Page 177 - Conflitti Militari e Popolazioni Civili - Tomo II

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the University of Pretoria or Stellenbosch would be. 14
The affiliation of the Military Academy with the SA Military College and the University
of Pretoria was short-lived. To facilitate joint military academic training for cadets of all
three services, DHQ decided to detach the Military Academy from the SA Military College
and the University of Pretoria with effect from 1 February 1956 and re-establish it as an
independent military unit at Saldanha Bay under the academic trusteeship of Stellenbosch
University. This decision also nipped the agreement with the University of Natal regarding
15
the degree studies of naval cadets in the bud. The first batch of first-year military students
16
enrolled at Stellenbosch University in 1955. In 1961 the Military Academy became a fully-
fledged faculty of Stellenbosch University, the Faculty of Military Science. Under the new
dispensation successful candidates received B Mil degrees in the natural, human and busi-
ness (subsequent management) sciences from Stellenbosch University, while Hons B Mil,
M Mil and D Mil degrees were also instituted in 1961. The doctoral degrees were of no
17
18
consequence, since only one candidate ever enrolled for (and completed) studies at that level.
By the end of 1990 a total of 1 207 candidates had received B Mil degrees, 30 Hons B Mil
degrees and two M Mil degrees. The two decades since 1990 has seen a steep increase in the

14 The University of South Africa (Unisa) was a distance education university and accommodated people of
different races, although apartheid approaches were thoroughly was institutionalised, i.e. “vacation schools”
for white and black people were held separately – those for coloureds, Indians and Black people at the outs-
kirts of Pretoria. Consult M. Boucher. Spes in Arduis: A history of the University of South Africa (Univer-
sity of South Africa Press, Pretoria, 1973), p. 256 – 257. Unisa was not fully a residential university; hence
little enough direct socialization could take place amongst peers and academic seniors. an important part
of officers’ education relies on the role of socialization. South Africa had two contrasting “lines” of tertiary
education in terms of residential universities. On the one hand the traditional English speaking universities,
liberal in its education was found. Amongst these were the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), the Uni-
versity of Cape Town (Ikeys), the University of Natal and the University of Grahamstown (Rhodes). The rise
of Afrikaner Nationalism led to the establishment of Afrikaans universities which were the breeding ground
for Afrikaner Nationalism or Christian-Nationalism. The University of Pretoria, the University of the Orange
Free State, the University of Stellenbosch and the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education
are examples. Racial segregation marked universities and for coloured and black students “ethnic” uni-
versities or so called “Bush Colleges” were established by legislation. By 1970 full university status were
conferred on the black, “coloured” and Indian “bush colleges” despite these institutions being vastly under
funded when compared to the white universities (Horrel, 1982, p 150 – 152). For the education of officers for
the apartheid military one of the Afrikaans universities was the obvious choice. Stellenbosch hence became
the choice.
15 P.S. du toit: Fakulteite sedert 1954 ingestel. in H.B. thom, et al (eds.): Stellenbosch 1866 – 1966: Honderd
Jaar Hoër Onderwys (Cape Town, 1966), pp. 152-154; Anon.: ‘Offisierskursus op Stellenbosch’. Eikestad-
nuus, 21 January 1955, pp. 1, 3.
16 KG K43 L81, CGS/GPT/1/3/1/1 vol. 3, Naval and Marine Chief of Staff – CGS, 31 March 1954.
17 The D Mil was elevated to a post-doctoral degree in 184 and replaced by a PhD in Military Science. (SU
Archives, minutes of the Board of Stellenbosch University 5 November 1983 and 15 September 1984; Mil.
Acad. Archives, minutes of the Faculty Council, Military Science, 23 November 1984.
18 P.S. du toit: Fakulteite sedert 1954 ingestel. in H.B. thom, et al (eds.): Stellenbosch 1866 – 1966: Honderd
Jaar Hoër Onderwys (Cape Town, 1966), pp. 154-156; Statuut van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. In
Republiek van Suid-Afrika: Buitengewone Staatskoerant (Regulasiekoerant No. 16), Goewermentskennis-
gewing No. R.387, 11 Augustus 1961.