria after a bomb planted by elements infiltrating
directly from those neighbouring countries?
International law acknowledges the right of states to pre-emptive strike when facing an
imminent armed assault from across its borders, in this case the assault already having
commenced and war formally declared by the ANC.
Atrocities that Barron refers to happen on all sides in all wars. The recognition of this fact
does not make such actions any less deplorable, but to single out only one side is
disingenuous. Even worse, it boils down to the journalistic dissemination of propaganda,
surely not the intended purpose of a newspaper such as yours?
Magnus Malan was a highly intelligent, thoughtful, reformist soldier, and a highly effective
commander. I did not know him well enough personally to judge whether he was a nice guy
or not. What seems clear to me is that his enormous achievements, together with P.W. Botha
and Piet Marais of Armscor, over a relatively short span of time in making of the SADF a
self-sufficient, balanced and effective fighting force able to operate without any external
support, are unlikely to have been the result only of his being a nice guy.
I would never have thought that Chris Barron, whose incisive interviews in your newspaper
I try never to miss, would be capable of producing such an ill-considered, dishonest and
vindictive article, for whatever reason overflowing with his personal resentment and vitriol,
and that in an apparent obituary.
The most unspeakable of Barron's innuendo is to my mind his scandalously gratuitous
attempt to associate Malan with the alleged paedophilia of John Wiley and Dave Allen. Is
dubious journalistic ethics the sole prerogative of News of the World reporters? I and many
other life-long readers of the Sunday Times will find you seriously amiss if you do not
publish an apology or preferably a retraction of Barron's truly despicable article.
Maritz Spaarwater, Col (retd) SADF
At 43, [Magnus Malan] was chief of the army, at 46, chief of the whole defence force and,
at 50, minister of defence. All this without any operational experience, without ever
leading soldiers in combat. Full of bluster and tough talk, he himself never knew what it
was like to be under fire. This didn't stop him sending his soldiers into combat. In 1975,
72
he sent them into Angola to fight with Unita against the MPLA. This turned into a full-
blown war against Cuban soldiers, but, until 1987, Malan consistently denied to the
South African public that his men were in Angola. He also consistently lied about the
extent of casualties."
Chris Barron
16 responses to this article
9.7 SA Military History Society (CT) Newsletter No 392, October 2011
Dear Members and Friends
Please find attached the current newsletter for October – also note that our next lecture will
be this coming Thursday, 13 October, at 20:00.
The latest newsletters of the Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Branches are
attached.
For our visitors: The Cape Town Branch of the SA Military History Society’s meetings are
held every second Thursday of the month, except for December (in recess) and January
(third Thursday due to summer school holidays).
How to get to our meetings: Take the Alma Road extension off Liesbeek Parkway, towards
the mountain. At the T-junction (railway embankment - Rosebank Station) turn left onto
Guildford Road. The Rosedale Complex is about 400 m down the road on the LH side and is
the only high-rise complex on the road. Secured public parking on the premises is to the left,
once inside the complex, behind the covered resident parking bays (the public parking bays
abuts the road which you have just passed on your way towards the gate). The main
entrance and front of the building is in line with the road entrance. The meetings are held in
the residents’ recreation room, through the entrance foyer and passage on the left past the
lift, first door on the RH side of the said passage.
Time: Meetings start promptly at 20:00.
The scheduled talks for October to November are:
13 October 2011: MARITIME SPECIAL OPERATIONS DURING THE BORDER/ ANGOLAN
WAR by Rear Adm (JG) A G Soderlund, SANS (Ret)
Rear Adm (JG) Arne Soderlund, SANS (Ret), will be addressing a little-known topic that will
be of great interest as it deals with the clandestine side of operations during South Africa’s
Border War and the conflict in Angola. Our speaker is currently researching this subject in
depth as co-author of a forthcoming book dealing with the maritime special operations
during the conflict in question.
73
10 November 2011: FOR KAISER AND HITLER: FROM MILITARY AVIATOR TO HIGH
COMMAND - The Memoirs of Luftwaffe General Alfred Mahncke 1910-1945 by Jochen
(John) Mancke
Life-member John (Jochen) Mahncke is no stranger to society members; having been
Chairman of the Gauteng Branch before moving to Cape Town where he subsequently acted
as Vice-Chairman and Scribe of the Cape Town Branch for many years, he has been a highly
popular and respected member with members of both branches throughout the years of his
tireless involvement. Well-known for his articles in the SAMHS Journal and his numerous
talks relating to early German aviation as well as aspects of his father’s life, it is as
translator/compiler of his late father’s memoirs of the same title as in the subject heading,
that Mr Mahncke has risen to new prominence as author of a book that was published to
international acclaim and recognition. As is the case with many non-fiction books, especially
on historical topics, a lot of information invariably is left unsaid, for brevity’s sake. Such is
the case with his father’s memoirs. His lecture will be structured so as to elucidate his
father’s military career from pre-WWI up and to WWII, as told in his book. For members
that have had the foresight to purchase a copy in the recent past few months – and have
read it – the lecture will surely prove to be as informative and enjoyable as the book has
been.
There will be no meeting in December as the Cape Town Branch will be in recess.
Please note details of the forthcoming tour of the Simon’s Town Naval and public museums
planned for Saturday, 22nd October. ALL members and non-members are welcome to join us
– PLEASE LET US KNOW WELL IN ADVANCE IF YOU WANT TO COME ALONG SO AS
TO ENABLE THE ORGANISERS TO FINALISE THE ARRANGEMENTS.
Contact: Johan van den Berg: W <[email protected]>
10 HERALDRY, UNIFORMS, COLOURS, FLAGS, MEDALS,
MEMORIALS / HERALDIEK, UNIFORMS, VAANDEELS, VLAE,
MEDALJES, GEDENKTEKENS
10.1 The Air force Structure Rank Insignia
General's cap badge
On the 1st of September 2002 the Air Force rank insignia changed from the insignia
currently shared with the Army and SAMHS to a new system in order to bring it more in
74
line with international forms of rank and to incorporate the new South African Coat of
Arms. Subsequently the ranks of General Officers changed again in September 2003 to be
more in line with the rest of the SANDF. The previous rank insignia can be viewed here.
