Nongqai Vol 13 No 10

PUBLISHER | UITGEWER ..............................................................................................................2

NONGQAI: OORSPRONG & OOGMERKE.....................................................................................3

NONGQAI: ROOTS & GOALS 4

‘N VOORSMAKIE VOLGENDE MAAND.......................................................................................5

NONGQAI SE KANAAL OP YOUTUBE...........................................................................................7

“DIT WAT JY NIE SIEN NIE, BESTAAN WEL” 12

Pastoor Koot Swanepoel............................................................................................................12

VOORWOORD | FOREWORD......................................................................................................13

Hennie Heymans 13

VOORBLAD | FRONT COVER......................................................................................................14

Brig. Hennie Heymans ...............................................................................................................14

POLISIEGESKIEDENIS | POLICE HISTORY 23

TROU TOT DIE DOOD TOE: HOOF VAN DIE VEILIGHEIDSTAK................................................23

Genl JV van der Merwe..............................................................................................................23

OLIFANT , WILDSTROPERY EN IVOORSMOKKEL IN DIE OOSCAPRIVI IN DIE TYDPERK

DESEMBER 1978 TOT DESEMBER 1981....................................................................................26

Kol Wynand Schoeman..............................................................................................................26

FRONTIER ARMED & MOUNTED POLICE: 43

COL HANS GARRETT MOORE, VC.............................................................................................43

DAMAGED MONUMENT: FRONTIER ARMED & MOUNTED POLICE:.......................................44

COL HANS GARRETT MOORE, VC 44

Craig Stuart Brown.....................................................................................................................44

OU SAKBOEKOMSLAG

JP Bester 48

FLINKE OPTREDE; RADIOBEHEER DURBAN............................................................................49

SUIDWES POLISIESTORIES: GROOTSKRIK l 50

Conrad Thalwitzer......................................................................................................................50

GROOTSKRIK ll

Conrad Thalwitzer 52

WAAR IS DIE POLISIE...?.............................................................................................................53

Kol Corrie Prinsloo

1842: STOCKS: REPUBLIC OF NATALIA: PIETERMARITZBURG

c1965: KAPT JH VAN NIEKERK: DK KOKSTAD: BESEER MATATIELE.....................................54

FOTO: HONDE EENHEID: KAAPSTAD 56 ENKELE OU POLISIESTASIES | SOME OLD POLICE STATIONS..............................................57

Durban Borough Police

Durban Gemeente Politie.............................................................57

HQ

ZA Politie

Nongqai Vol 13 No 10

8

• SA Police HQ in Palace of Justice | SA Polisie HK in Paleis van Justisie (ook die Nongqai was hier gesetel) 59

• Compol Building | Kompol gebou 59

• Wachthuis Schoeman Street................................................................................................61

DURBAN: POLICE DOG WALL OF REMEMBERANCE 62

Via Facebook (Sonja du Plooy) 62

1993: Nightshift complaint..............................................................................................................63

Gavin Tischendorf 63

TSHWANE METRO POLISIE: BEREDE EENHEID 64

Foto HBH....................................................................................................................................64

ZARP: KMDT PR OOSTHUIZEN 64 Zetef du Plessis 64

DIE SA POLISIE EN DIE SWART OP SWART GEWELD, 1990 1994.......................................65

Dr Willem Steenkamp 65

POLISIESIELKUNDE: LOOPBAANSTADIA 75

Dr Coert Mommsen....................................................................................................................75

NONGQAI TRUST | IT 002701/2018(T) 81

BOEK TE KOOP: FONDSE TEN BATE VAN NONGQAI TRUST 82

THANK YOU! | DANKIE!................................................................................................................84

GESKIEDENIS SA SPOORWEGPOLISIE 85

SAKE, VERHALE EN STAALTJIES 85

Brig Ronnie Beyl.........................................................................................................................85

• Moord op Mnr. van der Bank 85

• Botsende Belange................................................................................................................85

• Die Berugte “Big Foot” 85

• Die Plaaslike Bevolking se Bydraes 86

• Die Kerkraad Weier..............................................................................................................86

REMINISCENCES OF A RAILWAYS POLICEMAN 87

• Smoking Gun 87

• Sjamboked by the Queen.....................................................................................................87

• College Memory 88

• Police Story: The S.O.S. Taxi Passenger ............................................................................88

FROM MESSENGER TO GENERAL 89

By Sergeant Keal, Servamus January 1987 89

Nagskof, Durbanstasie 1974..........................................................................................................92

Johan van Eck, oud Spoorwegpolisielid 92

Roelf Louw 92

Johan van Eck............................................................................................................................92 Roelf Louw. 93

Fanie Kruger, oud

KRYGSGESKIEDENIS 95

MONUMENT: GEN TIM LUKIN 95

Craig Stuart Brown.....................................................................................................................95

GENERAL SIR HENRY TIMSON LUKIN 96

PHOTO: GEN TIM LUKIN: GARDENS: CAPE TOWN 99

HBH............................................................................................................................................99

ANGLO BOER WAR 100

Jennifer Bosch 100

• Winburg Commando..........................................................................................................100

• Landman Family in Concentration Camp 101

• Gen SG ‘Manie’ Maritz 101

• Commandant WD Fouché..................................................................................................105

• Leo Weinthal, Pretoria News 106

• Ds. HPJ Pasch...................................................................................................................108

• Gen JC Smuts 110

• AC Stark & W Sclater 111

• Ds. P Postma.....................................................................................................................113

• Ds. AP Burger 115

• Ds. D Postma.....................................................................................................................116

GENERAL CHRISTIAAN BOTHA (ABW & ZARP) 117

Iain Hayter 117

KAY MASAKI: ZULU POW: CHAMPION BOXER........................................................................118

Via Albert van Niekerk 118

WAR HORSES AND RE MOUNT DEPOTS (SOUTH AFRICA, 1899 1902) 119

Western Cape Heliograph (Newsletter 23: Aug 2022)..............................................................119

SADF: UNIMOGS 126

Koos de Wet 126

THE SOUTH AFRICAN TIGERCAT/HILDA MOBILE SURFACE TO AIR (SAM) MISSILE SYSTEM 128

Wolfgang Witschas 129

CPL BA FIDLER, HC ...................................................................................................................132

Paul Ferguson via Frans Bedford Visser 132

1947 ROYAL VISIT & DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH 133

Trevor Jordaan.........................................................................................................................133

• Letter from White Train 134

SOUTH AFRICANS’ COMMONWEALTH WAR CASUALTIES BURIED ACROSS THE WORLD PART FIFTY-SIX .........................................................................................................................135

Captain (SAN) Charles Ross (SA Navy Retired) 135

10

Nongqai

•

Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery, Belgium

• Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension, France 136

• Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, France 136

• Strand Military Cemetery Belgium...................................................................................137

• Ismailia War Memorial Cemetery Egypt 137

POLICE INTERNATIONAL..........................................................................................................138

POLICE CHIEF IN CHARGE OF QUEEN'S FUNERAL HAILS OPERATION LONDON BRIDGE AS 'ENORMOUS SUCCESS' AFTER 5,000 OFFICERS FROM ACROSS UK SUPPORTED ROYAL EVENTS IN 10 DAYS OF OFFICIAL MOURNING

Kommentaar deur HBH 140

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION SOUTH AFRICAN BRANCH 141

Frans Bedford-Visser

DEFENCE INTERNATIONAL 142

USS MERRIMACK DIE SKIP WAT NIE WOU STERF NIE 142

Philip Malherbe.........................................................................................................................142

1916: GAS MASK FOR MULE 143

INTELLIGENCE | INTELLIGENSIE 144

DUQUESNE SPY RING

Philip Malherbe 144

1939: DUITSE AMBASSADE: PRETORIA 159 STRATEGY..................................................................................................................................159

VIDEO: GREAT POWER CONFLICT OVER UKRAINE END SEPTEMBER ANALYSIS 159

Dr Willem Steenkamp 159

OM TE KAN BEGIN MET GEAFFILIEERDE BEMARKING,........................................................161 WAT BENODIG MENS? (#4 in reeks) 161

Dr Willem Steenkamp 161

VAN DIE REDAKSIE

• OOGGETUIEVERSLAE VAN TERREURDADE GESOEK 169

FOTO’S 169

HISTORIESE

HUMOR IN UNIFORM

DIE TANDE STOKKIE BREEK IN MY MOND AF 170

Brig Theo Kleynhans................................................................................................................170

LETTERS | BRIEWE....................................................................................................................172

GEDENKUITGAWE: GENL JV VAN DER MERWE 172

TANT MARIÉ SWEETNAM..........................................................................................................174

Oud landdros Danie Marais skryf:................................................................................................175

NAWOORD | AFTERWORD 176

DIT WAT JY NIE SIEN NIE, BESTAAN WEL

Pastoor Koot Swanepoel

Hebreërs 11:1: “Om te glo, is om seker te wees van die dinge wat ons hoop, om oortuig te wees van die dinge wat ons nie sien nie.”

Wat is geloof? Hier is ‘n definisie wat jy in jou geheue kan stoor. Martin Luther het op grond van Heb. 11:1 gesê: “Geloof is om te sien wat jy nie sien nie, en om nie te sien nie, wat jy sien. Dit is om met God se oë te sien.” (Oorgeneem: Die 24/7 Bybel)

Wanneer jy waarlik glo dan weet jy, dat al kan jy nie dit sien nie, is God besig om te werk. Noag, Abraham, Isak en Jakob het die Ou Testament se ererol gehaal omdat hulle God op Sy woord geneem het al kon hulle nie sien waar en hoe Hy besig was om te werk nie. Lees weer, met aandag, die hele Hebreërs 11.

Die Lewende Bybel, vertaal ons teks met: “Wat beteken dit om op God te vertrou? Dit beteken om seker te wees dat die dinge waarna ons uitsien, wel sal gebeur. Dit beteken ook om oortuig te wees dat die dinge wat ons nie kan sien nie, wel daar is.”

Ek weet nie waarvoor vertrou jy die Here nie? Ek weet ook nie deur watter moeilike tye jy nou gaan nie? Maar een ding weet ek dat God nooit slaap nie en dat Hy wakker is om Sy woord te hou. Ek weet ook dat Hy jou in die holte van Sy hand hou en dat jy Sy oogappel is. Kyk dus nie net na die dinge wat jy kan sien nie, maar glo vir dit wat jy nie nou kan sien nie.

Jy is vir die Here baie werd, en Hy het mooi planne vir jou. Vertrou Hom ten volle, al kan jy nou nie oorwinning sien nie. God is aan die werk ook om vir jou te voorsien in jou nood.

VOORWOORD

Hennie Heymans

Goeie dag vriende

Baie welkom by hierdie uitgawe van die Nongqai. Die afsterwe van genl Van der Merwe lê nog vlak in ons geheue. Die van ons wat hom geken het, sal hom mis! Hy was ‘n baie goeie mens gewees iemand wat alles veil gehad het vir die land en sy mense veral sy polisiemanne en -vroue het hom na aan die hart gelê.

Die foto laat my baie terugdink aan die dae toe ek nog ‘n jong konstabel te SAP King’s Rest was. Op oggendskof moes jy die manne op skofte kaserne toe neem en gaan haal. Dan prisoniers hof toe neem en dan konstabel Njawo by Durban tronk met die drie of vier bandiete oplaai. Hy het ook ‘n kierie en ‘n assegaai gehad. So tussen alles deur moes aandag aan klagtes geskenk word. Maar wanneer ons by die stasie gekom het, het konstabel Njawo gesorg vir ‘n vuur onder die bome in die agterplaas en hulle het kos voorberei, pap en vleis of kamboemmielies of wat ookal. Baie keer het ek ook 20c spandeer vir “Boy’s Meat”. Die konstabel het die vleis heerlik in die vlamme gebraai slegs soos die Zoeloes dit kan doen dan het hy dit vir my in repe met sy Okapi mes gesny en growwe sout oorgegooi. Ek het nog nooit weer so ‘n lekker “King’s Rest-steak” geëet nie.

12:00 het die SB kampinspeksie gehou. Ons het gespot en gesê daar is twee lekker “jobs” in die Mag kommissaris en bandietwag! In 1966 het die bosoorlog begin en ons was eintlik vir jare vasgevang in ‘n rewolusionêre oorlog en alles wat daarmee gepaard gaan. Die pos van kommissaris het later baie veeleisend geword!

DIE OPSRAAKWEKKENDE JOY AKEN-MOORD: PINETOWN, 1956

Brig. Hennie Heymans

Een van die moordsake wat my altyd sal bybly, is die moord op Joy Aken, ‘n jong meisie van Pinetown. Sy is op 2 Oktober 1956 as vermis aangemeld. Ek was toe nog ‘n jong seun, maar het baie van die moord gehoor, want dit het groot media opspraak en publieke belangstelling verwek veral onder die vroue geslag (van wie heelparty vas geglo het dat die aantreklike Clarence van Buuren, die beskuldigde, onskuldig vervolg word) Hordes belangstellendes het buite die Hooggeregshof in Durban tou gestaan vir ‘n plekkie binne die hof.

Ek onthou dit alles helder, tot vandag toe, al was ek toe net ‘n jong seun wat die sage met groot belangstelling in die koerante gevolg het.

Na haar verdwyning het die polisie vir etlike dae bont gestaan onder intense media-druk, terwyl landwyd vrugteloos gesoek is na die verdagte sonder idee van wat presies rondom die verdwyning gebeur het, waar sy (of dan haar lyk) mag wees, of waar in die wye land Van Buuren (die laaste persoon met wie sy saam gesien is, toe hy vir haar ‘n ritjie aangebied gehad het van haar kantoor in Durban na haar huis in Pinetown) hom mag bevind het.

Ek was nie die enigste jongeling om destyds só deur dié saak geboei te word nie. ‘n Tydgenoot (wat later advokaat sou word in Durban, en ook skrywer van formaat), dr Chris Marnewick, het ewe intens belang gestel ‘n blywende belangstelling, sodat hy ‘n paar jaar gelede dié beroemde moordsaak noukeurig nagevors en te boek gestel het. Met vergunning plaas ons verder aan hieronder ‘n uittreksel uit die boek.

Met die oplos van die raaisel wat bly talm het en die media wat druk, is die ondersoek vervolgens hertoegewys aan ‘n toe nog baie jong speurder sersant van Durban (later genl maj) Frans Steenkamp. Wat vir Marnewick veral getref het, was dat Frans Steenkamp toe, met puik speurwerk, die saak binne 29 uur en 5 minute opgelos het (Marnewick het die ondersoek-dagboek en dossier vir sy navorsing beskikbaar gehad, sodat hy tot op die minuut presies kon bereken wanneer die saak aan generaal Steenkamp toevertrou is, en wanneer die oplossing daarvan in die ondersoekdagboek aangeteken is).

Clarence Gordon van Buuren is deur speurder-sersant Frans Steenkamp gelokaliseer en deur hom en sers Hennie van Dyk by Pinetown gearresteer (Hennie van Dyk was ‘n kranige provinsiale rugbyspeler as Natal flank; dis hy wat ‘n gewapende Van Buuren in die weghardloop ingehaal en plat-geduik het).

Die verdagte is toe te Durban Sentraal toegesluit, waar my Vader op daardie dag aanklagkantoordiens verrig het. Daar was baie nuuskieriges wat wou sien hoe Van Buuren lyk. My Vader het ‘n ietwat ligsinnige opmerking gemaak – hy het nl. grappenderwys gesê dat die aanwesige nuuskieriges 3d moes betaal om deur die loergaatjie na Van Buuren te kyk. Al het niks van so ‘n aard gebeur nie, het Van Buuren hierdie beweerde “skending van sy privaat heid” gerapporteer.

