Bush War

We find the first SWAPO cadre ever to cross the border with a weapon. A tale is told of the first clash between South African forces and insurgents in Northern Namibia in 1966. Some of those who fought on either side forty years ago, tell their stories. We sketch the background: Harold MacMillan gives his “Winds of Change” speech. Africa wins independence – except in the south. SWAPO is born out of resistance to migrant labour.

While white South Africa supports apartheid against the background of the Cold War and boys of eighteen do not question conscription, Radio Freedom broadcasts a message of freedom to young people in Namibia. They too take up arms, leaving rural Ovamboland to go and train in snow-covered Moscow. A guerrilla war starts. We sketch the two worlds soldiers on opposite sides of the Bush War came from.

An unconventional war demands an unconventional reaction. South Africa founds a unique counter to the guerrilla onslaught. We paint a portrait of the elite soldiers who would become known as the recces. The founder of these units, Jan Breytenbach, and ten others who could never before speak about their work deep in enemy territory, tell their stories.