Officer Rank Insignia
Rank Shoulder Insignia Chest Insignia Form of Address
General
General
Lieutenant General
General
Major General
General
Brigadier General
General
Colonel
Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Colonel
Major
Major
Captain
Captain
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
2nd Lieutenant
Lieutenant
Candidate Officer
CO
Chaplain
Dependant on religion
Warrant Officer Rank Insignia
Rank Shoulder Insignia Chest Insignia Form of Address
Master Chief WO
Sergeant Major
Senior Chief WO
Sergeant Major
75
Chief WO
Sergeant Major
Master WO
Sergeant Major
Senior WO
Sergeant Major
WO Class 1
Sergeant Major
WO Class 2
Sergeant Major
Non Commissioned Officers Rank Insignia
Rank Rank Insignia Chest Insignia Form of
Address
Flight
Sergeant
Flight
Sergeant
Sergeant
Corporal
Corporal
Lance
Corporal
Corporal
Airman No rank insignia
worn
No rank insignia
worn Airman
http://www.saairforce.co.za/the-airforce/structure/rank-insignia
10.2 South African Medals – Deon Fourie3
10.2.1 Mention in Despatches (MiD). Vermelding in Berigte. Abbreviation not
written after the name.
The Mention in Despatches is the oldest form of recognition of gallantry within the UK
Armed Forces. Since 1993, the Mention in Despatches has been reserved for gallantry during
active operations. The actual form of the practice of mentioning persons in despatches by
military commanders has been around for a very long time although it was Sir Charles
Napier who in his despatch of 2 March 1843 (London Gazette 9 May 1843) was the first to
mention those below commissioned rank.
3 Brig-Gen DFS Fourie, Professor of Strategic Studies (Retd)
76
From 1920 the emblem consisted of a single bronze oak leaf. Even if the soldier is mentioned
in despatches more than once, only a single such decoration is worn.
An emblem for being Mentioned in Dispatches for service during World War 2 is worn on
the ribbon of the War Medal. Only one emblem is worn no matter how many times a
member may have been 'mentioned'.
Mention varied from a list of names to a description of the individual services performed. In
1902 it was decided that publication in the London Gazette was essential to constitute a
mention.
NOTE. A note which shows the numbers of South African MID in the 1939-1946 War.
ORDERS, DECORATIONS AND MEDALS TO SA FORCES 1939-1945
CB = 14
CBE = 41
OBE = 147
MBE = 363
King’s
Commendation
= 818
MiD =
3 800
10.2.2 King’s Commendation (South Africa) (1939-45) Emblem of a king protea
with five leaves - for valuable services not in battle. Worn on the ribbon for the Africa
Service Medal. Die Aanprysing van die Koning (SA) 1939-45.
10.2.3 Military Medal. Militêre Medalje. (MM) Gallantry award instituted
(1915) for 'Bravery in the Field by non-commissioned officers and men of the Army=.
Subsequent warrants made the Military Medal available to other ranks in 'Any of Our
Military Forces'; to equivalent ranks of allied, or 'associated' armies, and to women.
Created in 1916 for other ranks in the Army to correspond with the Military Cross instituted
two years earlier, but eventually back dated in availability to 1914. Awarded to other ranks
for 'acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire'.
In 1916, the Medal was extended to other ranks of the Navy serving in France, but only for
actions in World War 1. In 1931, the availability of the Medal was extended to other ranks of
the Air Force for gallant conduct on the ground.
Discontinued in 1993 when the Military Cross was made available to all ranks. The ribbon is
principally of dark blue with three white and two crimson vertical stripes in the central
third.
10.2.4 Medals - World War 2
a. The 1939-45 Star
Awarded for service as follows:
77
Army - awarded for six months service in an operational command during the period 3
September 1939 to 2 September 1945.
A person qualifying for this Star and the Air Crew Europe Star and the France and
Germany Star is awarded only the first earned, plus Clasps for the others. A silver rose
emblem is worn on the ribbon bar to denote the award of a bar.
b. The Africa Star
Awarded for service as follows:
• Army - entry into the operational area on the posted strength of a unit or formation in the
area between the Suez Canal and the Straits of Gibraltar between 10 June 1940 and 12 May
1943 or for service in operations in Abyssinia, Somaliland, Eritrea, Malta or Syria.
c. The Italy Star
Awarded as follows:
• Army - for entry into operational service on land in Sicily or Italy during the campaign
there, between 11 June 1943 and 8 May 1945.
d. The Defence Medal
Awarded to members:
• serving for six months in specified non-operational areas subjected to enemy air attack or
closely threatened;
Awarded to members who served full-time in operational or non-operational service
between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. The qualifying period is 28 days.
e. The War Medal 1939-45
Awarded to personnel who served full-time in operational or non-operational service
between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. The qualifying period is 28 days.
An emblem for being Mentioned in Dispatches for service during World War 2 is worn on
the ribbon. Only one emblem is worn no matter how many times a member may have been
'mentioned'.
5. Military Merit Medal - Militêre Meriete Medalje. (MMM) Was awarded for
‘services of a high order’. It was instituted on 9 October 1974, to replace the Commendation
by the Chief of the SADF emblem, and was originally called the "CSADF Commendation
Medal". The name was changed to "Military Merit Medal" in 1993.
6. The John Chard Decoration - John Chard-dekorasie) (JCD) was a silver South
African military decoration that was in use from 1952 to 2003. It was awarded to members of
the Citizen Force who completed twenty years qualifying service, provided they had already
earned the John Chard Medal (for ten or twelve years service).
78
7. The John Chard Medal - John Chard-medalje was instituted with effect from 6
April 1952 to replace the Efficiency Medal and the Air Efficiency Award which was
previously awarded to members of the Active Citizen Force between 1939 and 1952. This
bronze medal was awarded to members of the Citizen Force, irrespective of rank, who had
completed twelve years' long and efficient service. The qualifying service did not need
necessarily be continuous.
The medal is of bronze and the designation and significance is the same as that of the John
Chard Decoration.
Distinguishing insignia in silver are worn on the ribbon. A miniature anchor denotes that
qualifying service was in the SA Navy, crossed swords in the SA Army and an eagle in the
SA Air Force.
8. SA Decorations & Medals 1975-2003.
(Next month)
8.1 Mentioned in Despatches
(After 1975 SA coat of arms.)
10.3 Some military Models
Hennie,
Ek stuur hierdie vir jou omdat jy ook modelle bou. Is dit nie goed nie?