Ek het die hof verrigtinge rondom die moordsaak in die koerante aandagtig bly volg. Ondanks al sy slimpraatjies (hy het gereeld sy storie verander), is Van Buuren deur die destydse regter president skuldig gevind, en ter dood veroordeel. Die prokureur generaal het self aangekla so belangrik is die saak destyds geag.

Tydens sy uitspraak, het die regter president spesiaal melding gemaak daarvan dat hierdie, in sy lang ervaring op die bank, die besondersoekte en bes presenteerde saak was wat hy nog ooit teengekom het, en het hy versoek dat sy waardering opgeteken en aan die ondersoekbeampte oorgedra word (sien destydse paspoort-foto van speurder sersant Steenkamp hiernaas).

Die dag toe

Van Buuren gehang is, onthou ek goed. Die dag was 10 Junie 1957. Ons kinders by die skool het gesê dit sou 11:00 plaasvind. Een outjie het gesê dat sy horlosie presies op 11:00 gaan staan het en dat dit glo sou beteken het dat Van Buuren onskuldig was!

Min kon ek toe weet hoe my eie paadjie

later met dié van genl Steenkamp sou kruis...

Veiligheidstak in Afdeling Port Natal, waar Frans Steenkamp, toe kolonel, my afdelingsbevelvoerder was. Later jare, in Pretoria toe genl maj Steenkamp die bevelvoerder was van die Veiligheidstak was dit hy wat my versoek het om die SAP te gaan verteenwoordig op die Sekretariaat van die Staatsveiligheidsraad.

Die eerste fase daarvan was by die

Toe generaal Steenkamp later, as afgetredene, spesiale konsultasie-werk gedoen het vanuit Wachthuis, was sy kantoor regoor myne. Ek was toe verbonde aan die Nodale Punt. Ons kantore was op die derde vloer te hoofkantoor. Ons het oor die saak gepraat (hyself het, ondanks al die destydse media-belangstelling, nooit met die koerante oor die saak gepraat nie – sy standpunt was dat hy bloot sy werk gedoen het, en nie publisiteit soek nie). Miskien deels as gevolg van sy stilswye teenoor die pers, het die moord verhaal gou allerlei sterte begin kry die bekendste waarvan was dat ‘n sg. “siener”, ene Palmer, die lyk in ‘n duiker onder die ou Suidkus pad naby Umtwalumi sou “uitgewys” het...

Nou vir ‘n verdere toevallige kruis van paaie: vandag het ek, as my mede redakteur van NONGQAI, die oudste seun van generaal Steenkamp oud ambassadeur, prokureur en ex NI ontleder, dr Willem Steenkamp. Hy’s so amper ‘n dekade jonger as ek; ons het beide in Durban grootgeword en aan dieselfde skool daar (Hoërskool Dirkie Uys) matrikuleer. Toe ek onlangs bietjie weer ondersoek gedoen het oor dié opspraakwekkende moordsaak, het ek hom gevra vir sy herinneringe oor die storie omtrent die “siener” se beweerde rol. Hier is wat Willem vir my geskryf het:

Beste Brig Hennie soos versoek:

Ek was maar ‘n tjokker van so drie jaar oud toe my vader (synde toe nog ‘n baie, baie jong speurder sersant) die ondersoekbeampte gemaak is in die opspraakwekkende Aken-moordsaak, na die aanvanklike span nie merkbare vordering kon wys nie. Die media belangstelling was enorm, en daar was dus groot druk op die Polisie om die meisie te vind of dan haar oorskot, sou sy vermoor gewees het (soos wat vermoed is) en bygevolg dan haar moordenaar te identifiseer en aan te keer.

Adv. Chris Marnewick se puik boek oor wat bekend geword het as die “Van Buuren-saak” sit die hele ondersoek proses uiteen, met leidrade bestaande slegs maar uit omstandigheidsgetuienis en ‘n verdagte so slim soos die houtjie van die galg. Ek gaan dit dus nie alles herhaal nie behalwe om (baie trots) te noem hoe Marnewick bereken het dat my Pa die saak in effek binne 29 uur en vyf minute na dit aan hom toegewys is, opgelos het (Marnewick het dit bereken aan die hand van die inskrywings in my Pa se ondersoek-dagboek).

Waar die vorige ondersoek span letterlik oor die hele land heen gesoek het, het my vader deur skoensool speurwerk en logiese analise binne daardie kort tydsverloop kon bepaal waar die lyk gevind sou word. Dit was so halfpad tussen Durban en Port Edward, naby Umtwalumi (Mtwalume) op die ou Suidkus-pad. Hy het dus ‘n groot soekgeselskap van polisiemanne byeen gekry om die betrokke area te fynkam, en het die Aken familie dienooreenkomstig ingelig. Joy Aken se broer wou meedoen. Hulle buurman, die skool hoof Palmer (wat toe sou ontpop as die “siener”) het homself toe by die Aken’s aangesluit. Hulle het die familie se skoot hondjie, wat Joy se reuk natuurlik goed geken het, saamgebring. Die soekgeselskap is in twee gedeel, en het die aangeduide area van weerskante begin deurwerk, met veral aandag aan die duikers onder die pad deur, omrede my pa vermoed het dat die lyk in een versteek was. Toe die twee soek groepe amper by mekaar uitgekom het, hol die hondjie meteens vooruit, verdwyn juis by so ‘n duiker in, en begin toe verskriklik te blaf.

Dis die hondjie wat die lyk “gevind” het, en die sg. “siener” het niks daarmee te make gehad nie die Polisie het tog reeds baie duidelik bepaal gehad waar om te soek, en meneer “siener” het bloot as buurman betrokke geraak. Hy kon egter met sy stories wegkom, omrede my Pa (wat nooit ‘n publisiteit soeker was nie) volstrek geweier het om by die media sirkus rondom die saak betrokke te raak en dus nie aan die joernaliste se versoeke vir kommentaar voldoen het nie.

Toe ek later as jong knaap begin besef het hoe belangrik die saak in werklikheid was (in terme van die oorweldigende publieke en media belangstelling wat dit gaande gemaak het) het ek vir my Pa gevra om my te wys waar presies die liggaam gevind is (ons gunsteling kuierplek met die karavaan, was die Polisie-oord by Port Edward, en ons het dus male sonder tal daardie roete met die ou Suidkus pad langs gery). Dit het ‘n ritueel geword tussen my Pa en myself, wanneer ons daardie

bepaalde punt genader het, dat ek as knapie so tussen die twee voorste sitplekke deur-geleun het, beduidende en met die refrein: “Dis mos hier waar die hondjie vir die meisie gekry het, né Pa!? Die hondjie, nie die ou siener nie!?” Hy het dan altyd met ‘n glimlag bevestig ja, dit was die hondjie, nie die siener nie. Uiteraard was dit die speurder wat uitgewerk het waar gesoek moes word, wat eintlik die een was wat haar liggaam se opsporing moontlik gemaak het.

Van Buuren is ter dood veroordeel, deur die destyds Regter President, wat self die saak aangehoor het. Die Prokureur Generaal het persoonlik aangekla. By afsluiting, het die Regter President, wat ‘n baie ervare regsman was, spesiaal gevra dat die PG die hof se waardering oordra vir wat die RP die bes ondersoekte saak genoem het wat nog ooit voor hom gedien het.

Chris Marnewick se boek is beslis die moeite werd om te lees benewens die joernalistieke bronne wat hy opgespoor het, het ek vir hom die volledige saak dossier sowel as my Pa se ondersoek dagboekie (wat my Pa aan my nagelaat het) beskikbaar gemaak.

Vriendelike groete

Willem

Hier volg nou advokaat Chris Marnewick se hoofstuk oor generaal Steenkamp (ons het foto’s en dokumente uit die dossier en die Steenkamp familie album bygevoeg).

Oorgeneem uit “Clarence van Buuren die man agter die donkerbril” deur Chris Marnewick

Hoofstuk 64: Frans Steenkamp

Frans Steenkamp was beskore om tot die hoogste range in die polisiemag te vorder. Sy ondersoek in die Van Buuren saak getuig van intelligensie, toewyding, deursettingsvermoë, insig en onbevange oordeel. Daar is geen sweempie van oordeel of vooroordeel nie. Dieselfde kan van sy getuienis gesê word. Daar was nêrens ‘n fout, ‘n tekortkoming of ‘n weerspreking nie. En wat hy in sy getuienis gesê het, is in ooreenstemming met dit wat in die polisiedossier verskyn. Selfs Van Buuren en sy advokaat het vir hom groot respek gehad, Van Buuren se benoude aanvalle op die polisie nieteenstaande.

Kortom, Frans Steenkamp was professioneel. ‘n Man wat op ‘n slegte dag nog steeds ‘n goeie werkstuk kon lewer. Met die land se oë op hom en die pers wat vra vir oplossings het hy dit losgeknoop binne 29 uur en 5 minute nadat hy die spartelende ondersoek oorgeneem het. Wat onder die omstandighede buitengewoon is, is die volgende: In die tientalle, nee, maklik honderd artikels wat oor die jare verskyn het waarin “siener” Nelson Palmer die krediet gegee is vir die oplossing van die saak, is daar nooit eers een maal na Frans Steenkamp verwys nie. Niemand het hom ooit gevra om kommentaar te lewer op Palmer se self dienende aansprake nie en hy het self nie kommentaar aangebied nie.

Ondersoekdagboek

4.30pm.

5/10/56 Ontvang dossier vir verdere ondersoek.

F M A Steenkamp S/Sers.

Ondersoekdagboek

9.35pm.

6/10/56 Dit blyk uit die verdagte se optrede en bewegings by die hotel op 3/10/56 dat iets in daardie omgewing moes gebeur het. Ek het dus vir Kapt. Howell genader en hom versoek om te reël dat ’n aantal naturelle speurders ons môre vergesel na die Umtwalumi area om ’n soektog te loods en om navrae te doen onder die plaaslike naturelle ens.

F M A Steenkamp S/Sers. Ondersoekdagboek 1pm.

7/10/56 S/Sers. Grobler rapporteer dat van Mej. Aken se klere by Umtwalumi gevond is.

F M A Steenkamp S/Sers.

Om uit te vind wie die Frans Steenkamp was wat as jong speurder sersant die saak so vinnig opgelos het, en so min belangstelling getoon het in die roem wat hom sou toekom vir sy sukses, moes ek by sy familie gaan aanklop. Wat ek daar uitgevind het, en wat uit amptelike bronne bevestig kan word, is die volgende:

François Michiel Alexander Steenkamp kom uit ‘n geslag van Steenkamps uit wat nog altyd hulle eie koppe gevolg het. Hy is op 4 April 1929 inWakkerstroom gebore en stam af van die oorspronklike Steenkamp Jan Harm aan wie die plaas Het Slot in die Drakenstein in 1714 deur die goewerneur toegeken is. Vandaar af het die Steenkamps noord en wes getrek en uiteindelik in die area tussen Calvinia en Sutherland tot ruste gekom, waar hulle bure in die distrik die Louws was. Die Louws soos in N P van Wyk Louw en W E G Louw.

Nou, skielik, verstaan ek die boeke op mevrou Maxie Steenkamp se boekrakke. Die Louws. Opperman. En ander groot geeste van die Afrikaanse letterkunde.

Frans Steenkamp se oupa Casper was inderdaad getroud met een van daardie Louws, Harriet Sophia, maar sy ouma en oupa is vroeg oorlede en Frans se pa het by ‘n oom, Dr W P Steenkamp grootgeword. Ou Dok, soos hy bekend was, was die eerste persoon ooit wat ‘n doktorale tesis in Afrikaans geskryf het. In die Teologie, by die Rijksuniversiteit van Leiden. Hy was eers ‘n predikant, maar na die Anglo Boereoorlog, waartydens hy deur die Britse Magte geïnterneer is omdat hulle vermoed het dat hy met die Boeremagte geheul het, het hy in die VSA as mediese dokter gekwalifiseer. Ou Dok was later ‘n verkose lid van die Parlement (hy het sy setel as onafhanklike kandidaat gewen) waar hy gou bekendheid verwerf het as ‘n vrydenker wat sy eie idees gevolg het eerder as om ander na te volg. Ondanks sy Engelse bajonet wond, het hy byvoorbeeld gestem dat Suid Afrika tot die 2e Wêreld oorlog toetree omdat hy dit as ‘n morele imperatief gesien het dat Adolf Hitler en sy ideologie gestop moet word.

Frans het sy vroeë jeugjare op ‘n plaas buite Eshowe deurgemaak, waar hy Zoeloe vlot leer praat het. Min sou hy weet dat die vrou met wie hy sou trou op dieselfde tydstip op ‘n plaasbuite Newcastle ewe vlot Zoeloe sou leer.

Dit moes van Ou Dok Steenkamp gewees het wat Frans die lus om universiteit toe te gaan en medies te studeer geërf het, maar dit was hom nie beskore nie. Die oorlog het tussenbeide getree, en dit was moeilike tye. Frans se pa was ‘n vee inspekteur en het dadelik by die weermag aangesluit toe die oorlog uitbreek. So ook Frans se ouer broer Casper. Die Steenkamp gesin het op daardie stadium in Durban gewoon, en op ‘n dag het Frans saam met sy pa kerk toe gegaan. Sy pa was in uniform, en die NG predikant het hulle uit die kerk uitgejaag, klaarblyklik omdat enige soldaat wat teen Hitler die stryd aangesê het nie in sy kerk welkom was nie. Die vernedering het ‘n onuitwisbare indruk op die jonge Frans Steenkamp gemaak. Hy was self te jonk om aan te sluit, maar hy het ‘n

hekel in self-aangestelde gesagsfigure ontwikkel wat hom sy lewe lank, soos sy groot-oom Ou Dok, ‘n vrydenker gemaak het. Iemand wat sy eie kop gevolg het wanneer hy oortuig was van sy saak. Soveel so, dat een van sy kollegas later van hom sou sê dat sy voorletters, F M A S, staan vir Fight Met Almal Steenkamp.

Gedurende die vroeë oorlogsjare was Frans op skool by Port Natal Hoërskool in Durban toe hy skielik besluit het om by die polisie aan te sluit. Dit het so gebeur: Frans wou eintlik ‘n dokter of ‘n ingenieur word, maar op die eerste dag van skool in Standerd 9 vind hy dat hy nie geld het vir die skoolboeke wat hy daardie jaar sou moes gebruik nie. Hy was te trots om by die skool te gaan vra vir ‘n beurs en het toe oornag die skool verlaat. Frans was lief om met elektriese apparaat te peuter en het selfs sy eie eksperimentele apparate opgestel, wat hy telkens onder sy bed moes gaan wegsteek sodat sy jonger boetie Daantjie dit nie in die hande kon kry nie. Toe die Steenkamps twee loseerders ingeneem het, het hulle stoof gereeld die gees gegee net as Frans se ma die aandete moes voorberei. Dan het hulle altyd vir Frans gaan soek om die herstelwerk te doen. Omdat Frans nog nie 17 jaar oud was nie hy sou eers op 4 April 1946 sewentien word moes hy kreatief wees met sy ouderdom om by die polisie te kon aansluit, maar het sommer uit die staanspoor uit briljante uitslae in die akademiese en praktiese eksamens behaal. Selfs die matriekeksamen, wat hy later deur ‘n korrespondensie kursus afgelê het, het hy met vyf onderskeidings geslaag.

