Page 618 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo I

618 XXXIX Congresso della CommIssIone InternazIonale dI storIa mIlItare • CIHm

6. Exercise magersfontein, 1988
The exercise was to train SADF members in joint operations in the run-up to a
planned operation to take the southern Angolan port of Namibe (Operation Handbag)
with Special Forces to be deployed from the new combat support ship, SAS Drakens-
berg, paratroops to be dropped near the town by the SAAF, while Army units were to
22
fight their way up from SWA territory. It was the largest SAN exercise ever, and was
held at and near Walvis Bay. 23
Exercise Magersfontein took place against the background of the negotiations with
regard to ending the conflict in SWA and Angola; as a matter of fact, it is probably not
far-fetched to say that Exercise Magersfontein played a role in convincing the Angolans,
Cubans and allied forces that it was in their interest to negotiate for a settlement. The
SAN in practise demonstrated its ability to take part in joint operations; and successfully
projected power in support of diplomatic efforts. This successful joint exercise was a
huge success – and consequently it was not necessary for the SADF to launch Operation
Handbag (the attack on Namibe).

7. Concluding perspectives
During the war years, 1966 to 1989, the SAN continued to control the seas around
southern Africa, deterred superpowers from intervening from the sea, and enabled the SA
Army (supported by the SAAF) to project its power in areas such as the north of SWA/
Namibia and in Angola. It has to be said that the SAN (and SADF in general) built up an
excellent track record with regard to military achievements in those years – irrespective of
whether one agrees with the policies which underpinned South Africa’s military actions.
The last operational SADF personnel left SWA on 20 June 1989, and on 21 March
24
1990 the territory at long last became independent as Namibia. In the meantime, the
25
Communist regimes in Eastern Europe had collapsed, and soon the USSR would break
up into 15 separate states, while, on the other hand, Germany once again became a unit-
ed country. And in South Africa, the NP lifted the ban on organisations like the African
National Congress (ANC), and freed political prisoners like Dr Nelson Mandela – pav-
ing the way for a negotiated political settlement in the country.
26
By the time the SADF withdrew from SWA/Namibia in 1989, the SAN had about
700 officers and 6 800 ratings; three submarines, nine strike craft, four minehunters,
four minesweepers, one survey ship, two combat support ships, one torpedo recovery/
diving support ship, one small training vessel, two air-sea rescue launches, 28 HBPs,
27
two coastal tugs, one harbour tug, and three small dockyard launches. When the SAN’s
22 Lecture by Brig.-Gen. (rtd) McGill Alexander, military history seminar, Midrand, South Africa, 20 April
2013; Scholtz, pp. 393-395.
23 Navy News 7, December 1988, pp. 12-13.
24 Die Burger, 1 June 1989, p. 23 and 26 June 1989, p. 9.
25 Scholtz, pp. 434-435.
26 H Giliomee and B Mbenga (eds), New history of South Africa (Cape Town, 2007), pp. 393-408.
27 R Sharpe (ed.), Jane’s fighting ships 1989-90 (Coulsdon, 1989), pp. 474-477; Du Toit, pp. 246, 255-256, 258-
261, 296.