This is what scale is all about !!!!!!
The website is worth a read: http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/park.htm
Mentioned in Despatches
10.3 Some military Models – Johan Jacobs
Ek stuur hierdie vir jou omdat jy ook modelle bou. Is dit nie goed nie?
This is what scale is all about !!!!!!
http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/park.htm
79
http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/park.htm
80
81
82
11 NATIONAL SECURITY NEWS / NUUS EN NASIONALE VEILIGHEID
11.1 The poor state of public order policing - Kohler Barnard4
DA MP says bad training and preparation leads to brutality. Poor state of public order
policing gives rise to more brutality
In 1994, government took a decision which enabled the police to drop their Apartheid-era
baggage and move towards becoming a citizen-friendly service; hence, the non-military
ranks and the name ‘South African Police Service' (SAPS).
According to information provided by SAPS members during a Police Portfolio Committee
meeting in Parliament a month ago, 13 282 public gatherings took place in South Africa last
year. That is, for any nation and certainly for our SAPS, an inordinate number.
Public order officers are specially trained to resolve conflicts and keep the peace at such
gatherings. Or they should be. In recent months, however, we've seen a move back to the
aggressive crowd management style that was commonplace during the Apartheid era: the
shooting, the smoke grenades, and the killing. This appears to have co-incided with the
decision to change police ranks back to the Apartheid-era military ranks. It has also given
4 This is an extract of a speech delivered by Dianne Kohler Barnard MP at the Public Order Policing
Conference at Gallagher Estate, Midrand on 3 October 2011.
83
rise to some confusion, to the extent that the SAPS is referred to as the South African Police
Force in some quarters.
The Public Order Policing (POP) unit is a crime-preventing and crime-fighting entity that
has some harsh realities to face. We have entered an age of international crime, where
syndicates know no boundaries and where the deck is stacked against those on the side of
law and order.
It should then surely be of immense concern that the SAPS has not yet finalised its planning
in terms of Public Order Policing. The standing orders for policing public gatherings, for
example, have not even been compiled into a manual for those involved in the management
of protest gatherings and events.
Research literature overwhelmingly supports the contention that collective conflict can
emerge during crowd events as a consequence of the indiscriminate and disproportionate
use of police force.
It has become increasingly apparent that the SAPS has fallen behind in the crucial area of
public order policing, which has been the focus of national training in many parts of the
world. Operational members here are time and again either being put into or finding
themselves inadvertently in situations where they feel threatened, and where the
subsequent retaliation is deadly. Their role, which is to facilitate peaceful protests, allowing
protestors to have their voices heard, whilst still protecting the safety and rights of others,
has in the past two years been shifting towards one of aggression.
Whether crowds are inherently irrational and dangerous is a question that is being debated
globally. I believe our SAPS members at grassroots level think this is the case. This results in
increased police interventions, which add fuel to the fire of those individuals in the crowds
who are advocating violence.
A more progressive school of thought holds that conflict frequently emerges or is
exacerbated in a crowd from the moment there is interaction between the police and the
protestors.
As a nation we have to ask if our SAPS POP units are ready to deal with a situation like the
one experienced in the UK recently, where rioters shared information, best looting sites and
their experiences on Twitter. Are our POP members ready for this? Would they operate as
an intelligence-led unit, open to the monitoring of new media - or even explore innovative
new ways to engage with protestors through Twitter, Facebook or any of a dozen new social
media options to ensure that protests run smoothly?
Public Order Policing management ignore at their peril the capacity of technologically
empowered citizens to produce evidence that may well challenge the official version of
events; they ignore at their peril the probability that the visual evidence may well be aired
on television, and ignore at their peril the fact that the communication highway circles the
earth in a heartbeat. The world will know of any police abuses that take place during public
protests.
84
This is what happened when protestor Andries Tatane was killed in the Free State by South
African Police on the 13th of April this year. The fear is that we're possibly ignoring the
lessons of the past - ignoring the possibility that police actions may well contribute to, or
even act as the spark that sets off conflict. And if we ignore this reality, then SAPS
management may well in turn ignore the need to develop strategies, tactics and technologies
to deal with these situations.
I believe that so much emphasis is placed on the need to contain crowds and to prevent
damage, that the crowds are automatically identified as hostile, or at least potentially so. If
treated with hostility, they will, inevitably, respond with hostility.
Naturally, the converse applies, and if the police interact in a positive manner - in ways that
improve the relationship between the police and the crowd, then conflict may be reduced.
The jury is still out on the ‘Shoot to Kill' dictum initiated by former Deputy Minister of
Police, Susan Shabangu, but the reality is that we are regularly seeing footage of our police
shooting demonstrators, sometimes in the back.
The questions that must be asked relate to information and intelligence, and why it is that
the police aren't better prepared for protest gatherings, especially when events are well
publicised days in advance.
Successful public order policing requires consistent command-and-control, training, tactics
and equipment. I look forward to an analytical interrogation of the myriad challenges
created by new media, increased crowd violence in South Africa, and how public order
policing can best meet those challenges.
Issued by the DA, October 3 2011
http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page72308?oid=259282&sn=
Marketingweb+detail&pid=90389
11.2 Police on Parliamentary carpet regarding ICT
The South African Police Services (SAPS) has allocated more than R3 billion
to information systems, and needs to explain exactly how that amount will
be spent, says the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police.
The South African Police Services (SAPS) has allocated more than R3 billion to information
systems, and needs to explain exactly how that amount will be spent, says the Parliamentary
Portfolio Committee on Police.
The committee met last week to discuss the progress between the State IT Agency (SITA)
and the SAPS since a meeting in April, when the relationship between the two was
described as “fractious”.
85
The SAPS also presented its progress in terms of the more than 20 IT-related projects it is
currently working on. It intends to establish its digital capacity to detect fingerprints at
crime scenes through technology to photograph and enhance fingerprints lifted from crime
scenes.
The project is 100% complete in terms of hardware deployment, but the service is 0%
complete in terms of training and rollout. It says there is a target to implement the integrated
case docket management system (ICDMS) to 20 priority police stations by 2012 and 40
priority police stations by 2014. This entails the management and administration of criminal
cases, inquests and enquiries throughout the lifecycle of a case from its inception to its
disposal.