Frans se eerste pos as konstabel was op Newcastle, waar hy vir Maxie ontmoet het. Sy was nie net ‘n besondere mooi meisie nie, maar ook ‘n goeie atleet en was ewe tuis op die tennisbaan en hokkievelde. Frans het niemand op Newcastle geken nie en het by ‘n ander polisieman Sersant Davidson en sy vrou geloseer. Een dag staan Frans en Sersant Davidson buite by die hek toe Maxie in haar skooluniform met ‘n fiets daar verbyry na haar ouers se kant toe.

‘Ek gaan met daardie meisie trou,’ sê Frans toe.

‘O, ken jy haar?’ vra die sersant.

‘Nog nie,’ antwoord Frans.

Daar was kort daarna ‘n spesiale kerkdiens op oujaarsaand en Maxie se ma het haar toe oor die eensame polisiekonstabel ontferm en vir Frans uitgenooi om die volgende dag by hulle te kom tee drink. Dit blyk toe dat Maxie lief is vir dans en saam met die ander meisies by die skool se koshuis oefen. Nie lank nadat hy hiervan hoor nie, neem Frans Steenkamp ‘n week verlof om by sy broer in Durban te kom kuier. By sy terugkeer nooi hy Maxie uit om saam met hom na ‘n dans toe te gaan. Eers toe sy hom uitvra oor waar hy al die passies geleer het, kom sy agter dat hy daardie week toe hy veronderstel was om by sy broer te kuier hy klasse by ‘n bekende dansskool bygewoon het.

Maxie was die eerste en enigste liefde van sy lewe, maar die polisie het dit nie vir hom maklik gemaak nie. Kort nadat hy op haar verlief geraak het, is hy verplaas Dannhauser toe, ‘n afstand van so 20 myl, oftewel 30 kilometer, van Newcastle af. Hy moes van toe af fietsry om by Maxie te gaan kuier, en dit was opdraande met die Ingagane Pas op. Nog later moes hy Maxie oorreed om met hom te trou eerder as om haar kollege studies te voltooi. Hulle seun Willem is in 1953 gebore.

‘n Foto wat ‘n straatfotograaf toentertyd van Frans Steenkamp geneem het wys ‘n slanke man geklee in ‘n deftige maar ligte pak en ‘n nou das wat reg sit. Een hand in die sak. Hy stap met mening, net kort van die formele marsjeer van ‘n soldaat of ‘n polisieman in uniform. Hare netjies met ‘n paadjie aan die kant. ‘Frans was gesteld op sy voorkoms,’ sê tannie Maxie vir my, ‘en hy het net een fisiese gebrek gehad. Hy het een keer ‘n aap wat ons by ons huis verpes het met ‘n windbuks probeer afskrik en toe amper sy eie vinger afgeskiet. Hy het daardie letsel vir die res van sy lewe gedra,’ sê sy met ‘n skuldige glimlag, soos diè van een wat skinder by ‘n vreemdeling.

‘En hy het een groot swakheid gehad. Hy kon nie ophou rook nie. Hy was een keer vir 24 dae in die hoë sorgeenheid van die hospitaal en kon nie daar rook nie. Toe vra hy vir my om vir hom ‘n pakkie Lexingtons te bring. Ek het geweier want ek het gedink hy het nou genoeg tyd gehad om van die nikotien gespeen te raak, maar toe ek die volgende dag daar kom, lê daar ‘n pakkie in die laai van die bedkassie. Hy het ‘n senior offisier wat hom kom besoek het gestuur om dit te gaan koop. En toe is hy met drup en al uit op die stoepe om daar te gaan rook!’

Dr Willem Steenkamp onthou sy pa as ‘n polisieman wat nie daarvan gehou het om ‘n uniform te dra nie. Weer daardie dwarstrekkerige streep wat in die familie loop. Die Steenkamps is nie saamlopers nie. Die formele aandpak wat Frans van tyd tot tyd moes dra het hy ‘n bobbejaanpak genoem. So asof net bobbejane so almal dieselfde lyk en dink. Frans Steenkamp was ook ‘n man wat nie geweld verduur het nie, veral nie teenoor vrouens nie. Willem onthou dat hy net een keer by sy pa slae gekry het, en dit was toe hy, Willem, so 6 jaar oud was en sy ma met ‘n kettie op die boud geskiet het. En dit was ‘n kettie wat sy pa vir hom gemaak het, wat sy pa op ‘n manier ‘n medepligtige gemaak het.

Sy pa was hardwerkend, onthou Willem, baie hardwerkend. Die Joy Aken dossier wys dit ook. Twee van die groot deurbrake in die saak het Frans Steenkamp op Sondae bewerkstellig. Op Sondag 7 Oktober 1956 het Frans Steenkamp douvoordag die soekgeselskap by Mtwalume georganiseer wat reeds voor middagete Joy se rok en broekie gevind het, asook haar breisak, Van Buuren se das en die plek waar hy sy klere probeer verbrand het. Frans het eers na middernag by die huis gekom. Die ander deurbraak het ook op ‘n Sondag gekom toe die verhoor reeds ver gevorder het. Hy het op Saterdag 16 Februarie 1957 saam met Lorraine Burford en haar pa by die plek op die skoolterrein waar Van Buuren skyfgeskiet het gesoek vir koeëls wat uit Van Buuren se .22 Beretta gevuur is, maar al wat hulle gevind het was ‘n aantal loodkoeëls. Die volgende dag, Sondag 17 Februarie 1957, was hy weer daar, hierdie keer saam met Giuseppe Indelicato. By hierdie geleentheid vind hulle 13 .22 koeëls wat met koper beslaan is en 11 .22 doppies gestempel met die handelsnaam Western Super X. Die volgende dag was Indelicato se verklaring reeds netjies getik in die dossier.

Frans en Maxie Steenkamp se dogter Estelle is op 13 Februarie 1957 gebore, op die derde dag van die moord verhoor. Maxie en die baba was in die Women’s Hospital in Greyville, en na die dag se hofverrigtinge en die verdere ondersoek wat hy moes doen, het Frans sy vrou en sy baba elke aand daar gaan besoek. Maxie onthou goed dat hy telkens in die besoekerstoel aan die slaap geraak het. So het dit vir ‘n week aangegaan en Maxie en die baba het eers uit die hospitaal uitgekom nadat Frans ook sy getuienis afgelê het op 18 en 19 Februarie. Selfs die naweek van 16 en 17 Februarie toe Frans Steenkamp met goeie reg sou kon vra vir ander om saam met die Burfords en Indelicato in die grondwalle te gaan rondkrap vir .22 koeëls sodat hy tyd saam met sy familie kon deurbring, het hy self die ondersoek behartig.

Frans Steenkamp het ook nie met die media geheul nie. Tydens die Van Buuren verhoor moes die koerantmanne gebars het van nuuskierigheid om sy weergawe te hoor, maar daar is geen aanduidings in die talle uitknipsels in Gehri Strauss se tas of in Die Landstem dat Steenkamp ooit ‘n personderhoud toegestaan het nie. ‘Ek doen net my werk,’ het hy volgens Willem altyd gesê as hulle hom uitgevra het. Drie voorvalle uit Frans Steenkamp se verlede en ook die Indelicato insident kleur sy karakter in. In sy boek The Unlikely Secret Agent skryf Ronnie Kasrils oor die behandeling wat sy vrou Eleanor toe nog sy verloofde in 1963 van die veiligheidspolisie in Durban ontvang het toe hulle na Kasrils gesoek het omdat hy van sabotasiebedrywighede verdink was. ’n Polisieman by name Grobler het volgens Eleanor haar met growwe seksuele aanmerkings geteister en haar ook fisies aangerand. Sy dreig toe om op ’n hongerstaking te gaan, wat Grobler hom nog verder aan haar laat vergryp het. Sy kla dat hy haar gegryp en geskud het, haar hare getrek het en haar gewurg het. Die volgende dag is daar ’n senior polisieman teenwoordig, Majoor Frans Steenkamp. Sy kla toe by hom oor Grobler se gedrag.

Steenkamp sê toe vir haar, ‘Ek vra om verskoning vir enige onsedelike vrae; dit sal nie gebeur nie. En daar sal ook nie hardhandigheid wees nie. Maar verstaan dit goed; jy word verbind met gewelddadige aksie teen die staat, opstandige optrede, en soos ek jou reeds gesê het, het ons goeie rede om die saak kaalvuis te benader.’

Hy steek ook vir haar ’n preek af oor die hongerstaking waarmee sy dreig. ‘Dame, om nie te eet nie doen niemand behalwe jouself skade nie, en ek raai jou ten sterkste aan om dit nie te doen nie. Ek sal nie daarvan hou om jou te sien met ’n voedingsbuis in jou keel nie.’

Kasrils se kommentaar op Frans Steenkamp se tussenkoms was dat dit duidelik was dat Steenkamp van hoër status as Grobler en die ander was, en dat dit duidelik was dat die staat begin het om sy top speurders te ontplooi om die groeiende sabotasieveldtog die hoof te bied.

Frans het later as Generaal Steenkamp hoof van die Veiligheidspolisie geword. En dit sonder om ooit ‘n lid van die Broederbond te wees. Hy het ‘n afsku gehad in sulke organisasies en die dogma van die politiek en die Kerk het hom ook nie juis veel aangestaan nie. By die geleentheid van sy vroeë aftrede op 55-jarige ouderdom hy kon maar net nie met PW Botha se beleid en praktyke saamstem nie het die Minister van Polisie, Louis ‘As jy ‘n klip gooi skiet ons jou’ le Grange, vertel dat Frans Steenkamp die enigste polisieman was wat ooit die durf gehad het om vir hom te sê, ‘Minister, nou praat jy kak!’

By ‘n vorige geleentheid toe hy nog in die tuig was - het dit vir Generaal Steenkamp geblyk dat daar hoë stemme was wat sou verkies dat die vloot kommodoor Dieter Gerhardt, wat vir die Russe gespioeneer het, by sy aankoms in Suid Afrika onder begeleiding van die FBI ‘verdwyn’ sou word. Dit sou dan die land en die weermag waarvoor PW Botha so lief was die verleentheid van ‘n openbare verhoor spaar. Eerder as om anderkant toe te kyk, het Steenkamp ‘n senior polisieman gestuur om persoonlik vir Gerhardt op die vliegtuig van die Amerikaners te ontvang en seker te maak dat hy lewendig in die polisieselle geplaas word en veilig daar aangehou word totdat hy vir hoogverraad verhoor kon word.

‘n Jaar na sy aftrede, in 1986, toe die land aan die brand was met onluste en noodtoestande, het die kabinet vir Frans Steenkamp gevra om as ‘n konsultant advies oor die veiligheidsituasie in die land te lewer. Wat hy daar vir hulle in sy memorandum geskryf het, het menige van die ‘totale aanslag brigade’, soos hy hulle genoem het, dwars in die krop gesteek. Die “dun blou lyn” kan nie ewig uithou nie. Dis die politici se plig en verantwoordelikheid om ‘n oplossing te vind, nie die veilgheidsmagte s’n nie. Onderhandel nou met die leiers van die swart gemeenskap, het hy geskryf, terwyl julle nog kan onderhandel uit ‘n posisie van mag. En onthou dat die stryd van swart mense vir hulle vryheid in wese nie verskil van die stryd van die Afrikaner vir sy vryheid nie.

Die oënskynlik onskuldige toneel by die hof die dag nadat hy die doppies en koperbeslane koeëls saam met getuie Indelicato by Van Buuren se skyfskietplek gevind het, vertel tog iets oor Frans Steenkamp se sin vir regverdigheid. Menige advokaat of prokureur is al by ‘n verhoor verras met sulke nuwe getuienis. En dan sit daar ‘n ondersoekbeampte met ‘n grynslag op sy gesig en kyk hoe die verdediging spartel om te herstel van die onverwagse hou uit ‘n sydelingse oord. Nie Frans Steenkamp nie. Sy morele oortuiging, sy gevoel van wat reg en verkeerd was, het hom laat besef dat hy die blootlegging so gou as moontlik aan die verdediging bekend moes maak. Die feit is egter, dat hy nie van regsweë verplig was om die mededeling aan die verdediging te maak nie. En tog het hy dit dadelik gedoen.

Soos dit vir my lyk, was Frans Steenkamp ‘n man wat op ‘n slegte dag nog steeds goeie werk gelewer het. ‘n Man wat nooit sy eie beuel geblaas het nie en wat publisiteit vermy het.

POLISIEGESKIEDENIS | POLICE HISTORY

TROU TOT DIE DOOD TOE: HOOF VAN DIE VEILIGHEIDSTAK

Genl JV van der Merwe

EK het op 1 Januarie 1986 hoof van die veiligheidstak van die SA Polisiemag geword. Die hoofkantoor van die veiligheidstak was in Wachthuis in die middestad van Pretoria, waar die kommissaris en sy personeel gehuisves is.

Al die hoofde van die verskillende afdelings in die veiligheidstak het elke oggend in Wachthuis bymekaar gekom om alle inligting wat die veiligheidsituasie beïnvloed, te oorweeg en ʼn geheelbeeld van die bedreiging saam te stel. ʼn Verteenwoordiger van die Nasionale Intelligensiediens, Afdeling Militêre Inligting van die Weermag en die veiligheidstak van die Spoorwegpolisie het ook die byeenkoms bygewoon en hul inligting oorgedra. Die byeenkoms het die naam Sanhedrin gekry en was die hartslag van die veiligheidstakke.

Ná die Sanhedrin is ʼn veiligheidsoorsig opgestel en landwyd aan al die takke versprei. Só is alle lede van die veiligheidstakke volledig ingelig oor alle wesenlike bedreigings waarmee rekening gehou moes word.

Die Sanhedrin is ingestel deur genl. Hendrik van den Bergh nadat hy aan die begin van 1963 hoof van die veiligheidstak geword het.

ʼn Nasionale noodtoestand is op 12 Junie 1986 afgekondig en het van krag gebly tot 1990. Duisende aktiviste is ingevolge die Noodregulasies aangehou en lede van die veiligheidstak het letterlik dag en nag gewerk om die bedreiging af te weer. Ek het hulle dit telkens op die hart gedruk dat hulle seker moet maak van hul inligting voor hulle enigiemand aanhou. Om iemand aan te hou wat nie by opruiende bedrywighede betrokke was nie, het bloot daartoe gelei dat daardie persoon en sy familie agterna baie vyandig teenoor die polisie en die owerhede was en ons taak bemoeilik het.

Die familielede van mense wat aangehou is, het in verskeie gevalle die Hooggeregshof genader om die aanhouding onwettig te verklaar. Ons moes telkens redes aanvoer waarom die aanhouding nodig is. Aanhoudings het in noue oorlegpleging met ons regsafdeling geskied en ons het alles moontlik gedoen om te verseker dat daar grondige redes was.

Nadat die ANC in 1994 aan die bewind gekom en sy ondersteuners hul ware kleure getoon het, het dit duidelik geblyk dat feitlik al die mense wat ons aangehou het, wel daadwerklik die ANC se belange bevorder het.

Mnr. Kobie Coetsee, Minister van Justisie, het volgehou dat Suid Afrika in ʼn ernstige krisis sou beland as mnr. Nelson Mandela in aanhouding sterf. Op 3 Maart 1986 het die Staatsveiligheidsraad ʼn komitee saamgestel om al die voor en nadele van mnr. Mandela se vrylating te oorweeg. Die komitee het bestaan uit die direkteurs generaal van Justisie, Buitelandse Sake, die Nasionale Intelligensiediens, die Kommissaris van Polisie, die Kommissaris van Korrektiewe Dienste en die sekretaris van die Staatsveiligheidsraad.

