South African 32 Battalion
Encyclopedia
32 Battalion was a special light infantry
battalion
of the South African Army
, composed of black and white commissioned and enlisted personnel. It was disbanded on 26 March 1993 on the request of the African National Congress
prior to the elections of 1994.
Founded in 1975 by Colonel Jan Breytenbach
of the South African Special Forces Brigade
, it was later under the command of Colonels Gert Nel, Deon Ferreira (nickname Falcon) and Eddie Viljoen, known within the battalion by the nickname of "Big Daddy".
in 1975, many troops of its main rival, the Frente Nacional de Libertação de Angola (FNLA
), found refuge in the then South Africa
n-controlled South-West Africa
.
From these troops, Colonel Jan Breytenbach
together with Commandant Sybie van der Spuy formed a unit that was initially known as Bravo Group but later renamed 32 Battalion. Initially, Bravo Group consisted of two infantry companies, a mortar platoon
, an anti-tank section and a machine gun
platoon, but 32 Battalion was expanded to 6 infantry companies, a recce wing, and a support company consisting of a 81 mm mortars, anti-tank and machine gun sections.
Unlike other SADF units, 32 Battalion was mainly deployed in southern Angola, acting as a buffer between the SADF's regular forces and its enemies. The unit was also used to assist the anti-communist movement of UNITA
. Although it was mainly used as a counter-insurgency force it was eventually also used as a semi-conventional force, especially during the later phases of the war - particularly at the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale
. As such, its involvement in the Angolan/Namibian border war was greater than that of any other unit of the SADF and it is claimed that they caused more enemy casualties than any other SADF unit.
The battalion primarily consisted of black Angola
n soldiers and non-commissioned officer
s (NCOs) led by white South African officers and NCOs, although there were also a number of officers from countries such as the United Kingdom
, Rhodesia
, Portugal
and the United States
in the unit, especially in its early stages.
After Namibia
n independence in 1989, the unit was withdrawn to South Africa where it was used in the counter-insurgency role and later also in the South African townships
. At the end of its era in Namibia, the unit had developed into a conventional battle group. Apart from the infantry companies and the recce company, the battalion was strengthened by a battery of 120 mm mortars, a squadron of Ratel ZT-3 and 90 mm tank destroyers and a troop of 20 mm anti-aircraft guns mounted on Buffel infantry vehicles. Although the main bulk of the battalion was based at Buffalo on the banks of the Okavango, the HQ was in Rundu, 200 km to the east
where members of the public were shot and killed. The incident drew widespread criticism, specifically from the African National Congress
and prompted the Minister of Defence to request an investigation by the Goldstone
Commission.
and the African National Congress
, the unit was disbanded in March 1993 and were retired to the town of Pomfret, South Africa
.
Many members of the unit later helped to found or joined private military companies such as Executive Outcomes
and Sandline International
, which ironically fought on the side of the Angolan government against UNITA.
were former members of 32 Battalion. Because they were arrested in Zimbabwe, it is not clear whether any of those arrested had full knowledge of their final destination or the alleged coup d'état.
, with a total of 13 Honoris Crux
medals for bravery awarded to its members, second only to the South African Special Forces Brigade
, whose members were awarded 46 Honoris Crux medals during the same period.
, Leonardo DiCaprio
's character "Danny Archer" was a former member of 32 Battalion.
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the South African Army
South African Army
The South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
, composed of black and white commissioned and enlisted personnel. It was disbanded on 26 March 1993 on the request of the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
prior to the elections of 1994.
Founded in 1975 by Colonel Jan Breytenbach
Jan Breytenbach
Jan Breytenbach was appointed by the Founder of the South African Special Forces Brigade - General Frits Loots - as the first commander of 1 Reconnaissance Commando - the first unit founded within the South African Special Forces...
of the South African Special Forces Brigade
South African Special Forces Brigade
The South African Special Forces Brigade is the only Special Forces unit of the South African National Defence Force ....
, it was later under the command of Colonels Gert Nel, Deon Ferreira (nickname Falcon) and Eddie Viljoen, known within the battalion by the nickname of "Big Daddy".
History
After the victory of the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA) in the Angolan Civil WarAngolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonisation conflict had taken...
in 1975, many troops of its main rival, the Frente Nacional de Libertação de Angola (FNLA
National Liberation Front of Angola
The National Front for the Liberation of Angola was a militant organization that fought for Angolan independence from Portugal in the war of independence under the leadership of Holden Roberto. The FNLA became a political party in 1992....
), found refuge in the then South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n-controlled South-West Africa
South West Africa
South-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
.
From these troops, Colonel Jan Breytenbach
Jan Breytenbach
Jan Breytenbach was appointed by the Founder of the South African Special Forces Brigade - General Frits Loots - as the first commander of 1 Reconnaissance Commando - the first unit founded within the South African Special Forces...
together with Commandant Sybie van der Spuy formed a unit that was initially known as Bravo Group but later renamed 32 Battalion. Initially, Bravo Group consisted of two infantry companies, a mortar platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
, an anti-tank section and a machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
platoon, but 32 Battalion was expanded to 6 infantry companies, a recce wing, and a support company consisting of a 81 mm mortars, anti-tank and machine gun sections.
Unlike other SADF units, 32 Battalion was mainly deployed in southern Angola, acting as a buffer between the SADF's regular forces and its enemies. The unit was also used to assist the anti-communist movement of UNITA
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
. Although it was mainly used as a counter-insurgency force it was eventually also used as a semi-conventional force, especially during the later phases of the war - particularly at the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale
Battle of Cuito Cuanavale
The Battle of Cuito Cuanavale in 1987/88 was an important episode in the Angolan Civil War . Between 9 September and 7 October 1987, the Angolan Army , in an attempt to finally subdue the Angolan insurgent movement UNITA in south-eastern Angola, was decisively repelled in a series of battles at the...