The SAPS also said it is 10% complete in terms of software deployment and it is seeking to
establish a mobile operational vehicles project. A target was set of having 450 vehicles and
18 buses by 2013 equipped with mobile communication technology. The operational
requirement for mobile communication vehicles was to ensure effective command and
control communications.
The automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) is 70% complete in terms of user
requirements, and technical specification is also 70% complete. However, the SAPS said it is
0% complete in terms of publishing tenders for the procurement of the new AFIS, which it
said will be done this year.
There is also a programme aimed at the modernisation and expansion of hardware and
software.
The SAPS set a target of replacing 5052 PCs, 395 notebooks and tablets, 2740 colour printers,
9593 mono printers and 1011 fax machines. To date, it has replaced 287 PCs (6% progress),
168 notebooks (43%), 219 mono printers (2%), 211 colour printers (8%) and 68 fax machines
(7%).
Concerns from committee members were that no improvement is being made within the
SAPS, which buys equipment but doesn't roll it out. They said the progress report is not
impressive. The SAPS said in some cases hardware was rolled out, but no progress was
made on implementation, because officials still have to be trained to use the equipment.
Members also noted tension between SITA and its contractors who worked for SAPS,
because SITA is not renewing their contracts and, at the same time, contractors are not
receiving their salary increases in full. They questioned why SITA is keeping increases that
are aimed for contractors for itself. It would take decades to fully implement the e-docket
systems at police stations across the country, said members.
86
An example was given of the Pretoria police station in which the scanner, printer and
computer are all on different floors. In addition, there is no quality control with regards to
the e-docket.
Committee chairperson Lydia Chikunga asked what the budget is for each project that SAPS
has undertaken in conjunction with SITA, how much money has been spent to date on each
project, and how each project would improve on service delivery. She expects the responses
by mid-October.
Chikunga also noted that there are companies providing IT work that had been contracted
by SAPS.
She asked what role SITA is playing in this regard, how much money is being wasted on the
contract process models, and whether there is absolutely no coordination between what
SAPS contractors are doing and SITA.
In April committee members called on SITA to create a turnaround strategy specific to
SAPS, and acting chairperson of the board Febe Potgieter-Gqubule said there was a joint
strategic planning session between the agency and the service. The outcomes include that
negotiated business agreements and SLA negotiations will be completed by the end of
September, and that SITA will provide proposals for VOIP.
She added that business agreement discussions have commenced and are due to be
completed as planned by the end of this month. Five SLAs have been negotiated and
concluded at a functional level and two new SLAs requested by the SAPS are being drafted
for negotiations. These SLAs relate to supply chain management (SCM) and IT security. The
acting chairperson added that the ICDMS demo was presented to SAPS and the backbone
for the system will be completed in December.
The scanning solution was also developed and deployed at 320 police stations in all
provinces, except for the Eastern Cape. Approximately 1 650 million dockets had been
scanned by 5 September. The e-docket system will replace this one when it is implemented.
SITA said by the end of 2012 it will have established a supply chain management committee
system and a bid evaluation committee with subject matter and technical expertise. The
SAPS-specific ICT SCM benefits are the lowering of prices for the war room installation,
lower costs for the national network upgrade, more bandwidth, and reduced cost of voice
communication through VOIP.
SITA will also significantly reduce the pricing of its services. The lower costs will be as a
result of industry partnership.
87
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19443:polic
e-on-parliamentary-carpet-regarding-
ict&catid=48:Information%20&%20Communication%20Technologies&Itemid
11.3 Generaal se lyk lê op vullishoop
Erika Gibson 2011-09-22 22:59
Die lyk van ’n afgetrede generaal in die leër en een van die eerste stryders van umKhonto
weSizwe (MK) is op ’n vullishoop in Mooiplaats naby Olievenhoutbosch in Centurion
gekry. ’n Geregtelike ondersoek is aan die gang na genl.maj. Lennox Tshali (73) se dood en
die omstandighede daarvan nadat hy lank vermis was.
Fotostate waarop hy in uniform gekleed is en as vermis aangedui word, is steeds oral in
Eldoraigne, Centurion, opgeplak. Die weermag het laat verlede week in ’n bondige
verklaring net aangekondig dat hy dood is.
Pres. Jacob Zuma het Saterdag die rede by sy roudiens in Thaba Tshwane gelewer. Tshali
word postuum tot luitenant-generaal bevorder. Hoewel Zuma sy bydrae tot MK se
bevrydingstryd besing het, het Tshali ’n rampspoedige loopbaan in die leër gehad.
Beeld het in 1999 oor hom berig nadat hy en twee van sy voormalige MK-kamerade wat
later ook generaals geword het gereeld besope in hul uniforms by ’n bushalte in Thaba
Tshwane gevind is.
Die militêre polisie het hulle telkens by die bushalte gaan verwyder en huis toe geneem. ’n
Raad van ondersoek na hul gedrag is destyds deur die voormalige hoof van die leër, lt.genl.
Gilbert Ramano, belê, maar die bevindings is nooit bekend gemaak nie.
Daar was ook telkens sake van dronkbestuur teen die drie, maar die dossiere het elke keer
weggeraak. Toe die drie later ’n te groot verleentheid vir die leër geword het, het Ramano
hulle op verpligte verlof geplaas totdat hulle later afgetree het.
Een van die drie se lyke is in 2009 in die straat by die Pretoria-stasie gevind. Tshali het die
laaste tyd glo by tye aan geheueverlies gely. “Hy was verskeie kere letterlik die eerste en die
laaste stryder wat bly staan het,” het Zuma in sy roudiensrede oor sy MK-bydrae gesê.
’n Geregtelike ondersoek is aan die gang omdat Tshali in verdagte omstandighede dood is
en op die vullishoop beland het, het die polisie bevestig.
http://m.news24.com/beeld/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Generaal-se-lyk-le-op-vullishoop-20110922
11.4 257 deaths in police custody in 2010/11 - Francois Beukman
Francois Beukman - 03 October 2011
Text of speech by ICD executive director to National Press Club, September 29 2011
88
Address by the Executive Director, Mr Francois Beukman to the National Press Club on the
tabling of the Independent Complaints Directorate Annual Report for 2010/11 and the
release of its statistics
29 Sep 2011
Honourable Deputy Minister of Police, Ms Maggie Sotyu
Executive member of the National Press Club, Ms Doreen Guff
Senior Management of the ICD
Members of the National Press Club
Ladies and gentlemen
Thank you for this opportunity to once again brief you on the work of the Independent
Complaints Directorate (ICD) as set out in the ICD's Annual Report 2010/11 that was tabled
in Parliament this morning. We are especially honoured to have the Deputy Minister among
us.