Die veiligheidstak het by monde van die Kommissaris van Polisie by sy standpunt gebly dat mnr. Mandela se vrylating die land in ’n chaos sou dompel as hy hom nie distansieer van die ANC/SAKP alliansie se oogmerk om die Regering met geweld omver te werp nie. Mnr. Mandela was ʼn dinamiese mens met ’n groot aanhang onder swartmense. Hulle sou hom slaafs volg. Hy het tydens sy 26 jaar in die gevangenis die ANC/SAKP alliansie onwrikbaar bly steun en sou ná sy vrylating beslis hul doelstellings bevorder. As hy vrygelaat sou word terwyl die ANC en die SAKP nog onwettige organisasies is, sou hy spoedig daarna weer vervolg moes word. Dit kon rampspoedige gevolge hê.

Die Staatsveiligheidsraad het ná oorweging van al die standpunte besluit dat solank mnr. Mandela die gewelddadige omverwerping van die Regering steun, sy vrylating nie oorweeg kan word nie.

Mnr. Louis le Grange, Minister van Polisie (wat later Wet en Orde geword het), was in wese ʼn diep Christelike mens wat soos ons almal vasgevang geraak het in ʼn politieke knelgreep. Dit het veroorsaak dat hy soms radikale standpunte ingeneem het wat vreemd aan sy gewone aard was. Hy was nie ʼn gunsteling van pres. mnr. P.W. Botha nie. Hy het egter altyd lojaal teenoor hom opgetree, hoewel hulle soms verskil het. Ons was dus nie verbaas toe mnr. Le Grange in 1987 Speaker van die Parlement word en deur mnr. Adriaan Vlok vervang is nie.

Mnr. Vlok het hom met hart en siel aan sy taak gewy. Hy het lang ure gewerk en byna nooit ʼn naweek vry gehad nie. Hy het dieselfde toewyding van elke polisieman verwag en so intens by die werk van die polisie betrokke geraak dat hy soms die grense van ministeriële en departementele verantwoordelikhede oorskry het.

Die veiligheidstoestand was haglik en ons het tussen 1987 en 1988 meer as 40 000 aktiviste ingevolge die Noodregulasies aangehou. Dit het ʼn nimmereindigende proses geword van aanhou, vrylaat en weer aanhou. Hoe meer mense ons aangehou het, hoe vyandiger het die swart massas geword. Aanhouding het geen oplossing gebied nie, maar ons wel in staat gestel om die orde te handhaaf en te voorkom dat algehele anargie losbars.

Swart verset teen die Regering het landwyd toegeneem en sekere akademici, regslui en kerklui het hulle daarby geskaar. Die revolusionêre klimaat is verder aangehits deur propaganda, regsaksies en mediaberigte. Hoewel wetgewing sekere organisasies verbied het om geld uit die buiteland te ontvang, was dit onmoontlik om die wet toe te pas. Talle slenters is gebruik om dit te ontduik.

Dit het my telkens getref dat mense en selfs kerkleiers wat die optrede van die veiligheidstak menige keer heftig gekritiseer het, soos die graf geswyg het as kleefmyne, landmyne of motorbomme weerlose mense, onder wie vroue en kinders, wreed laat sterf of vermink het. Daar bestaan weinig

twyfel dat hierdie mense beskerm gevoel het teen sulke aanvalle vanweë hul openbare steun aan die ANC.

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Raad van Kerke het ʼn belangrike rol gespeel in die verset teen die Regering en veral groot welslae behaal om Suid Afrika internasionaal te isoleer. Khotsohuis, hoofkwartier van die SARK, het mettertyd ontwikkel in ʼn sentrum waar versetplanne teen die Regering bekook is. Hoewel die SARK nie geweldpleging as sodanig aangemoedig het nie, het die klimaat van verset wat hulle geskep het, ʼn teelaarde vir geweldpleging geword.

In 1988 het mnr. Vlok my ontbied en ingelig dat pres. Botha opdrag gegee het dat Khotsohuis vernietig word. Later, tydens ʼn amnestieverhoor wat op 20 Julie 1998 begin het, het mnr. Vlok te kenne gegee dat pres. Botha opdrag gegee het dat Khotsohuis “onbruikbaar” gemaak word. Wat ook al pres. Botha se opdrag aan mnr. Vlok, die opdrag aan ons was dat Khotsohuis vernietig moet word. (Volledige inligting oor die Khotsohuis-voorval verskyn in Hoofstuk 7 in die afdeling wat handel oor die Vlakplaaseenheid.)

Verskeie Kabinetslede het ná die voorval subtiel aan my te kenne gegee dat dit jammer is dat Khotsohuis nou eers vernietig is. Nodeloos om te sê dat hierdie ministers soos mis voor die son verdwyn het toe die amnestieverhore begin en ons rekenskap moes gee. Net mnr. Vlok het oorgebly en hy het tydens die amnestieverhoor oor Khotsohuis moeite gehad om te verduidelik waarom sy kollegas in die Kabinet nie van die voorval geweet het nie.

Ek het tydens die amnestieverhore met skok ontdek hoe min onderlinge vertroue daar tussen die Staatspresident en die verskillende ministers bestaan het. Mnr. Pik Botha het tydens ʼn amnestieverhoor nadruklik verklaar dat pres. Botha met ʼn ysterhand geregeer het en dat sy wil die koers bepaal het. Hy (mnr. Botha) sou aan mnr. Adriaan Vlok gevra het wie vir die sabotasie van Khotsohuis verantwoordelik was, waarop mnr. Vlok sou geantwoord het: “Geen mens weet nie.” Hoe dit moontlik is dat so ʼn voorval plaasgevind het sonder dat die Staatsveiligheidsraad, waarin mnr. Pik Botha ook gedien het, dit indringend bespreek het, sal ook geen mens weet nie.

Daar bestaan geen twyfel dat die Regering in die laat tagtigerjare met sy rug teen die muur geveg het nie, al het die veiligheidstak daarin geslaag om volskaalse onluste en geweldpleging aan bande te lê deur politieke aktiviste ingevolge die Noodregulasies aan te hou en in te perk. In sy boek Die Afrikaners skryf Hermann Giliomee dat mnr. Mike Louw, destyds adjunkhoof van die Nasionale Intelligensiediens, opgemerk het dat NI ’n politieke oplossing voorgestaan het terwyl die veiligheidstak die vyande van die Regering wou aanhou. Só eenvoudig was dit beslis nie. Pres. Botha het onwrikbaar geweier om met die ANC te onderhandel tensy die organisasie geweld afsweer. Die enigste manier waarop die veiligheidstak anargie kon afweer, was deur die aktiviste wat die land met geweld wou oorneem, aan te hou.

Verteenwoordigers van alle lede van die inligtingsgemeenskap die Nasionale Intelligensiediens, die veiligheidstak, Afdeling Militêre Inligting, die Veiligheidstak van die Spoorwegpolisie en Buitelandse Sake het in die Tak Nasionale Vertolking (TNV) gedien. Die TNV het daagliks bymekaargekom om inligting wat deur die verskillende lede van die inligtingsgemeenskap ingesamel is, te evalueer en te vertolk. Hulle het daagliks, weekliks en jaarliks ’n verslag opgestel wat aan al die lede van die inligtingsgemeenskap en Staatsveiligheidsraad versprei is.

OLIFANT-, WILDSTROPERY EN IVOORSMOKKEL IN DIE OOSCAPRIVI IN DIE TYDPERK DESEMBER 1978 TOT DESEMBER 1981. Kol Wynand Schoeman

As jy nie weet hoe om ‘n olifantkarkas se ivoortande professioneel te verwyder en die karkas op te saag of op te sny nie gaan jou onhandigheid met die saag, kapmes, byl of vleismes sy eie storie vertel wat aan die ondersoekbeampte sy eerste leidraad in die ondersoek kon verskaf. As ‘n byl die stroper se enigste stukkie gereedskap was gaan die karkas dit wys. Inderdaad gaan die misdaadtoneel aandui of die stroper of ivoorsmokkkelaar, ‘n amateur of professionele skurk was jou optrede kon jou verraai. Dit is een van die eerste dinge wat ek op die toneel van ‘n olifantslagting geleer het. ‘n Olifantstroper het hoegenaamd geen gevoel vir die betrokke olifant nie en vir hom het dit net gegaan oor die dollars of rande wat hy uit die arme dier se ivoortande kon verdien. In minstens 3 gevalle is olifante met kabelstrikke of staalstroppe gevang en het die S.A. Weermag of S.A. Polisie op die arme diere se karkasse afgekom. In sekere gevalle is die kop van die olifant eenvoudig met klaarblyklik ‘n kettingsaag afgesaag en (met die olifantkop of koppe met sy ivoortande), padgegee van die toneel af. Maar dit is nie net olifante wat gejag is nie maar daar was ook gevalle waar leeus, vlakvarke, rooibokke, ‘n buffel, ‘n kameelperd, ‘n swartwitpens, ‘n zebra en aasvoëls gejag is of dood aangetref is. In gevalle is landbougif op byvoorbeeld ‘n rooibokkarkas wat as lokmiddel gebruik is, gesmeer en is letterlik honderde aasvoëls wat aan die bok gevreet het, later op die toneel dood aangetref. Hierdie landboumiddel het die arme diere verlam gelaat en was dit maklik vir die stroper om byvoorbeeld net die verlamde of dooie aasvoëls te gaan optel en die voëls later as ete te nuttig. Dat van die stropers nie self van die betrokke gifstof dood is nie, het my dronkgeslaan. Miskien was daar sulke gevalle wat moontlik as ‘n natuurlike sterfgeval of hartaanval deurgegaan het (volgens ‘n medikus), omdat nie alle sterftes aan lykskouing onderworpe was nie. Ek beskou ‘n olifantstroper as ‘n olifantrower, want dit is wat dit is. Eweneens is hierdie siening van toepassing op alle onwettige wildjagters hulle is gevoelloos en sonder gewete. Dit is hoekom ek vandag nog, soveel jare later, nog steeds ‘n sagte plekkie vir veral olifante het, dit sal nooit verander nie. Ek sou in my 3 jaar in die Caprivi ook agterkom dat ‘n olifant, bo en behalwe dat dit ‘n uiters intelligente dier is, ‘n hoogs emosionele en tropgebonde dier is wat duidelik aan posttraumatiese stresversteuring kon lei as, veral die patriarg of matriarg, leier van die betrokke trop uitgeskiet is. Hier is my verhaal gebaseer op my herinneringe, aantekeninge en ‘n verslag wat ek destyds in 1979 opgestel het. My verhaal is nie noodwendig volledig nie en bevat nie alle voorvalle nie maar slegs dit waaroor ek tans beskik. Dit skets egter die omvang van die probleem waarmee die S. A. Polisie in die Oos Caprivi, in die betrokke jare, mee te kampe gehad het.

Ek land op Mpacha lughawe in die Oos Caprivi (deesdae die Zambezi Provinsie in Namibië), so om en by 09:20 die oggend van die 13 of 14de Desember 1978 met Katima Mulilo as my nuwe standplaas. Ek klim van Safair se Hercules C130 (Flossie) af en met my eerste twee tree op Mpacha se teervlak slaan die hitte my omtrent onderstebo. Dit is somer en reeds daardie tyd van die oggend is dit vir my as nuwe aankomeling snikheet warm. Ek snak ‘n paar keer na asem. Dit is ‘n heel ander wêreld as Johannesburg se betonoerwoud waarvandaan ek kom. Dit is ook bosoorlog- wêreld met

die aanval op 23 Augustus van dié betrokke jaar op Katima Mulilo vanuit Zambië nog in almal se geheue. Tien SA troepe is in die middernagtelike aanval dood. Hierdie verhaal gaan egter nie oor die bosoorlog as sulks nie maar oor die olifantstropery, ivoorsmokkelaars en onwettige wildjagters van daardie tyd. Daar was ‘n geval of wat waar die arme olifant ‘n landmyn afgetrap het en sodoende dood is maar dit was oor die algemeen in die omgewing van die kaplyn wat die grens tussen die Caprivi en Angola gevorm het.

As nuwe stasiebevelvoerder gesels ek die dag van en na my aankoms met van die manne op die stasie om my van die misdaadsituasie in die Caprivi te vergewis en gaan ek ook die Misdaadregister (MR) waarin alle gerapporteerde misdaad ondersoeke aangeteken word, na. (Die Misdaadregister is in latere jare in die tydvak van rekenarisering verander na die Misdaadadministrasiestelsel (MAS)). Dit blyk dat ivoorsmokkelary en onwettige wildjag van die kernprobleme van die misdaadsituasie in die Caprivi uitmaak. Slegs enkele diefstalsake is oor die afgelope paar jare aangemeld, en dan by uitstek deur die blanke gemeenskap. Dit was nogal vir my interessant en by navraag word ek ingelig dat dit toegeskryf kan word daaraan dat die Stamowerhede (genoem die “Khuta”) deur middel van hul eie stamhowe sulke sake in hul eie gemeenskappe kon hanteer wat dan sommer dieselfde dag, by wyse van boetes, afgehandel word.

Nota: Sommer spoedig leer ek dat Staatskoerant Nommer 2944 gedateer 11 Desember 1970, inderdaad sekere regsmagte aan die plaaslike Stamowerhede delegeer om in gedefinieerde siviele en kriminele sake, waarby hul eie mense betrokke is, op te tree. Misdrywe wat volgens die bylae tot die staatskoerant, nie verhoor kon word nie het onder andere hoogverraad, moord, verkragting, strafwaardige manslag, openbare geweldpleging en enige misdryf in verband met die onwettige handel in of besit van vuurwapens, ammunisie of springstowwe, ingesluit. ( Uittreksel uit die Staatskoerant hierby aangeheg).

Die plaaslike inwoners met hul swart kultuur en gebruike vind die westerse hofstelsel met al die uitstelle volksvreemd en onaanvaarbaar. Westerse en tradisionele beskouinge verskil soms hemelsbreed. Tradisionele stamgebruike is oorwegend gebou op historiese wortels, geskiedenis, oorgeërfde tradisies en geloof in voorvaderlike geeste. Geweldsmisdade en spesifiek moordgevalle het ook bo die ander gerapporteerde ondersoeke uitgetroon. Ek sou oor die volgende 3 jaar agterkom dat die dood van mens en dier letterlik ‘n sneller, ‘n messteek, korreltjies gif óf die verdoemende uitspraak van ‘n toordokter of sangoma ver is. Strafbare manslag sake as gevolg van noodlottige motorongelukke (en die gepaardgaande geregtelike doodsondersoeke (GO’s)), was ook uitermate hoog. In hierdie geval was die dood gewoonlik ’n oorlaaide Toyota bakkie (omdat hul so volop was en nié omdat dit ‘n swak voertuig was nie), sewe sakke meel saam met 15 staande passasiers op die laaibak met ‘n hoenderhok met 10 hoenders en n roekelose bestuurder agter die stuur, ver. Die Katima Mulilo Ngoma pad was veral vir sy noodlottige ongelukke, veral in nat weer, bekend. Dr Loubser ‘n staatspatoloog van Pretoria sou die Caprivi feitlik klokslag maandeliks vir ‘n reeks lykskouings besoek. Met aankoms op Katima Mulilo sou dr Loubser onmiddellik deur my personeel opgetel word en na die lykshuis by die hospitaal geneem word vir sy taak en onmiddellik daarna teruggeneem word na die lughawe terwyl die Flossie vir hom staan en wag. Later in 1979 is dié funksie aan Patologiese Dienste in Windhoek oorgedra.

