South African Defence Force

South African Defence Force

• The main objective of this project is to add all profiles of people who served in the South African Defence Force.

South African Defence Force

1. South African Defence Force/Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag
2. Founded 1957
3. Disbanded 1994

Service branches

• South African Army
• South African Navy
• South African Air Force
• South African Medical Service
• Headquarters Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa

Manpower Conscription

• Males between 17–65 years of age (1957–1993)
• Active personnel (1986)
• Domestic suppliers South Africa ARMSCOR
• Foreign suppliers

1. Belgium[4]
2. France[5]
3. Israel[5]
4. Rhodesia (until 1979)
5. Switzerland[9]
6. United Kingdom[10]
7. United States[11]

Related articles

• History Rhodesian Bush War
• South African Border War
• Angolan Civil War
• Mozambican Civil War
• Soweto uprising
• Bophuthatswana coup d'état

The former South African Defence Force base in Outapi, Omusati, Namibia. The South African Defence Force (SADF) comprised the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. Shortly before the state reconstituted itself as a republic in 1961, the former Union Defence Force was officially succeeded by the SADF, which was established by the Defence Act (No. 44) of 1957. The SADF, in turn, was superseded by the South African National Defence Force in 1994.

The SADF was organised to perform a dual mission: to counter possible insurgency in all forms, and to maintain a conventional military arm which could defend the republic's borders, making retaliatory strikes as necessary. As the military expanded during the 1970s, the SADF general staff was organised into six sections — finance, intelligence, logistics, operations, personnel, and planning; uniquely, the South African Medical Service (SAMS) was made co-equal with the South African Army, the South African Navy and the South African Air Force.

The military was mostly composed of white South Africans, who alone were subject to conscription. However, Asians and Coloured citizens with mixed ancestry were eligible to serve as volunteers, several even attaining commissioned rank. Units such as the 32 Battalion incorporated many black volunteers. Conscription was opposed by organisations such as the End Conscription Campaign, but overall, white morale remained high — as indicated by the few recruits tried for serious disciplinary offences.

During apartheid, armed SADF troops were used in quelling opposition to minority rule, often directly supporting the South African Police.[21][22] South African military units were involved in the long-running Mozambican and Angolan civil wars, frequently supporting Pretoria's allies, the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). SADF personnel were also deployed during the related South African Border and Namibian independence conflicts.

Read more : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Defence_Force

• Related projects:
• Pilots of the SAAF South African Air Force
• South African Border War