Since the Deputy Minister has already spoken about other matters relating to the work of the
ICD, my presentation will focus mainly on the statistics relevant to the period 1 April 2010 to
31 March 2011.
The ICD received five thousand eight hundred and sixty nine (5 869) cases during the period
under review. Of these, seven hundred and ninety seven (797) were notifications of deaths
in police custody and deaths as a result of police action.
One hundred and two (102) were domestic violence non-compliance matters, whereas two
thousand four hundred and ninety three (2 493) were allegations of criminal offences and
two thousand four hundred and seventy seven (2 477) were allegations of misconduct
alleging contravention of police standing orders and regulations. If you add all that up it
gives you five thousand eight hundred and sixty nine (5 869).
In percentage terms, deaths amounted to 14 per cent, domestic violence non-compliance to
two per cent, whereas criminal offences and misconduct amounted to 42 per cent each. That
gives you an indication of the proportion of cases that we dealt with per class.
If you compare how these numbers have changed relative to the year before, you will note
that deaths decreased by seven per cent, from 860 to 797. Domestic violence non-compliance
matters decreased by 19 per cent from, 126 to 102 cases. Criminal offences increased slightly
by one percentage point, from 2 462 to 2 493. Misconduct complaints decreased by 15 per
cent, from 2 929 to 2 477. Overall there was an 8 per cent decrease across the board. From a
provincial perspective, all provinces except for Gauteng and Limpopo experienced
decreases ranging from 7% to 23%.
I'm now going to focus on the seven hundred and ninety seven (797) deaths in police
custody and deaths as a result of police action. In percentage terms, deaths in police custody
amounted to 32 per cent of all deaths, whereas deaths as a result of police action accounted
for 68 per cent.
89
Thirty one per cent of all deaths occurred in KwaZulu-Natal. Gauteng experienced the
second highest proportion at 23 per cent. Is it important to note that the numbers of deaths
in custody and deaths as a result of police action decreased in six provinces, except for the
Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Northern Cape which experienced increases ranging from four
to 28 per cent.
When we break down the deaths further, you will note that deaths in police custody
amounted to two hundred and fifty seven (257) and deaths as a result of police action
amounted to five hundred and forty (540). Forty four per cent of deaths in police custody
were due to natural causes, 25 per cent were as a result of injuries sustained in police
custody and 31 per cent of the deaths were from injuries sustained prior to custody. The role
of the police in these deaths is limited or negligible.
Of the five hundred and forty (540) deaths as a result of police action, eighty per cent
occurred during the commission of a crime, during an escape (or attempt), during arrest or
during investigation. Most of the deaths as a result of police action occurred during arrest,
this is especially the case in KwaZulu-Natal, where eighty seven (87) deaths occurred under
such circumstances. In Gauteng, forty eight (48) deaths occurred during arrest. The five
metro police services accounted for 13 deaths as a result of police action.
Let me briefly touch on the places where the deaths occurred. Fifty three (53) per cent of the
deaths took place at the scene, 29 per cent occurred at a hospital/clinic, 2 per cent in a police
vehicle and 14 per cent took place in police holding cells.
I will now talk about allegations of criminal offences dealt with by the ICD. The ICD
investigates allegations of criminal offences against members of the South African Police
Service (SAPS) by the public.
Some complaints were reported by other SAPS members. Since the police are under no
obligation to report such offences, these statistics are by no means a true reflection of the
extent of police criminality. Under the new Independent Police Investigative Directorate,
some of these offences will be notifiable which means that an accurate record will be kept
and we will then be in a position to know their prevalence.
There were two thousand four hundred and ninety three (2 493) complaints alleging
criminal conduct by members of the SAPS. Seventy per cent of these were related to what is
termed police brutality, namely assault common, assault GBH and attempted murder.
Allegations of torture accounted for 4 per cent of allegations of criminal offences, whereas
rape cases accounted for 2 per cent.
When comparing the period under review to the preceding period, we have noted an
increase of 5 per cent in assault (grievous bodily harm) GBH complaints and a 9 per cent
increase in attempted murder complaints. Complaints of rape increased by 92 per cent, from
24 to 46 cases. Allegations of torture increased from five cases to forty one (41).
90
It is important to note that not all complaints made against police officers can be
substantiated. Of those that are substantiated, five hundred and one (501) recommendations
for prosecution were made to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Our investigators spent more than a thousand days in courts or disciplinary tribunals. We
also made two thousand two hundred and sixty one (2 261) recommendations to SAPS
management in respect of disciplinary action. In the process, we managed to obtain about
ninety (90) convictions emanating from disciplinary processes and about sixty (60)
convictions in the courts, with sentences ranging from fines to 20 year jail terms. Other cases
are still pending finalization in the courts and disciplinary tribunals.
Clearly it's been a busy year for the ICD and I want to thank the media as our partners in
reporting some of the matters we have dealt with. I hope that this partnership continues into
the future.
Thank you for your attention.
Issued by the Independent Complaints Directorate, September 29 2011
Ref:
http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page72308?oid=25932
4&sn=Marketingweb+detail&pid=90389
11.5 Israel Mounted Police: Lital Eizenboim
91
Lital writes: THE BEST 50 PHOTOS OF 2011 IPA WORLD PHOTO CONTEST- This
are the best Photos in Police category.