Terwyl ek my van die misdaadsituasie vergewis kom daar ook ‘n “fluistervink” (deesdae ’n “fluitjieblaser” genoem), na vore wat my inlig dat dit hoogs waarskynlik is dat minstens een lid op die personeel, moontlik by ivoorsmokkelary betrokke is. Dit is nou nie juis wat ek wou hoor nie. As polisieman het jy soms ‘n sesde sintuig wat jou begelei en het ek ‘n aanvoeling dat nie al die lede op die stasie juis entoesiasties is met die aankoms van die nuwe stasiebevelvoerder op die stasie nie. Minstens een lid is my openlik vyandig gesind. Dit is dan ook die lid wat selfs deur sy mede kollegas van ivoorsmokkel verdink word. Dit wat my meegedeel word was volgens my voldoende om dié lid se perseel te deursoek en oorweeg ek dit om by die plaaslike landdros ingevolge die Strafproseswet van 1977 (Wet 51 van 1977), om ‘n visenteringslasbrief aansoek te doen. Ek besluit egter daarteen om een enkele rede, ek was nie 100% seker dat dié lid wel op daardie stadium

onwettige olifanttande in sy besit gehad het nie. Dit kon maklik en baie vinnig verskuif word. Ek was egter oortuig dat ‘n toekomstige deursoeking onafwendbaar sou wees. Ek wou eerder eers al my feite agtermekaar kry en dan wel om ‘n visenteringslasbrief aansoek doen. Dié betrokke lid stap egter na ‘n week of wat die kantoor van my stasiebevelvoerders-klerk binne en doen aansoek om sy ontslag en verlaat die Caprivi. Drie lede sou binne die eerste maand of wat na my aankoms aansoek om hul ontslag doen.

Nog ‘n aspek wat my met die intrapslag gehinder het was die groot aantal vuurwapenlisensieaansoeke wat op my tafel beland het. Sommer op die 2de dag na my aankoms ontvang ek sowat 20 aansoeke vanuit die plaaslike bevolking. Die plaaslike regering, die Administrasie vir Capriviane, reik jaarliks ‘n klompie jag permitte uit vir onder andere lechwes (‘n tipe waterbok) maar jy het nie ‘n groot kaliber wapen soos ‘n .458, 45 70, 375 of 30 06 nodig om ‘n waterbok te jag nie. Feitlik al die aansoeke was vir hierdie tipe kaliber wapens. Alhoewel dit bosoorloggebied was, het jy ook nie ‘n groot jaggeweer- kaliber wapen nodig gehad om jou teen terreur te beskerm nie. Hierdie wapens was duidelik gemik op die jag van grootwild, olifante en alles wat daarmee saamgaan. Die Oos Caprivi met sy 40 000 plaaslike inwoners het ‘n enorme werkloosheidsyfer van minstens 40 50% of meer gehad met ‘n minimale bestaansinkomste met inwoners wat van armoede so te sê krepeer. Maar duidelik het daar finansies êrens vandaan gekom om groot kaliber wapens aan te koop. Met onwettige jag en ivoorsmokkel kon die bevolking hul haglike situasie en lewensgehalte verbeter en was veral onwettige jag (vir vleis op die tafel) en ivoorsmokkel seer sekerlik ‘n aanloklike opsie. Die oorgrote bevolking was almal brandarm bestaansboere met ‘n klompie beeste en ‘n lappie grond om mielies vir eie gebruik te plant. ‘n Groot verskoning wat merendeels aangevoer sou word in lisensieaansoeke was om hul vee teen loslopende leeus en wildehonde wat hul beeste vang, te beskerm. Min van die aansoekers kon egter verklaar hoeveel beeste hy die afgelope jaar as gevolg van leeus wat sy diere vang, verloor het. ‘n Verdere bron van frustrasie was die plaaslike ontwikkelingskorporasie in die Caprivi wat hierdie tipe kaliber wapens te koop aangebied het wat dan fluks verkoop het.

‘n Onwettige olifantjag sou min of meer volgens die volgende illustrasie verloop: Adjudant-offisier Johann Bacher (die stasie se hoofmisdaadondersoeker) ontvang inligting dat ‘n olifant byvoorbeeld teen die Botswanagrens geskiet is, en vra my gewoonlik of ek wou saamry na die toneel, in hierdie geval sowat 100 kilometer vanaf Katima Mulilo, teen die Choberivier wat die skeiding tussen die Caprivi en Botswana is, waar die olifant na bewering aan Caprivi kant, onwettig gejag is. So ‘n boodskap is gewoonlik per polisieradio deur die twee polisiebeamptes wat by die Ngoma grensoorgang, op die Caprivi Botswanagrens, op afgedeelde diens was, of deur ‘n beriggewer aan die stasie oorgedra. Teen die tyd dat die inligting die stasie bereik was daar na alle waarskynlikheid alreeds ‘n tydsverloop van omtrent 20 uur of soms meer. Hoe vinniger so toneel bereik kon word hoe groter was die kans op sukses. Die kans dat patroondoppies en veral bruikbare koeëlpunte op ‘n skiettoneel wat alreeds 20 ure oud was, vir ballistiese toetse herwin kon word, was uiters skraal. Koeëlpunte moes binne enkele ure uit ‘n olifantkarkas herwin word andersins sou die suurgehalte van die dooie olifant die koeëlpunte sodanig laat verweer dat ballistiese toetse nie meer moontlik was nie. Die afstand na Ngoma, sowat 84 kilometer kon vinnig afgelê word. Die oorblywende sowat 16 kilometer na die toneel was niks meer as ‘n tweespoorpaadjie deur dik sand wat met baie geduld teen slakkepas en soms met niks vinniger as kruipspoed afgelê kon word nie en het amper ‘n uur en ‘n half geduur. Aasvoëls in die lug was ‘n aanduiding hoeveel tyd al verloop het van dat die dier geskiet is. Op ‘n afstand van 300 meter van die toneel het daar gewoonlik sowat 50 of meer aasvoëls in die lug in die rondte gedraai met nog sowat 50 aasvoëls wat op die toneel rond geploeter het, te dikgevreet en te moeg om weg te vlieg. Voordat jy behoorlik kon stilhou is jy al bewus van die stank, brommers en bloed wat die toneel oorheers. Al wat op die toneel oorgebly het was, na soveel ure, ‘n klompie kaalgevrete bene van die romp van die olifantkarkas, ‘n bloederige massa en ‘n slagpale in die bos. Die olifanttande was gewoonlik verwyder en die res van die karkas reeds deur die plaaslike bevolking weggedra. ‘n Soektog op die toneel na koeëldoppies of koeëlpunte het gewoonlik niks opgelewer nie. As jy gelukkig was en die karkas was nog op die toneel kon jy soms ‘n afleiding maak of die olifanttande met ‘n kettingsaag afgesaag is en of dit met byle uitgekap of

uitgeslag is. Kettingsae is nie algemeen in die Caprivi nie en het aangedui dat iemand met meer gesofistikeerde toerusting agter die slagting sit. Gewoonlik was dit dan ‘n meer professionele ivoorsmokkelaar. Daar is ‘n duidelike verskil tussen ‘n meer professionele smokkelaar en ‘n amateur wat met ‘n byl of slagmes sou voortploeter. ‘n Olifantkarkas word deur die bank opgekap en in ‘n kwessie van enkele ure weggedra of weg karwei. Selfs die pote en slurp van die arme dier word gewoonlik weggedra en ek sou vasstel dat die pote en slurp nogal gesog by toordokters en sangomas was. Dit was normaalweg nie moeilik om te sien waarheen die hompe olifantvleis geneem is nie, gewoonlik na die naaste kraal. Duidelike merke van ‘n slee wat deur beeste getrek word op die los sand sou die storie vertel. Ons het dan eenvoudig die sleemerke gevolg en by die betrokke kraal uitgekom waar die sowat 40 tot 100 inwoners reeds besig was om aan gebraaide olifantvleis weg te lê. Soos verwag het die hoofman van die kraal dan te kenne gegee dat hul op die olifantkarkas afgekom het toe hul ondersoek ingestel het na die aasvoëls wat in die lug in die rondte gesweef het. Hy het gewoonlik ook nie geweet hoe die olifant aan sy einde gekom het en wat van die arme dier se olifanttande geword het nie, wat te betwyfel was. Lieg sou hy lieg soos ‘n matroos.

In die meeste gevalle was die aanduiding dan ook dat die gestorwe olifant die patriarg van ‘n trop olifante uit Botswana, Zambië of Angola was en vermoedelik deur of in opdrag van ‘n hoofman of induna geskiet is. Olifanttande was soms in die kraal se beeskraal (in die middel van die inwonerstatjie) begrawe tot dat dit aan die koper en ivoorsmokkelaar verkoop kon word. Beeste word dan oor die ivoorgraf gejaag om enige teken van ‘n gat grawery vir die polisie te verdoesel. Die diereryk verstaan nie mensgemaakte internasionale grense nie en olifante en ander wild sou na willekeur oor die grense tussen die Caprivi, Botswana, Zambië en Angola beweeg.

Die volgende gevalle is onder andere gebaseer op misdaadondersoeke en aantekeninge wat ek destyds gemaak het en aangevul deur my geheue:

1. Die Ballistiekdeskundiges bring hul kant na ‘n olifantslagting: Hierdie betrokke voorval het alreeds volledig in die Nongqai verskyn en die feite rondom dit word net in hooftrekke in hierdie artikel opgeneem.

Op ‘n Maandagoggend in September 1979 rapporteer ‘n weermagpatrollie in die Caprivi dat hul op sesolifantkarkasse afgekom het. Dié olifante is geskiet en die ivoortande uitgeslag. Adjudant offisier Johann Bacher (‘n briljante en gesoute ondersoekbeampte wat die Caprivi bos ken) en ‘n kollega vertrek na die toneel wat naby die Caprivi - Angola kaplyn is, geleë is. Wat hy daar aantref is nie ‘n mooi gesig nie. Ses olifante lê dood in ‘n kleinerige sirkel en die olifanttande verwyder. Die persoon of persone wat die skietwerk gedoen het, het waarskynlik tot tussen die olifante in beweeg en moes die diere vinnig afgemaai het om te voorkom dat hulle die stroper doodtrap. Adjudant offisier Bacher maak ook sowat 25, 7,62 mm patroondoppies op de toneel bymekaar wat aandui dat een of meer R1 gewere gebruik is.

Olifantvleis is vir die plaaslike bevolking ‘n gesogte lekkerny en hul begin in die omgewing saamdrom om te kyk of hul nie die vleis as ‘n bonus kan verkry nie. Johann Bacher reël met die plaaslike hoofman dat sy stamgenote die olifante kon afslag maar dat hul die koeëlpunte in die proses moes soek. Ses koeëlpunte word uit die karkasse herwin. Dit was noodsaaklik dat die koeëlpunte so gou as moontlik herwin moes word omdat die liggaamsuur die koeëlpunte kon beskadig deur die groewe daar op weg te vreet. Die afgevuurde projektiele en patroon doppies kon deurslaggewend in die ondersoek wees. Ons het onmiddellik besef dat die verdagte(s) ‘n S. A. Weermaglid of lid van die S. A. Polisie kon wees omdat slegs diegene oor ‘n R1 kon beskik. Daar was na beraming tussen 8 000 tot 10 000 Weermaglede in die Caprivi ontplooi en dit sou nie prakties of logisties haalbaar wees om so ‘n magdom wapens in te trek en na die Ballistiekafdeling in Pretoria te stuur vir vergelyking en ballistiese toetse nie. Ek gaan spreek die S. A. Weermag se bevelvoerder in die Sektor en kry sy toestemming om elke moontlike weermagwapen wat in die slagting gebruik kon word, in samewerking met die Militêre Polisie vir ballistiese toetse in te trek. Daar word met die Ballistiese Afdeling in verbinding getree en na ‘n paar dae land sersant Bazil Young en sy kollega, Wollie Wolmarans op Mpachalughawe in die

Caprivi om ons met die ondersoek by te staan. Saam met hulle bring hulle twee vergelykingsmikroskope. Dié taak was egter nie sonder uitdagings nie wat kreatiewe denke van die betrokke ballistiese deskundiges geverg het om dit te oorbrug. Een van die uitdagings was dat ‘n geskikte watertenk gevind moes word waarin die verdagte wapens afgevuur kon word. Een van die manne onthou toe van die openbare swembad en dit sou die oplossing vir die probleem wees. Verder moes die toetspatrone se kruitlading tot sowat 25% verlaag word. Elke patroon wat gebruik sou word moes eers een vir een oopgemaak word en die kruit versigtig verwyder word. Ek het intussen toestemming van die Plaaslike Administrasie verkry om die swembad vir dié doel te gebruik. Daar is verder met die Militêre Polisie ooreengekom dat hulle die wapens by die polisiestasie sou besorg. Hulle sou ook lyste van al die wapens en aan wie dit uitgereik is, aan die S. A. Polisie besorg. Daar is besluit om die militêre basis wat die naaste aan die misdaadtoneel was, as vertrekpunt vir die oefening wat nou soos ‘n militêre operasie beplan is, te gebruik. Uiteraard kon daar nie duisende wapens op een slag aan die ballistiese kundiges oorhandig word nie en is daar op ‘n werkswyse besluit dat ‘n maksimum van 50 wapens op een slag oorhandig sou word. Die samewerking met die Militêre Polisie was uitstekend en die reëling het goed gewerk.

Die ballistiese toetse by die swembad was iets nuuts en het baie vinnig die aandag van inwoners getrek. Die proses het as volg verloop: Een van die ballistiekdeskundiges sou ‘n skoot met die wapen wat met die toetsprojektiel (met verminderde lading) gelaai was, op ‘n sekere deel, ‘n afgesperde ruimte van die swembad afvuur, nadat die besonderhede van die wapen aangeteken is. Een van die plaaslike polisiebeamptes (en sover ek kan onthou was dit onder andere konstabel Pollie Theron), sou na elke skoot in die swembad spring om die afgevuurde projektiel uit te haal. Dit is dan afgedroog en elkeen afsonderlik in ‘n koevert, met die wapennommer daarop, verseël. Terug by die polisiestasie sou die ballistiekdeskundiges dan hul vergelykingsmikroskope nader trek, die bewysstuk koeëlpunt wat op die misdaadtoneel herwin is, aan die eenkant ingeskuif, met die swembad-toetskoeëlpunt aan die anderkant, om die groewe op die twee koeëlpunte te vergelyk. Dieselfde proses moes met elke toetspatroon herhaal word. Dit was nogal ‘n tydsame proses maar moes sekuur uitgevoer word om nie die integriteit van die oefening te skaad nie. Op die stadium het die deskundiges reeds vasgestel dat al die bewysstuk doppies en koeëlpunte deur dieselfde wapen afgevuur is. Ons was dus opsoek na een wapen en sy gebruiker. Die inwoners van die dorp kon maar net hul koppe skud as hul verneem het dat ons waarskynlik duisende wapens so in die swembad sou afvuur.