. As such, its involvement in the Angolan/Namibian border war was greater than that of any other unit of the SADF and it is claimed that they caused more enemy casualties than any other SADF unit.
The battalion primarily consisted of black Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n soldiers and non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
s (NCOs) led by white South African officers and NCOs, although there were also a number of officers from countries such as the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the unit, especially in its early stages.
After Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n independence in 1989, the unit was withdrawn to South Africa where it was used in the counter-insurgency role and later also in the South African townships
Township (South Africa)
In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites . Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities...
. At the end of its era in Namibia, the unit had developed into a conventional battle group. Apart from the infantry companies and the recce company, the battalion was strengthened by a battery of 120 mm mortars, a squadron of Ratel ZT-3 and 90 mm tank destroyers and a troop of 20 mm anti-aircraft guns mounted on Buffel infantry vehicles. Although the main bulk of the battalion was based at Buffalo on the banks of the Okavango, the HQ was in Rundu, 200 km to the east
The Phola Park Incident
On 8 April 1992 members of 32 Battalion were involved in an incident in Phola Park, GautengGauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
where members of the public were shot and killed. The incident drew widespread criticism, specifically from the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
and prompted the Minister of Defence to request an investigation by the Goldstone
Richard Goldstone
Richard Joseph Goldstone is a South African former judge. After working for 17 years as a commercial lawyer, he was appointed by the South African government to serve on the Transvaal Supreme Court from 1980 to 1989 and the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa from 1990 to 1994...
Commission.
Disbanded
As one of the results of the negotiations between the National PartyNational Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
and the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
, the unit was disbanded in March 1993 and were retired to the town of Pomfret, South Africa
Pomfret, South Africa
Pomfret is a desert town, the site of an old asbestos mine, on the edge of the Kalahari desert in northwest South Africa. It is the administrative centre of Molopo Local Municipality. Many of its inhabitants are former members of 32 Battalion, also known as Buffalo Battalion...
.
Many members of the unit later helped to found or joined private military companies such as Executive Outcomes
Executive Outcomes
Executive Outcomes was a private military company founded in South Africa by former Lieutenant-Colonel of the South African Defence Force Eeben Barlow in 1989. It later became part of the South African-based holding company Strategic Resource Corporation....
and Sandline International
Sandline International
Sandline International was a private military company based in London, established in the early 1990s. It was involved in conflicts in Papua New Guinea in 1997 causing the Sandline affair, in 1998 in Sierra Leone and in Liberia in 2003 Sandline International was a private military company based...
, which ironically fought on the side of the Angolan government against UNITA.
Equatorial Guinea coup
Some of the participants in the alleged 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt
The 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt, also known as the Wonga coup, was an alleged coup attempt against the government of Equatorial Guinea in order to replace President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo with exiled opposition politician Severo Moto, carried out by mercenaries and organised...
were former members of 32 Battalion. Because they were arrested in Zimbabwe, it is not clear whether any of those arrested had full knowledge of their final destination or the alleged coup d'état.
Battle honours
The battalion was one of the most decorated units during the South African Border WarSouth African Border War
The South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
, with a total of 13 Honoris Crux
Honoris Crux
The Honoris Crux Decoration was a South African military decoration that was awarded from 1952 to 2003. There were two distinct versions.-First type:...
medals for bravery awarded to its members, second only to the South African Special Forces Brigade
South African Special Forces Brigade
The South African Special Forces Brigade is the only Special Forces unit of the South African National Defence Force ....
, whose members were awarded 46 Honoris Crux medals during the same period.
- Lieutenant Connie van Wyk
- Sergeant Danny RoxoDanny RoxoStaff Sergeant Francisco Daniel "Danny" Roxo was a legendary Portuguese soldier in Mozambique. Born in Portugal, he moved to Mozambique in 1951, then a Portuguese colony...
- Warrant Officer 2 Willy Ward
- Major Eddie Viljoen
- Lance Corporal Feliciano Costa
- Corporal Eduardo João
- Second Lieutenant Petrus Nel
- Corporal Victor Dracula
- Rifleman Bernardo Domingos
- Major Hannes Nortmann
- Sergeant Rihan Rupping
- Captain Petrus van Zyl - Operation ModularOperation ModularOperation Modular was a military operation by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War. It formed part of what has come to be called the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale....
- Lieutenant Tobias de Vos - Operation ModularOperation ModularOperation Modular was a military operation by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War. It formed part of what has come to be called the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale....
In fiction
In the film Blood DiamondBlood Diamond (film)
Blood Diamond is a 2006 political thriller film co-produced and directed by Edward Zwick and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou...
, Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He has received many awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Aviator , and has been nominated by the Academy Awards, Screen Actors Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television...
's character "Danny Archer" was a former member of 32 Battalion.
See also
- 32 Battalion (Book)32 Battalion (Book)32 Battalion: The Inside Story of South Africa's Elite Fighting Unit is a book written by Piet Nortje. For his entire adult life he had been a soldier. Half of his military career he spent with 32 Battalion. During early 1993 he volunteered to compile the story of 32 Battalion...
- South African Special Forces BrigadeSouth African Special Forces BrigadeThe South African Special Forces Brigade is the only Special Forces unit of the South African National Defence Force ....
("Recces") - List of operations of the South African Border War
- Operation SavannahOperation Savannah (Angola)Operation Savannah was the name given to the South African Defence Force's 1975–1976 covert intervention in the Angolan Civil War.-Background:...
- 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attemptThe 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt, also known as the Wonga coup, was an alleged coup attempt against the government of Equatorial Guinea in order to replace President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo with exiled opposition politician Severo Moto, carried out by mercenaries and organised...