11.6 South Africa - Mounted Police – Mail & Gaurdian
None shall pass Mounted police patrol the streets around the Klipriviersberg Recreation
Centre in Kibler Park in southern Johannesburg, 13 September 2011 where disciplinary
hearings of ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema, spokesperson Floyd Shivambu and
four other office bearers continued on Tuesday. (Werner Beukes/SAPA)
12. THE LIBRARY / DIE BOEKRAK
12.1 Ongulumbashe: A review by Lt Col (Prof) Deon Visser - Ongulumbashe: Where the
bush war began - Paul J. Els,
Ongulumbashe: Where the bush war began - Paul J. Els, Wandsbeck, South Africa:
Reach Publishers, 2007. 290 pages. Index, list of abbreviations, 200 photographs, maps
and illustrations. Prologue by Gen. J.V. van der Merwe, former Commissioner of the South
African Police and Epilogue by Gen. J.J. Geldenhuys, former Chief of the South African
Defence Force. ISBN 9781920084813 - R180,00
Retired Warrant Officer First Class, Paul J. Els, South African Corps of Signals, is a veteran
of the so-called ‘Bush War’. He did his first ‘stint on the Border’ (p. v) in 1968, participated in
Operation Savannah during South Africa’s intervention in the Angolan civil war in 1975/76
and subsequently served in the South African Special Forces as long-distance radio operator
for 5 Reconnaissance Commando. His first book, We Fear Naught But God: The Story of the
92
South African Special Forces (Covosday: Johannesburg) appeared in 2000, followed by
Ongulumbashe: Die Begin van die Bosoorlog in 2004, which he has now translated into
English under the title above. The English edition adds nothing of significance to the
original Afrikaans text, but makes his work available to a wider audience.
The epilogue by Gen. J.J. Geldenhuys, which was added to the English edition, is an almost
verbatim translation of parts of Geldenhuys’s foreword to the new edition of his own book
Die Wat Gewen Het: Feite en Fabels van die Bosoorlog. (Litera Publikasies: Pretoria 2007).
Ongulumbashe: Where the Bushwar Began, comprises 18 chapters and tells the story of
Operation Blouwildebees, the joint South African Defence Force/South African Police attack
on the South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO) base at Ongulumbashe on 26
August 1966, which is generally accepted as the beginning of South Africa’s 23-year ‘Bush
War’ in South West Africa (SWA)/Namibia and Angola. The first five chapters sketch a
haphazard background 116 to the beginning of the ‘Bush War’, dealing with the origins of
South Africa’s involvement in SWA/Namibia, the establishment of SWAPO and the latter’s
insurgent activities up to August 1966, including the establishment of their base at
Ongulumbashe. Chapters 6 to 11 describe the South African security forces’ reconnaissance
of the SWAPO base, their preparations for Operation Blouwildebees and the course of the
battle at Ongulumbashe. Chapter 12 then interrupts the discussion with a superficial
account of the sequence of events after the battle at Ongulumbashe up to the independence
of Namibia in 1990. Chapter 13 jumps back to the consequences of Ongulumbashe, followed
by a loose potpourri comprising discussions on the personae dramatis (Chapter 14),
monuments/memorials (Chapter 15), a collection of photographs and newspaper clippings
(Chapter 16), a conclusion (Chapter 17), an unnumbered epilogue by General J.J.
Geldenhuys and an elucidation (Chapter 18) comprising explanations of force compositions,
equipment used, particular incidents, etc.
Els is not a professional historian and this is not a scholarly work. His sources are mostly
secondary and his reference system is vague and ineffective. His story lacks focus, cohesion,
logic progression and sober reflection, and he often wanders off on irrelevant sidetracks, of
which German intelligence activities in South Africa and South West Africa during the
Second World War and the story of Robey Leibbrandt (Chapter 1) is one of numerous
examples. The language and style is less than satisfactory, while typing errors and
sloppiness undermine the technical quality of the book. The table of contents, for instance,
states that the source list commences on p. 286, whereas it actually begins on p. 285 and then
starts all over again on p. 286.
Having said all this, the book was obviously not written for a scholarly audience, but for the
popular market, for laymen with an appetite for popular military history and entertaining
‘war stories’. From that perspective, it contributes to South African literature on the so-called
‘Bush War’ and increases the available knowledge on Operation Blouwildebees, because the
author accessed hitherto untapped primary sources by conducting interviews with historical
participants and by gaining access to some unpublished manuscripts. In terms of length, this
is also the most comprehensive account of the events to date.
Lt Col (Prof) Deon Visser, Department of Military History, Faculty of Military
93
Science, Stellenbosch University.
http://www.ajol.info/index.php/smsajms/article/viewFile/42660/9528
12.2 Genl CP Crafford – Van die Depot tot Duitswes
94
• Met erkenning aan Rekord en kollega Mark Newham
12.2.1 Van die Depot tot Duitswes – genl CP Crafford
95
12.3 My veertig jaar in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie – Johan Ferreira
96
12.4 Voorwaarts mars – Hanlie van Straaten
97
12.5 Koevoet: The Men Speak – Jonathan Pittaway
Die buiteblad: Die boek is nog in manuskrip-vorm, sekere finale insette moet nog
verkry word – sal laat weet wanneer dit gepubliseer word. Ons soek
ongepubliseerde foto’s van Cato Manor, Sharpeville, Rivonia en ander Koevoet- en
polisiefoto’s en miskien SALM-foto’s tydens gesamentlike operasies met Koevoet? -
HBH
98
13. SPORT
Diecks Dietrichsen stuur die volgende foto:
14. HUMOUR IN UNIFORM
99
100
Psychological Operations – US Army Style
Psychological Operations – US Army Style
Most Syrians struggle to even read Arabic, much less have a clue about reading
English. So, how do a group of Syrian protest leaders create the most impact with
their signs? By having the standard 'Death To Americans' (etc) slogans printed in
English! So, who prints them?
Answer:
They simply hire an English-speaking civilian to translate and write their statements
into English.
Unfortunately, in this case, they were unaware that the 'civilian' insurance company
employee hired for the job was a retired US Army Sergeant! Obviously, the results
were PRICELESS!
This picture is not doctored.
101
15. ANECDOTES, A POINT TO PONDER: PARAPROSDOKIANS
15.1 A “police-” and “true-life” story with a difference .... You reap what you
sow – Hanlie van Straaten
Good morning said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on ground.
The man slowly looked up.
This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She
looked like she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted
to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled....
To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling - her even white teeth
displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.
"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go
away." The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand
under his arm.
"What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone. “
Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.
"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his
feet. Will you help me?" The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a
fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"
"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get
him out of the cold for awhile."
"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he
felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do
anything."
“This is a good deal for you, Jack" the officer answered. "Don't blow it.”
Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria
and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the
breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived.
The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's going on here,
officer?" he asked. "What is all this, is this man in trouble?"
"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.
102
"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for
business."
Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't
want to come here in the first place."
The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled....... "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy
and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"
"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in
one of my banquet rooms."
"And do you make a godly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?"