Nadat sowat 1780 wapens getoets is, het sersante Young en Wolmarans die gesoekte wapen geïdentifiseer. Die verdagte was ‘n Boesmanspoorsnyer van die nabygeleë basis en is gevolglik gearresteer en aangekla. Die sukses van dié saak het aanvanklik gewis ‘n demper op onwettige jag voorvalle in die Caprivi geplaas en het die gemeenskap aan die praat gehad. Ek sou altyd dankbaar bly oor die bekwame wyse waarop sersante Young en Wolmarans die aangeleentheid hanteer het. Sonder hul betrokkenheid sou ons die saak nie suksesvol deur die hof kon voer nie. Nota: Ek het egter nie meer die besonderhede van hierdie betrokke voorval se saaknommer nie. In die ondervermelde gevalle word die Misdaadregisternommer (MR), aangedui soos van toepassing.

2. Katima Mulilo MR 13/12/1979, MR 13/ 01/ 1980 en MR 14/ 01/ 1980 het betrekking: Op 29 Oktober 1979 rapporteer adjudant offisier de Beer van die S.A. Weermag te Fort Doppies in die Wes Caprivi dat twee olifante in twee verskillende strikke net suid van Fort Doppies gevang is en dat daar ook ‘n groot hoeveelheid aasvoëls dood op die toneel aangetref is. Adjudant offisier Wouter Basson van die S.A. Polisie se Veiligheidstak op Katima Mulilo besoek Fort Doppies die volgende dag en word deur die klaer na die onderskeie tonele geneem. Met Wouter Basson se aankoms op die eerste toneel vind hy een olifantkarkas wat in ‘n kabelstrik gevang is. Die karkas was erg ontbind en die olifanttande afgekap. Die tweede toneel was sowat 2 kilometer verder waar nog ‘n strik met stukke olifantvel daarin opgemerk is asook skuurmerke teen bome in die onmiddellike omgewing van die olifantvel waar kabels aan bome vasgemaak was. Dié betrokke

kabels is deur die lede van die S.A. Weermag se Verkenningskommando verwyder en aan Wouter Basson oorhandig. Suid van hierdie betrokke strik het adjudant offisier de Beer ‘n takkraal (wat ongeveer 5 voet in deursnee was), aan Wouter Basson uitgewys. Tien tree vanaf die betrokke takkraal het Wouter Basson die oorblyfsels van ‘n leeu (naamlik leeu hare) gevind en opgemerk dat by die takkraal ‘n blou kristalagtige stof op die grond gelê het. Ongeveer 20 tree van die takkraal het ongeveer 150 aasvoëls dood gelê. Die area verder suid is daarna gefynkam en is nog ‘n verdere 2 dooie leeus aangetref. Die onmiddellike area is verder nagegaan en binne ‘n radius van 400 meter is ‘n verdere 2 dooie leeus asook ‘n geweldige hoeveelheid dooie aasvoëls gevind. Daar was ook ‘n dooie vlakvark. Die Wes Caprivi was ‘n geproklameerde wildtuin en vanweë die bosoorlog, uitsluitlik militêre gebied en nie sondermeer toeganklik vir die publiek nie. Daarbenewens was daar nie lede van die plaaslike bevolking wat in die Wes Caprivi gewoon het nie met die uitsondering van 3 000 tot 5 000 Boesmans by die Omegabasis, ‘n militêre basis op die Angola en Wes Caprivi grens. Daar was ook militêre teenwoordigheid by Chetto in die Wes Caprivi wat eintlik ‘n konstruksiekamp was vir militêre lede wat by die bou van die pad (bekend as die Golden Highway) in die Caprivi betrokke was, asook by Buffalo die tuiste van 32 Bataljon en dan natuurlik by Fort Doppies, waar 1Verkenningskommando gesetel was. Dié wildstropers kon dus uit militêre geledere kom maar die aanduiding was eerder dat die stropers uit die Oos Caprivi afkomstig was en deur die Kwandorivier, wat die skeiding tussen die Oos- en Wes Caprivi gevorm het, geïnfiltreer het. Die suidwestelike grens van die Oos Caprivi was bewoon deur lede van die Mafwe stam en dit was doodmaklik om met ‘n platboomskuit (bekend as ‘n makoro) oor die rivier vol seekoeie en krokodille te kan kom. Dit het al hoe moeiliker geword om in die Oos Caprivi te kon jag as gevolg van strenger polisieoptrede en is daar begin om na die Wes Caprivi uit te wyk, wat verder vanaf die Katima Mulilo polisiestasie geleë was. Die betrokke misdaadtonele was naby die perdeskoendraai in die Kwandorivier, in die suidooste van die Wes Caprivi, sowat 240 kilometer vanaf Katima Mulilo geleë en dus moeiliker binne die polisie se bereik in terme van tyd en afstand. Die verlatenheid en verafgeleë ligging van die Wes Caprivi het dus vir die stropers die ideale sone geskep vir hul aktiwiteite met die moontlikheid dat hul betrap sou word as minimaal.

Monsters van die dooie aasvoëls, vlakvark, ‘n leeu en ‘n glas houertjie bevattende die blou stof is na die Navorsingsinstituut vir Veeartsenykunde by Onderstepoort gestuur vir toksikologiese ondersoek. Die karkasse was te oud en ontbind vir analise maar volgens ‘n verslag van dr J.P.J. Joubert, van die Navorsingsinstituut, is die blou kristalagtige stof uitgeken as karbofuraan wat in die handel deur die firma Bayer bemark word onder die handelsnaam “Curaterr”. Volgens die firma het hulle ‘n groot besending Curaterr na die Eerste Nasionale Ekonomiese Ontwikkelingskorporasie (Enok) te Katima Mulilo versend. Ons sou daarna vasstel dat dié betrokke gifstof ook aan die ontwikkelingskorporasie in die Kavango verskaf is. Curaterr is ‘n landboumiddel wat in die grond toegedien word en as teenvoeter vir insekteplae by die plant van mielies gebruik word. Dit is ‘n uiters giftige stof en het volgens ons waarneming ‘n verlammende effek op wild en voëls wat daarmee in aanraking kom gehad en sou uitloop op die uiteindelike dood van die “slagoffer”. Die Ontwikkelingskorporasie het landbouprojekte in die Kavango en Oos Caprivi gehad en was ‘n duidelike aanduiding waar dié betrokke gifstof plaaslik vandaan kon kom. Dit was die eerste twee gevalle waarvan ek weet waar ‘n olifant in ‘n kabelstrik of staalstrop (wat nie ‘n gewone wildstrik is nie), gevang is en iemand met meerdere kennis moes waarskynlik agter die voorvalle sit. Dit was ook die eerste geval waar Curaterr doelbewus aangewend is om die prooi te verlam of te dood.

Gedurende Desember 1979 vind daar ‘n tweede soortgelyke voorval in die omgewing van Katima Mulilo plaas, waar ‘n dooie olifant, besmeer met Curaterr, tesame met ses leeus en ongeveer 150 dooie aasvoëls aangetref word. Die Departement van Landbou Tegniese Dienste en gesondheidsinspekteurs van Gesondheidsdienste van die Administrasie van Suidwes Afrika het by die ondersoek betrokke geraak. Opvolgondersoek deur hierdie instansies het bevind dat honderde verlamde wilde eende en voëls met planttyd op die betrokke mielielande aangetref word en dat die plaaslike bevolking dan na die lande stroom om die verlamde voëls

te versamel. Volgens Eerste Gesondheidsinspekteur, mnr J.S. Lötter (verbonde aan Gesondheidsdienste van die Administrasie van Suidwes Afrika), is daar bevind dat leë Curaterr houers (in weerwil van die vervaardigers se instruksie dat dit platgeslaan en vernietig moet word), aan die plaaslike inwoners uitgedeel is. Dit was verder onrusbarend dat geen register gehou is om moontlike diefstalle van dié betrokke gifstof, te kontroleer nie. Die Eerste Gesondheidsinspekteur bevind verder dat die ontwikkelingskorporasie se beamptes baie onverskillig met die bewaring en hantering van dié uiters gevaarlike landboumiddel was. Betrokke wetgewing is nagegaan om te bepaal of iemand of instansie wetlik verantwoordelik gehou kon word. Wetgewing, ordonnansies, proklamasies en Goewermentskennisgewings wat in die Caprivi Zipfel van toepassing was, was meestal verouderd en kon nie gebruik word nie. Die nuutste Goewermentskennisgewing van daardie tydvak wat die gebruik van gifstowwe beheer het, naamlik Goewermentskennisgewing 99 van 19 Junie 1979 het geblyk nie van toepassing op die Oos Caprivi te wees nie. Selfs die ordonnansie (Ordonnansie 5 van 1927), wat gebruik kon word om onwettige wildstropers en ivoorsmokkelaars aan te kla was verouderd en het nog in terme van straf, van ponde melding gemaak. Die ontwikkelingskorporasie is egter versoek om ‘n register by te hou en leë Curaterr houers te vernietig en mielieplanters (en gifstowwe) snags toe te sluit. Volgens die betrokke Eerste Gesondheidsinspekteur het die vraag ontstaan of die betrokke landboumiddel nie eerder as verbode verklaar moes word nie.

In Januarie 1980 was daar ‘n verdere voorval waar 9 dooie aasvretende voëls naby ‘n olifantkarkas gevind is. Weereens was daar van dieselfde blou kristalagtige materiaal gevind op stukkies vel van ‘n wildsbok wat bo op die reste van die betrokke olifantkarkas gevind is. Van dieselfde blou materiaal is ook opgemerk aan die snawels van die dooie voëls. Monsters hiervan is ook aan Onderstepoort gestuur waar dr J.P.J. Joubert weereens bevestig het dat daar deur chemiese ontleding bevind is dat karbofuraan, in die handel bekend as “Curaterr” aanwesig was.

Gesprekke is met die ontwikkelingskorporasie se bestuur gevoer en het, sover ek kan onthou, tot interne dissiplinêre stappe en verskerpte maatreëls binne die organisasie gelei.

2. Katima Mulilo MR 9 /11/ 1979: Van ‘n polisiebeampte word verwag om onkreukbaar, eties getrou aan die eed wat hy of sy afgelê het, misdaad te voorkom en nie by misdaad betrokke te raak nie. Vir diegene wat doelbewus oortree is daar geen verskoning nie. Om ongeveer 10:10 die oggend van 16 November 1979 ontvang ek ‘n telefoniese rapport vanaf stafsersant S.O. Lambert, bevelvoerder van die Militêre Polisie, Sektor 70, Oos Caprivi, dat twee staaltrommels te Mpachalughawe ingehandig was vir versending na Waterklooflughawe, Pretoria. Volgens stafsersant Lambert was die twee trommels ingehandig deur ‘n lid van die S.A. Polisie te Katima Mulilo en dat dit geadresseer was aan: Die Afdelingsbevelvoerder, Veiligheidstak, Johannesburg. Nota: Die betrokke Afdelingsbevelvoerder het inderdaad hoegenaamd niks met die aangeleentheid te doene gehad nie en sy amp is as dekmantel gebruik om die besending as “wettig” deur die proses te kry. Op die trommels was ook die naam van die private persoon aangedui wie die trommels later in sy persoonlike hoedanigheid op Waterklooflughawe sou kom afhaal. Stafsersant Lambert het verder gerapporteer dat dié trommels besonder swaar was, en dat die onbekende inhoud, sleg geruik het en dat hy vermoed het dat die inhoud moontlik ivoor kon wees. Beide trommels saam het 206 kilogram geweeg. Ek het sersant Lambert versoek om die trommels in bewaring te neem sodat die aangeleentheid ondersoek kon word.

Mpachalughawe was onder militêre beheer en die daaglikse nagaan van vrag, pakkette en toerusting, om te verseker dat verbode artikels soos velle en olifant tande nie die gebied sonder permit verlaat nie, was die taak van die Militêre Polisie.

Om ongeveer 15:00 op dié betrokke dag het ek vergesel van mnr Phil la Grange, plaaslike landdros te Katima Mulilo, by Mpachalughawe aangekom. Ek het die trommels nagegaan en gevind dat beide trommels se inhoud ‘n “muf reuk” gehad het en besonder swaar was. Beide trommels was gesluit en daar was nie ‘n sleutel om dit oop te sluit nie. Ek het daarna die lugvragbrief nagegaan en gevind dat die trommels aangeteken was as “huishoudelike benodighede”. Ek het na die handtekening van die afsender gekyk en dit onmiddellik herken as die handtekening van ‘n lid van die Veiligheidstak te Katima Mulilo. Om ongeveer 15:15 het dié betrokke lid by Mpachalughawe aangekom. Ek het die betrokke lid gevra of hy wel die trommels ingehandig het en wat die inhoud daarvan was. Die lid het my meegedeel dat hy wel die trommels ingehandig het en dat die inhoud “veiligheidstoerusting” was wat slegs deur lede van die Veiligheidstak van die S.A. Polisie hanteer kon word. Ek het die lid versoek om die “muf reuk” te verduidelik waarop hy net geswyg het. Ek het die lid daarop versoek om die trommels oop te sluit aangesien ek my daarvan wou vergewis dat daar niks in was wat die gebied as “verbode artikels” kon verlaat nie. Die lid het my meegedeel dat die enigste sleutel om die twee trommels oop te sluit in Johannesburg was. Die lid het baie bleek en senuweeagtig voorgekom. Die lid het my gevra of die trommels nie tot 19/ 11/ 1979 by die polisiestasie in bewaring gehou kon word nie en dat hy sou probeer reël dat die sleutel dan na Katima Mulilo gestuur kon word sodat dit geopen kon word. Ek was nie bereid om die trommels in bewaring te neem tot 19/ 11/ 1979 nie en die lid meegedeel dat die trommels deur die Militêre Polisie in beslag geneem is. Ek het ook die lid alleen gespreek waartydens hy my onder andere meegedeel het, “Luitenant jy weet wat die gevolge vir my sal wees as die trommels nou oopgesluit moet word”.

Ek het daarna met stafsersant Lambert gereël om die twee trommels na sy kantoor te S. A. Weermag Hoofkwartier, Katima Mulilo te vervoer vir veilige bewaring, aangesien daar nie geskikte geriewe te Mpachalughawe was nie. Die volgende dag, Saterdag 17 November 1979, om 10:10 het ek vergesel van die lid en landdros la Grange, na die Militêre Polisie se hoofkwartier gegaan, met die doel dat die trommels oopgemaak sou word. Beide trommels was nog gesluit en is aan die lid getoon. Die lid was tevrede dat die trommels nog in dieselfde “toestand” was, soos toe dit in beslag geneem is. Ek het toe die twee trommels gemerk deur onderskeidelik die uitkenningstekens “A” en “B” op die trommels aan te bring. ‘n S. A. Weermag fotograaf, korporaal Howden is toe ontbied wie eers foto’s van die geslote trommel, gemerk “A” geneem het. Die slot van trommel “A” is daarna deur stafsersant Lambert met ‘n staal knipper afgeknip. Nadat die slot oopgemaak is, is daar vasgestel dat dit wel, soos verwag, met onbewerkte olifanttande gevul was. Nadat die fotograaf weer op my versoek foto’s van die tande in die trommel geneem het, het ek en stafsersant Lambert begin om die olifanttande uit te pak. Daar was 15 olifanttande in dié betrokke trommel en is gemerk A1 tot A15. Hierna is dieselfde prosedure met trommel “B” gevolg wat ses- en- twintig tande (gemerk B1 tot B26), bevat het. Die lid was deurentyd teenwoordig en is deur my versoek om homself te vergewis dat daar onderskeidelik 15 en 26 tande in die trommels was. Hierna het ek, stafsersant Lambert en ene korporaal Ludick, in die teenwoordigheid van die betrokke lid en die landdros, mnr la Grange, die olifanttande een een geweeg soos dit in die onderskeie trommels was. Die betrokke trekskaal is by die plaaslike slaghuis geleen en die betrokke lid is ook gevra om die skaal te inspekteer wat gebruik is. Nadat die tande geweeg is, het ek beide trommels met tande vanaf stafsersant Lambert in ontvangs geneem en ontvangs erken soos per Militêre Polisie SAP 81/ 22/ 79 en ook ‘n skriftelike ontvangserkenning aan hom oorhandig. Ek het ook aan die lid gevra of hy enige permit kon toon vir die besit of uitvoer van die betrokke olifanttande. Die lid het my nie daarop geantwoord nie. Die trommels met tande is daarna by die polisiestasie in bewaring geplaas deur dit in ‘n instapkluis toe te sluit en in die bewysstukregister soos per SAP 13/ 67/ 79 ingehandig. Om 12:30 dieselfde datum het ek die woning van die betrokke lid gevisenteer maar kon geen verdere olifanttande of ivoor vind nie.

Op 20 November 1979 het ek die lid van die aanklagte teen hom verwittig en volgens die voorgeskrewe regtersreëls gewaarsku en om ‘n verduideliking gevra. Drie klagtes ingevolge Ordonnansie 5 van 1927 (SWA), naamlik (1) Onwettige jag van grootwild, (2) Onwettige besit

van 41 olifanttande en (3) Uitvoer van olifanttande sonder permit, is teen die lid geformuleer. Dié betrokke ondersoek is later deur luitenant Harmse, verbonde aan die Kriminele Ondersoek Departement in Windhoek in die RSA voortgesit. Alle lugvragbriewe in die tydperk Januarie 1979 tot November 1979 op Mpachalughawe is ook nagegaan en drie verdagte vragbriewe met betrekking tot trommels en kratte wat die betrokke lid in Julie 1979, gemerk as hout en klerasie (390 kg), September 1979 gemerk as pype (110 kg) en Oktober 1979, gemerk as masjinerie en toerusting (400 en 100 kg onderskeidelik), op dieselfde wyse by Mpachalughawe ingehandig het, geneem vir verdere ondersoek. Die betrokke lid se betrokkenheid by ivoorsmokkel het die nuusblaaie gehaal en taamlik opspraak verwek. Die betrokke dossier is aan die kantoor van die Prokureur generaal vir SWA (mnr Don Brunette) voorgelê vir beslissing. Die lid is aangekla en het in die hof op Katima Mulilo verskyn waar hy gestraf is. Ek kan egter nie meer met sekerheid onthou wat die lid se betrokke vonnis behels het nie. Nota: Ek kan nie nalaat om uit te wys dat nie alle lede van die polisie by onwettige jag of ivoorsmokkelary betrokke was nie en dat dit, sover my kennis strek, tot enkele gevalle beperk was.

3. Katima Mulilo MR 12/ 12/ 1979: Aan die begin van Desember 1979 ontvang ek ‘n handgeskrewe nota vanaf kommandant A.K. de Jager, destyds die bevelvoerende offisier van die S. A. Weermag in die Oos Caprivi (Sektor 70), wat daarop dui dat lede van die S. A. Weermag, moontlik tussen Januarie 1979 tot November 1979, by onwettige jag en ivoorsmokkel in die Oos Caprivi of Wes Caprivi, betrokke was. Die vermelde nota was oorspronklik deur die Director, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management, Salisbury (later vernoem na Harare), Zimbabwe Rhodesia, aan die Director, Nature Conservation and Tourism, Windhoek, SWA, gerig. ‘n Kaart wat aandui waar olifantkarkasse na bewering in die Wes Caprivi, met stootskrapers begrawe is, is ook later bekom. Volgens getuienis wat bekom is was ‘n S.A. Weermagoffisier met die rang van luitenant, na bewering betrokke en is olifanttande afgevoer na ‘n weermagkamp in die RSA. My kantoor word besoek deur kommandant de Lange van die Militêre Polisie Hoofkwartier, te Pretoria wie die ondersoek uit ‘n militêre oogpunt sou hanteer. Tydens die ondersoek is onbevestigde informasie ontvang dat olifanttande met ‘n tenker wat vir die vervoer van teer (bitumen) bedoel was, na die betrokke kamp afgevoer was, maar dat die tande met aankoms so van teer besmeer was, dat die tande inderdaad nutteloos was. Dit was bekend dat die S. A. Weermag ‘n padbou- konstruksiekamp (Chetto) in die Wes Caprivi gehad het waar stootskrapers gebruik is. Hierdie area was min of meer 250 kilometer vanaf Katima Mulilo geleë en in ‘n gebied wat uitsluitlik as ‘n militêre sone beskou kon word. In hierdie periode in 1979 is ook onbevestigde bewerings ontvang dat die weermag olifante aan Botswana kant van die Kwandorivier (suid van die Oos-Caprivigrens) gejag het en dat die ivoor per helikopter uit Botswana verwyder is. Hierdie inligting is aan kommandant de Lange van die Militêre Polisie vir ondersoek oorgedra. Volgens inligting het die Botswana regering per diplomatieke nota hieroor by Departement van Buitelandse Sake beswaar aangeteken. Vanweë die beweerde weermag betrokkenheid en die feit dat die Wes Caprivi as ‘n militêre sone beskou word, is ooreengekom dat hierdie ondersoek primêr as ‘n uitsluitlike militêre ondersoek beskou word.

Uiteraard was daar ook ongestaafde bewerings en bespiegelinge dat lede van die S. A. Weermag ook by ivoorsmokkelary in Angola betrokke was. Dit was buite die S. A. Polisie se juridiksie gebied en kan ek my nie daaroor uitlaat nie. Hierdie bewerings is in die hande van die S. A. Weermag gelaat.

4. Katima Mulilo MR 3/ 01/ 1980: Hierdie dossier het betrekking gehad op ‘n koerantberig in Rapport gedateer 6 Januarie 1980 na aanleiding van bewerings gemaak deur ‘n private vlieënier dat hy genader is deur ‘n regeringsamptenaar in die Caprivi om hom te help om 3 ton ivoor uit die gebied te smokkel. Na bewering was die plan om die ivoor per vliegtuig uit die Caprivi na Wonderboom lughawe by Pretoria te smokkel. Konserwatief bereken het die waarde van dié

vrag olifanttande sowat R 90 000 beloop. Na bewering sou die vliegtuig nie op Mpachalughawe land nie maar op ‘n ander private landingstrook. Die enigste ander private landingstrook in die Caprivi was by Wenela, teenaan ‘n S.A. Weermag militêre basis en nie meer in bedryf nie. Vliegtuie wat hier wou land moes meestal oor Zambië sirkel om die landingstrook te kon nader wat veiligheidsrisiko’s ingehou het. Die betrokke vlieënier se bewering is deur ander onafhanklike persone bevestig. Die Polisie was bewus van die beplanning en sou gepoog word om die betrokke amptenaar op heterdaad te betrap. Dié inligting het egter uitgelek voordat dit kon realiseer. Die betrokke ondersoek was nog aan die gang toe ek die Caprivi verlaat het. Dié betrokke amptenaar is egter kort na die voorval aangekla vir die smokkel van 68 olifanttande na die RSA in ‘n ander misdaadondersoek nadat goeie inligting onder andere deur beriggewers verskaf is.

5.Katima Mulilo MR 10/ 01/ 1980: Hierdie dossier het betrekking gehad op ‘n kameelperd wat in die suidwestelike deel van die Oos Caprivi, naby die Kwandorivier geskiet is. Drie mans is in hierdie saak aangekla maar die beskuldigdes het beweer dat ‘n hoëprofiel inwoner van die Caprivi hul gestuur het om in daardie gebied te jag en dat hul slegs opgetree het op versoek van die betrokke persoon. Hierdie bewering is deur die betrokke inwoner ontken en het aangevoer dat hy die beskuldiges vir die doel na ‘n nabygeleë eiland, aan die onderkant van die Kwando / Linyantirivier gestuur het en dat dié eiland ‘n tradisionele jaggebied is waar sonder enige jagpermit gejag kon word. Die kameelperd is egter geskiet in ‘n gebied waar permitte vereis word. Aangesien dié betrokke inwoner by die ondersoek betrek is, en dit groot politieke implikasies kon hê, is die dossier deur die staatsaanklaer na die Prokureur- generaal verwys vir sy beslissing.

6. Katima Mulilo MR 12/ 01/1980: Buffels was eintlik skaars in die Caprivi maar in hierdie geval is ‘n buffel teen die Kwandorivier geskiet. Die vermoede is dat die buffel die Caprivi uit Botswana binnegekom het. Wees tydsverloop kon bruikbare koeëlpunte nie betyds herwin word om ballistiese toetse moontlik te maak nie maar die aanduiding was dat ‘n 30 06 geweer in die jagtog gebruik is. Die vermoede was verder dat die jagters van die betrokke hoëprofiel inwoner ook in hierdie geval betrokke was en skuldig op dié klagte sou pleit.

Katima Mulilo MR 7/ 02/ 1980: Hierdie saak is teen ‘n senior staatsamptenaar van die Administrasie vir Capriviane ondersoek. Dit het geblyk dat dié betrokke persoon by grootskaalse ivoorsmokkel (aantal olifanttande betrokke soos per klagstaat: 68), en onwettige jagvoorvalle, oor ‘n hele aantal jare, betrokke was waar die waarde van die ivoor alleen duisende rande beloop het. Betroubare inligting is ontvang dat die amptenaar selfs periodiek gebruik gemaak het van regeringsvoertuie om ivoortande en selfs gesteelde toerusting na die RSA te stuur. Na bewering is toerusting van ‘n verskaffer in die RSA aangekoop waarna van die toerusting eenvoudig gesteel is en weer via die smokkelkanaal aan die verskaffer terug besorg is wat dit dan weer as voorraad opgeneem het. Verklarings is onder andere verkry van persone wat teenwoordig was toe ‘n hoeveelheid olifanttande deur ‘n regeringsvoertuig in die RSA afgelaai is. Dié betrokke amptenaar is aangekla en het gedurende April 1980 op die volgende 5 klagtes voor die landdros in Katima Mulilo verskyn: (1) Onwettige besit en uitvoer van 12 olifanttande gedurende Junie 1976, (2) Onwettige jag van grootwild gedurende 1978 waarby ‘n olifant, ‘n sebra, ‘n rooibok en ‘n swart witpens, betrokke was, (3) Onwettige jag van wild met ‘n kunsmatige lig, (4) Onwettige besit van ivoor gedurende Augustus 1978 (6 olifanttande), en (5) Onwettige besit en uitvoer van ivoor na die RSA, gedurende November 1979, waarby 50 olifanttande betrokke was. Die beskuldigde is op R 1 000.00 borg vrygelaat. Die diefstal van toerusting is ook verder ondersoek Met my vertrek uit die Caprivi was hierdie ondersoek nog aan die gang.

7.Katima Mulilo MR 8/ 02/ 1980: Hierdie dossier het betrekking gehad op minstens 3 olifante en twee bokke wat deur dieselfde persoon en ‘n werker oor ‘n tydperk geskiet is. ‘n Werknemer van die ontwikkelingskorporasie in die Caprivi sou uiteindelik op 4 klagtes, wat klagtes mbt die onwettige besit van ivoor (2 klagtes) en onwettig jag (2 klagtes) sou insluit, tereg staan.

8. Katima Mulilo MR 10/ 08/1980: Om 12:55 op 19 Augustus 1980 (soos op my aantekeninge aangedui), lê ek vergesel van 4 ander lede op die stasie, asook 2 spesiale konstabels, onder andere beslag op ‘n luiperdvel, 64 olifanttande en 12 seekoeitande op die perseel van ‘n private kontrakteur in die Oos Caprivi. Die 4 lede wat my vergesel het was adjudant offisier Ian Glen (algemeen bekend as “Scotty”), en konstabels Steenkamp, Kruger en Wilmans. Ek het goeie inligting van ‘n beriggewer ontvang en vind die olifanttande (met ‘n totale gewig van 337,6 kg), en ander items binne ‘n voertuigdiensput binne die werkswinkel van die betrokke verdagte. Die probleem in die Caprivi Zipfel tot en met 5 Augustus 1980, was nog altyd die gebrek aan behoorlike wetgewing of ordonnansies om ivoorsmokkelary of onwettige jag behoorlik te bekamp en oortreders dienooreenkomstig te straf. Dit was ‘n groot probleem en die gebrek aan doeltreffende wetgewing is deur verskeie staatsdepartemente en instansies by wyse van amptelike kanale onder die aandag van die Kantoor van die Administrateur generaal vir die gebied Suidwes Afrika, gebring. Ordonnansie 5 van 1927 was tot op daardie stadium die enigste “instrument” wat gebruik kon word om oortreders enigsins te vervolg.

Op Woensdag 6 April 1980 verskyn daar egter ‘n Buitengewone Offisiële Koerant van Suidwes - Afrika (Koerant Nommer 4238) met nuut uitgevaardigde Administrateurgeneraal Proklamasie AG 42, naamlik die Proklamasie op Beheerde Wildprodukte, 1980, om hierdie probleem aan te spreek. Die betrokke proklamasie het as volg gelees: “Voorsiening vir beheer oor die invoer, uitvoer en besit van en handel in beheerde wildprodukte en vir aangeleenthede wat daarmee in verband staan”. Daar was egter onsekerheid of dié proklamasie vir ‘n “amnestie periode” voorsiening gemaak het waarin oortreders wel vir die nodige besitspermitte kon aansoek kon doen en die dossier is na die Prokureur generaal vir Suidwes Afrika verwys vir sy beslissing. OP 6 Januarie 1981 beslis die Prokureur generaal dat die betrokke verdagte in die Streekhof aangekla moet word vir ‘n oortreding van artikel 2(1)(a) van Proklamasie AG. 42 van 1980. Volgens die betrokke kantoor was daar geen sprake van enige “amnestie periode” nie. Die verdagte slaag egter daarin om deur middel van vertoë en permitte wat hy bekom het, die Prokureur generaal te oorreed om dié betrokke saak op 27 April 1981, terug te trek. Nota: Indien die S. A. Polisie die inligting wat deur die beriggewer verskaf is, ‘n maand of wat vroeër kon bekom, glo ek dat ons ‘n baie suksesvolle saak deur die hof sou kon voer. Notas: Die voorblad van die betrokke Buitengewone Offisiële Koerant word hierby aangeheg. Na die publikasie van Proklamasie 42 van 1980 het die voorvalle van onwettige jag en ivoorsmokkel wat onder die polisie se aandag gekom het, drasties afgeneem. Ek het ongelukkig nie aantekeninge gemaak van voorvalle in 1981 wat na die betrokke publikasie deur die polisie ondersoek is nie.