"What business is that of yours?"
I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."
"Oh."
The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop
who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal,
officer?"
"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."
"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"
"Yes, maam. That would be very nice."
The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."
The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.
"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this."
She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently.
"Jack, do you remember me?"
Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. "I think so - I mean you do look
familiar."
"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger
days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."
"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently
turned out woman could ever have been hungry.
103
"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I
couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of
my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly
starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."
Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You
came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against
company policy."
"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I
had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it.
I was afraid that you would get into trouble... Then, when I looked over and saw you put the
price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right."
"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.
"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business
that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card.
"When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons...He's the personnel
director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you
to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little
advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet...
If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."
There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said.
"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus...... He led me
to you."
Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their
separate ways....
"Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.
"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something
that I will never forget. And. And thank you for the coffee."
God is going to shift things around for you today and let things work in your favour.
If you believe, send it.
If you don't believe, delete it.
God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close.
If you need God to open some doors for you ... send this on.
104
Have a blessed day and remember to be a blessing...
LIVE WELL, LOVE MUCH, LAUGH OFTEN
15.2 Wisdom – Jeff Manning
Here's a question that was posed to the Dalai Lama: “What part of humanity
surprises you most?”
His answer was: “Man.
Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he doesn't enjoy the present.
And as a result he doesn't live in the present or the future.
And he lives as if he's never going to die, and then he dies having never really
lived!” How true!!!
15.3 “Words” – Jeff Manning
PYTHAGOREAN theorem 24 words
The Lord’s prayer 66 words
Archimedes Principle 67 words
The 10 Commandments 179 words
The Gettysburg address 286 words
US Declaration of Independence 1,300 words
The US Constitution with all 27 Amendments 7,818 words...
The EU regulations on the sale of cabbage 26,911 words.
15.4 Top Five Regrets
By Bronnie Ware and sent in by Dorothy Bell
For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone
home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last
three to twelve weeks of their lives.
People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learned never to
underestimate someone's capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal.
Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse,
more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before
they departed though, every one of them.
When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently,
common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:
105
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others
expected of me
This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost
over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone
unfulfilled. Most people have had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had
to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.
It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way.
From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom
very few realize, until they no longer have it.
2. I wish I didn't work so hard
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth
and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most
were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been
breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their
lives on the treadmill of a work existence.
By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is
possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space
in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more
suited to your new lifestyle.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a
result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly
capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and
resentment they carried as a result.
We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially
react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the
relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the
unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends
Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying
weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so
caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the
years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and
effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
106
It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are
faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do
want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status
that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for
the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever
manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all
that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that
happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called
'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives.
Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were
content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their
life again.
When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your
mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are
dying. Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose
honestly. Choose happiness.
“Everyone is responsible for their own joy.”
107
16. OOR DIE NONGQAI SE DRUMPEL
Die manne word ook nie oud nie! Derek Brune en Johan Ferreira.
17. NEWS FROM ALL OVER - THE POLICE POST BAG / NUUS
VAN HEINDE EN VERRE - POLISIE-POSSAK
17.1 Toffie Risk
NS: 'n Uitstekende uitgawe oor die Poisiehondeskool, Bevelvoerders ens.
Hier, soos per aanhangesel is een van die min foto's beskikbaar waar die polisiehond
ook gebruik is om terrorisme op die grens te bekamp. Ek het die negatief
van die foto gekry van wyle luitenant J Brummer toe ek nog verbonde was aan
Tineenhed in 1974.
Nog altyd gehad, maar vir die eerste keer in 2010 laat ontwikkel.
108
17.2 No 4801 Johannes Stefanus de Klerk - Jan de Klerk
Hallo brig Hennie, Ek het u so 'n handvol maande gelede u genader om moontlik te
help met naspoor van inligting oor my oupa, Johannes Stefanus de Klerk, 'n
polisieman.
Ek het intussen ook weer met 'n ou kennis, Charles Leach, kontak gehad en die
voorreg gehad om u navorsing vir hom oor William Eagle onder oog te kry.
Uitstekend, en vreeslik interessant.
Sedert my laaste epos het ek my oupa se magnommer vasgestel wat moontlik dinge
sal vergemaklik. Hy was nommer 4801.
Graag verneem ek of u moontlik vir my scans van my oupa se dokumente met
relevante inligting vir my navorsing by die polisiemuseum kan kry soos wat u oor
William Eagle vir Charles gekry het, en wat die kostes verbonde sal wees.
vriendelike groete
Jan de Klerk.
109
• Beste Jan, Navorsing is ‘n lang proses. Ek is ‘n amateur navorsers en
geskiedkundige. Ek het u Oupa op indeks geplaas en sal wanneer ek iets vind
vir u laat weet. Die belangrike punt is mense moet weet ons soek
besonderhede, foto’s, verslae, magsorders, boeke ens. Dit is op onverwagte
plekke waar mens goed kry. Iemand het my sy sakboekie gegee wat my
Vader bekrap het. So maak ons maar die goed bymekaar. U moet ook aansluit
by ‘n groep soos “Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie – Afgetrede Lede” op facebook5 –
daar is heelwat lede wat in geskiedenis belangstel. Groete – HBH.
17.3 Brief van generaal Johan van der Merwe
Vriende
Ek stuur graag bygaande konsep vir julle inligting en sal waardeer as julle kommentaar kan
lewer en my ook sal laat weet of julle bereid is om te help. As julle dalk van ander persone
weet wat kan help sal ek dit waardeer as julle hulle sal nader en indien hulle instem hulle
besonderhede vir my sal stuur. Ons beoog om die skrywe landwyd uit te stuur. Ons sal nog
heelwat navorsing moet doen, maar dit is belangrik dat ons die bal aan die rol kry. As jou
naam nie op die lys verskyn nie en jy sien kans om te help, stuur asb. jou besonderhede vir
my. Alle moontlike hulp sal waardeer word.
Stuur asb. kommentaar vir al die geadresseerdes sodat daar ‘n wisselwerking kan wees en
hulle weer daarop kan reageer.
Groete
Johan van der Merwe
Vriende
Soos u almal bewus is, sou die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiemag indien dit voortbestaan
het volgende jaar ‘n eeu oud gewees het. Die Oud-SAP-lede Liefdadigheidstrust
beoog om volgende jaar ‘n gedenkalbum uit te gee om oudlede se herinneringe aan
hoogtepunte of besondere gebeurtenisse tydens hulle loopbane te boekstaaf.
Oudlede beskik oor kosbare kennis wat tensy dit geboekstaaf saam met hulle na die
graf gaan.
Ons is dit aan die S A Polisiemag, ons makkers wat saam met ons gedien het en die
nageslag verskuldig om daardie kosbare inligting te boek te stel.
5 http://www.facebook.com/groups/44388598559/
110
Die gedagte is om oudlede landwyd te vra om sodanige herinneringe op skrif te stel.
Waar julle oor geskiedkundige of ander dokumente of foto’s van persone of tonele
beskik wat in so ‘n album geplaas kan word sal ons dit innig waardeer as julle dalk
afdrukke daarvan beskikbaar kan stel of andersins dit aan ons kan stuur om ons in
staat te stel om afdrukke te laat maak. Vir publikasie doeleindes moet foto’s aan
sekere vereistes voldoen. Dit moet in gedagte gehou word dat so ‘n gedenkalbum
waarskynlik nie meer as 800 bladsye sal kan beslaan nie. Drukkoste is geweldig
duur en ons wil graag die uitgawe vir almal bekostigbaar maak. Derhalwe vra ons
dat elkeen wat ‘n bydrae wil maak dit tot vier A4-grootte getikte bladsye beperk.
Ons sal ook noodwendig bydraes tot uitsonderlike gebeurtenisse moet beperk,
aangesien ons graag alle moontlike bydraes wil plaas. Ons beoog om ‘n
professionele persoon aan te stel om die redigering te doen en so ‘n persoon sal
noodwendig ook bepaal of ‘n bydra by die geheel gaan inpas. Ons sal borge en
advertensies oorweeg en enige wenke of kommentaar sal waardeer word. Dit moet
‘n span poging wees om ‘n produk voort te bring waarop ons almal trots kan wees.
Bydraes kan of in Afrikaans of Engels wees. Ons gaan bydraes in die taal plaas wat
elke bydraer verkies, maar dit is vanselfsprekend onmoontlik om dit in albei tale uit
te gee. Julle kan dit skryf of as dit enigsins moontlik is in “Word” formaat op
rekenaar plaas en aan een van die volgende persone stuur wat dit verder sal
verwerk met die oog op redigering :
Generaal Johan van der Merwe
e-posadres : [email protected]
posadres : Enkeldoornstraat 781, Rose Acres 150, Montana, 0182.
Generaal Hendrik De Villiers
Geen e-pos nie
Posadres : Elcarida 9, Kuisisweg 9, Brummeria x16, Pretoria, 0184.
Generaal Johan le Roux
Geen e-pos nie
Posadres : Posbus 1240, Wingate Park, Pretoria, 0153
Generaal Hennie Westraat
E-posadres : [email protected]
Generaal Roy During
E-posadres : [email protected]
Generaal Bertus Steyn
Geen e-pos nie.
Posadres : Solidatus 401, Riastraat 144, Murrayfield, Pretoria, 0184
Generaal Johan Ferreira
E-posadres : [email protected]
Generaal Johan Fourie
Geen e-posadres nie.
111
Posadres : Posbus 2916, Modimolle, 0510
Brigadier Hennie Heymans
E-posadres : [email protected]
Kolonel Gert Otto
E-posadres : [email protected]
Kolonel Manie van Staden
E-posadres : [email protected]
18. NETWORKING & “LET’S SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER”/
NETWERK & “KOM ONS ONDERSTEUN MEKAAR”
18.1 Versameling van ou SAP-items en ander Uniformstukke van ander
Magte.
Hier is een manier van bewaring – skenk dit of verkoop dit aan ‘n versamelaar. Laat asb
weet indien u van “ou” uniforms, boeke, foto’s, memorabilia, kentekens, medaljes en
rangtekens wil ontslae raak:
- Dana Kruger;
- Jacques Greef;
- Mark Newham; en
- Hennie Heymans en vele ander stel belang.
Die museum se man op Fort Beaufort stel ook in die Magte se Geskiedenis belang – kontak
vir “Moose” van Rensburg aldaar.
18.2 Wanted Photographs: Sharpeville, Witsieshoek, Cato Manor, Bashee Bridge,
Rivonia, Ongulumbashe, Langa, etc etc
19. THE MARKET PLACE / DIE MARK
19.1 Bruce Green – Johannesburg
Below: 1941 35th BMW R75 and side car Ramcka Brigade N Africa and a French
Howitser.
112
113
114
115
Celt 54mm, Gunner RFC 75mm and Italian soldier in North Africa during WW2.
If you are interested in obtaining military models contact Bruce Green in
Johannesburg or eNONGQAI for more particiulars.
• We as old “Bobbies” would be interested in models of Casspirs, Swerwers,
Njala’s, Befords, Ford F1000, Chev and Dodge Vans. A SAP BMW High Patrol
car would also look nice as well as models of the various SAP uniforms over
the past 100 years - HBH
116
19.2 SAP Brigadiersklub en SAP Vriendekring se pette ens
Brig TB Arlow en brig Stan Gillham spog met hulle voorskote – kontak eNONGQAI
indien u belangstel.
20. WANTED / GESOEK
Gesoek: ’n Stel SAP-sersant strepe (chevrons) soos die wat sers Tulleken dra. Sien
foto by par 24.
21. STOP PRESS / LAAT BERIGTE
22. INDEMITY / VRYWARING
Die e-Nongqai bevat die uiteenlopende en diverse persoonlike menings van
verskillende korrespondente en die opsteller van e-Nongqai kan nie vir enige deel
van die inhoud daarvan in sy persoonlike hoedanigheid verantwoordelik gehou
word nie.
The e-Nongqai contains various and sundry personal opinions of different
correspondents and the compiler of e-Nongqai cannot be held responsible for any of
their comments.
117
Enige advertensies of enige sake voortspruitend is tussen u en die ander party.
23. NEXT EDITION / VOLGENDE UITGAWE
Some time, Deo Volenti, during November 2011
24. CONCLUSION / SLOT
Please send in your articles, photographs, anecdotes etc
Take care! Be safe!
Greetings
Salute!
Your Van Driver and Section Sergeant: No 43630 (M) Hennie Heymans. © 2011