In die 3 jaar in die Caprivi, sou ek leer dat olifante ‘n delikate en hoogs emosionele tropdier is, waar elke olifant ‘n eie karakter, temperament en geheue het wat mens verstom. Olifante onthou die trauma, angs, pyn en verdriet van die verlede, selfs jare daarna. Olifanttroppe sou soms terugkeer na ‘n toneel waar hul ‘n kameraad deur die dood verloor het om opnuut “hulde te bewys” en opnuut afskeid te neem. Hoe meer jy met olifante te doen het, hoe meer kom jy agter ‘n olifant se lyftaal vertel sy eie storie van blydskap, hartseer, woede, angs en aggressie. ‘n Olifant kan fisies trane stort. ‘n Olifant onthou vriend en vyand. Deur olifante dop te hou kon jy agterkom dat hul getraumatiseerd en angs- bevange is. Hulle sou soms terugkeer na ‘n skiettoneel op soek na hul makker en dan rusteloos rond trippel of in die rondte draai en trompetter. Die trompetter van olifante het my beslis in gevalle met angs en respek vir die dier gevul. Op so toneel was olifante onvoorspelbaar en aggressief. Duidelik het olifante geleer om die reuk van die mens te assosieer met die dood en pyn wat hul ervaar. Wanneer ‘n olifant sy kop begin lig en sy ore heen en weer flap is dit waarskynlik te laat om pad te gee. Jou instink

wil jou laat hardloop maar jou redding kan wees om stil te staan. ‘n Olifant kan met sy logge liggaam ‘n spoed van 40 km per uur haal en dit feitlik onbepaald volhou. Geen persoon of selfs ‘n super atleet kan dit doen nie. Om ‘n stroper se verbryselde en platgetrapte liggaam te gaan optel is nie ‘n mooi gesig nie. Olifante se sig is beperk tot sowat 20 meter maar hul reukvermoë is verstommend. Die olifant se slurp dien as ‘n reuksintuig antenna met reuk reseptore wat selfs beter is as die van die mens se grootste vriend, die hond en kan hul water sover as 19 kilometer ver ruik. Dit is bekend dat olifante selfs die TNT van landmyne kon uitruik en vermy. Wat verstommend was dat olifante met hul groot liggaam selfs geluidloos deur die veld kom beweeg. ‘n Olifantkenner het my meegedeel dat olifante met hul groot pote enige geluid kon “smoor”. As jy sien is die olifant soms op jou. Voertuigbestuurders moes voortdurend op hul hoede wees omdat olifante paaie kon kruis wanneer jy dit nie verwag nie. So was ek op die toneel op die Katima Mulilo Mpacha pad waar ‘n Toyota bakkie teen ‘n olifant vasgery het. Dié dier het eenvoudig omgedraai en uit woede op die bakkie gaan sit. Die bakkie was ‘n plat rommelhoop van metaal en die enigste aanduiding dat dit ‘n Toyota bakkie was, was die Toyota-naam agter op die laaibakflap. Al wat nie beskadig was nie, was die agterste nommerplaat wat gehelp het om die insittende met ‘n naam te verbind. Net soos die mens, kan olifante myns insiens aan posttraumatiese stresversteuring ly veral as die patriarg of matriarg van die trop uitgeskiet is maar dit het die gewetenlose olifantstropers nie gepla nie.

Die invloed van oorgeërfde tradisies, voorvaderlike verknegtheid, die toordokter of sangoma en die uitbuitery van die ivoorsmokkelaar se gierigheid na rande en dollars het alles ‘n rol in die onwettige ivoorhandel en onwettige jag gespeel. Dié ivoorsmokkelaar sou sy eie vuurwapen (want hy het slegs met uitsondering self die skietwerk gedoen), aan die olifantjagter geen en hom toelaat om dan vir homself wild soos ‘n waterbok, swartwitpens of selfs ‘n seekoei te skiet.

Die plaaslike inwoner se lewensbeskouing, karakter en selfs sy persoonlikheid het met enkele uitsondering, alles rondom die toordokter of sangoma (wat volgens hul siening dieselfde ´kragte´ gehad het), gedraai. As die toordokter aan jou gesê het dat hy ‘n olifantslurp, olifantpoot of leeuvel as “vergoeding” wou hê, het die plaaslike inwoner dit gaan soek. ‘n Leeuvel het magiese krag, status en aansien weerspieël en ‘n olifantslurp of poot klaarblyklik onoorwinlikheid, intelligensie en respek. Soos een toordokter tydens ondervraging aan my gesê het tydens ‘n ondervragingsessie dat sy “muti baie sterker is as julle”. Dié toordokter was ‘n harde neut om in ondervraging te “kraak” en het in die allesoorheersende krag van sy eie vermoë en muti geglo.

Die Capriviaan se kultuur het dit baie moeilik gemaak om onwettige jag en ivoorsmokkel te bekamp. Hulle het eenvoudig anders gedink, anders opgetree en ander gebruike gehad as hul eweknie in die stad waaraan ek gewoond was. Daarby het die klaarblyklike laksheid van enkele amptenare wat aan die regerings of ander instansies betrokke was, tot die problematiek bygedra. Die misbruik (waaronder diefstal) van die landboumiddel “Curaterr” om diere en voëls te vergiftig, te verlam en te dood kon voorkom gewees het met beter beheermaatreëls. Dieselfde siening geld ten opsigte van toerusting wat gesteel is as gevolg van swak interne kontrole. Beriggewers was skaars maar het later meer na vore gekom soos hul agtergekom het dat hul uitgebuit word. Ek het vir my ‘n klein sakgrootte bandopnamemasjientjie aangeskaf wat ek as rugsteun tydens ondervraging wou gebruik. Nie almal op die stasie het van die bandopnamemasjientjie geweet nie, tog het ek sommer kort nadat ek dit aangeskaf het, agtergekom dat een van die inwoners met wie ek ‘n delikate gesprek oor ivoorsmokkel gevoer het, klaarblyklik reeds ingelig was dat ek so hulpmiddel in my besit gehad het. Hy het my hande met arendsoë dopgehou, waarskynlik om te sien of ek die betrokke opnamemasjientjie (wat versteek was), sou aanskakel of nie. Iewers moes iemand dus dié inligting uitgelek het wat betreurenswaardig was. Die geografie en ligging van die Oos en Wes Caprivi soos vasgevang tussen Zambië, Angola en Botswana, het dit maklik gemaak vir smokkelaars om heen en weer oor die grense te beweeg. Uiteraard het die Capriviane as stamgenote, sterk familiebande met veral die inwoners van die weste en sentrale gedeeltes van Zambië gehad. Die meeste olifanttande wat in die Caprivi van hande verwissel het, het volgens aanduiding uit Zambië en Angola en miskien in mindere mate uit Botswana, gekom. Langafstande in die Caprivi Zipfel (Oos en Wes Caprivi) het dit uiteraard ook moeilik gemaak. Om vinnig op misdaadtonele uit te

kom. Inderdaad was die polisiewyk ‘n astronomiese 21 000 vierkante kilometer groot met die naaste ander S.A. Polisiestasie in Suidwes Afrika, op Bagani (wat maar ‘n 4 man stasie was), in die Kavango, net oorkant die Okavangorivier, sowat 400 kilometer weg van Katima Mulilo, geleë. Selfoon- tegnologie sou darem destyds ‘n groot hulpmiddel gewees het om met beriggewers te kon kommunikeer, om nie eers te praat van hedendaagse tegnologie soos satellietbeelde en hommeltuie nie.

Die onwettige stropery van veral olifante was veral in die volgende areas gekonsentreerd:

1. Die bykans 200 kilometer breë strook, noord van die destydse “Golden Highway”, tussen Katima Mulilo en Kongola teenaan die Kwandorivier en die Wes Caprivi (in die weste), Angola (in die noordweste) en Zambië (in die noorde),

2. Die sentrale gedeelte van die oostelike strook van die Oos Caprivi (ook bekend as die Mudumu area), teenaan die Kwandorivier, sowat 850 vk kilometer in grootte,

3. Die Mamili vloedvlakte, in die suidweste van die Oos Caprivi, waar die Kwandorivier en die Linyantirivier mekaar teenaan Botswana ontmoet, insluitend die perdeskoendraai,

4. Die oostelike vloedvlakte in die ooste en suide van die Oos Caprivi, suid van Ngoma en teenaan die Choberivier en Botswana,

5. Die oostelike strook van die Wes Caprivi teenaan die Kwandorivier (in die weste) en Botswana (aan die suide).

Vir niks ter wêreld sou ek my dienstydperk in die Caprivi, wat deur persoonlike omstandighede kortgeknip is, wou misloop nie, nieteenstaande uitdagings eie aan dié gebied, wat my vandag nog met goeie herinneringe laat. So is die Caprivi onlosmaaklik deel van my polisieverlede. My kollegas wat saam met my in die Caprivi gestasioneer was, het hul kant gebring en ek sê hiermee ook aan hulle dankie. Sonder julle sou dit ‘n onbegonne taak gewees het.

Bylaes aangeheg:

1. Uittreksel uit Staatskoerant Nommer 2944 gedateer 11 Desember 1970.

2. Buitengewone Offisiële Koerant van Suidwes Afrika gedateer 6 Augustus 1980 (voorblad).

3. Twee foto’s van olifanttande waarop onder andere beslag gelê is tydens ‘n ondersoek.

4. Foto van `n trekskaal wat gebruik is om olifanttande te weeg.

Uittreksel uit Staatskoerant 2944 van 11 Desember 1970-1

Uittreksel uit Staatskoerant 2944 van 11 Desember 1970-2

Voorblad van Offisiële koerant 4238 AG42 van 1980-1

olifanttande waarop beslag gelê is en die skaal waarop tande geweeg is

Nog olifanttande waarop beslag gelê is

FRONTIER ARMED & MOUNTED POLICE:

COL HANS GARRETT MOORE, VC

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

Hans Moore

VC CB

Born 31 March 1834

Carlingford, County Louth, Ireland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Died 6 October 1889 (aged 55) Lough Derg, County Tipperary, Ireland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Buried Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin, Ireland

Allegiance United Kingdom Service/branch British Army Rank Colonel

Unit 88th Regiment (later The Connaught Rangers)

Battles/wars Ninth Cape Frontier War Awards

Victoria Cross

Order of the Bath

Hans Garrett Moore VC CB (31 March 1834 6 October 1889), born in Carlingford, County Louth, Ireland, was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details

He was 43 years old, and a Major in the 88th Regiment (later The Connaught Rangers), British Army during the Ninth Cape Frontier War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

Later life

He later achieved the rank of Colonel. He died at Lough Derg, County Tipperary on 6 October 1889 whilst attempting to save a life and was buried at Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin, Ireland.

The medal

The medal is on display in the MuseuMAfricA, Johannesburg, South Africa.

References

• ^ "No. 24738". The London Gazette. 27 June 1879. p. 4143.

• Listed in order of publication year

• The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)

• Clarke, Brian D. H. (1986). "A register of awards to Irish born officers and men". The Irish Sword. XVI (64): 185 287.

• Ireland's VCs ISBN 1-899243-00-3 (Dept of Economic Development, 1995)

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)

• Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)

• External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Dublin)

DAMAGED MONUMENT: FRONTIER ARMED & MOUNTED POLICE:

COL HANS GARRETT MOORE, VC

Craig Stuart Brown

On 29 December 1877 near Komgha, South Africa, during an action with the Gaikas, Major Moore saw that a private of the Frontier Mounted Police was unable to mount his horse and was left at the mercy of the enemy. Realising the danger, Major Moore rode back alone in the midst of the enemy, and continued in his efforts to save the man's life until the latter was killed. The major shot two and received an assegai in the arm during this gallant attempt.

OU SAKBOEKOMSLAG

JP Bester Sakboekomslag van Henry Van Breda (Oorlede). Destyds speurder in Windhoek.

FLINKE OPTREDE; RADIOBEHEER DURBAN

Facebook via Gerald Buttigieg

SUIDWES POLISIESTORIES: GROOTSKRIK l

Conrad Thalwitzer

(Onveranderd geplaas)

As ek hierdie foto sien dan wonder ek net weer bietjie oor my tyd op Gochas, as Konstabel Abel. Ek moes eendag vir een of ander duistere doel weer Tweerivier en Kalahari Gemsbokpark toe gaan. Dis seker nog voordat hy nou die Kgalagadi naam loop kry het.

Omtrent hier teen middagtyd, op pad terug Gochas toe ry ek oor so 'n spikkel geelslang. Teen dié tyd was ek al moeg en gatvol, maar ek stop daai Fordjie gou en draai om, om die slang ge gaan kyk.

Dit was net na 'n motorhek en ek het geweet waar om te kyk, maar daar is geen slang te sien nie. Ek klim toe maar uit om te kyk vir die sleepsel en dis toe net daar waar die moeilikheid begin. Daai sleepsel kom tot op die pad en daar verdwyn hy net.

Omdat ek amper seker is dat slange nie vlieg nie, begin my hare so effe rys. My Polieskep staan later doer in die lug, maar omdat ek Polisie kapsel gehad het kon die kep darem nie te hoog gaan nie.

Nadat ek tot binne die motorhek se rooster geloer het, begin ek so 'n bietjie wyd rondom daai blou Polies Ford stap. Ek het sommer my pistool in my hand en my nek rek so lank soos 'n volstruis, soos ek probeer om slang se kind te sien. Amper klim ek regs in by daai linkerhand stuur Ford.

Toe ek binne is, is dit voet in die hoek Gochas toe. Dis warm in daai Auobrivier se vallei, maar my vensters is so toe soos 'n klei os se gat. Ek loer kort kort orals in die kajuit vir enige verdagte beweging. Ek ry ook party plekke sommer ekstra deur die uitgeskraapte klippe langs die pad, sodat die klippe die onderkant kan verlos van enige pootlose rylopers.

Op Gochas ry ek toe sommer dadelik na die garage, regoor die sentrale. Op daai stadium was die plek bedryf deur Chris Knouwdts. Met die aankoms het ek my venster op so 'n skrefie oopgemaak en my probleempie aan Chris verduidelik.

Hy het dadelik 'n kar wat op die put staan laat uit trek. Ek trek daai Ford mooi oor daai put, gooi daai deur oop en spring dat ek doer tussen die spanners en ghriespotte eers grondvat.

Ek het gereeld die bakkie laat uitblaas daar wanneer ek van die pad af kom, dus is daar niks om oor verdag te wees nie.

Chris sê vir sy een werker, so 'n laaaaang Herero man om gou die sand en grassade uit die Ford se onderstel te blaas. Langman is in daai put en dis net stof en gras wat uit daai put kom. Toe die stof gaan lê en als is nog rustig toe sê ek vir Langman om die spaarwiel, wat onder die bakkie is effe te laat sak en daar ook te blaas want gras pak ook daar saam.

Chris vat daai slinger en draai, om daai spaarwiel te laat sak, terwyl daai Langman regstaan met sy lugpyp. Dis toe ongeveer daai tyd wat baie dinge gelyk begin gebeur. Daai spikkel slang kom dop by die kant van die wiel uit waar Chris sit en draai en hy (Chris) loop land doer, tussen Gochas se klippe en spartel om regop te kom terwyl hy besig is om spoed op te tel daar n Gochas Winkel se kant toe.

Langman lag tog te lekker omdat sy werkgewer so opspring en val soos hy spoed optel. Daai tyd toe is slang ook moeg vir saamry en val daar in die put saam met Langman. Toe is daar baie beweging in daai put, want slang staan met sy voorlyf gelig by die uitklim plek van daai put en Langes wil uitkom.

Kyk daai Amerikaanse Fords was nie so hoog soos die ou bakkies nie, maar daai man kom dop daar tussen die voor- en agterwiel uit en vat pad dat jy net olielappe sien waai. Hy vat spoed agter

Chris aan en eers toe daai "air" pyp hom omruk, toe laat los hy daai pyp se kop. Met daai regop kom is hy toe ook reguit by kafee verby, reguit huis toe. Nadat ek en Chris 'n paar lafenisse gevat het daar by Stoney's Hotel, het Piet Gouws die slang gaan verlos daar uit die put en kon daar darem 'n mate van orde kom by daai garage.

Daai volgende dag het dit baie dreig en mooipraat en 'n 5 liter kan Vaaljapie (Kaalgatwyn) gekos om Langman weer by die werk te kry, minus 'n paar velle wat aan die put se rand en aan die Ford agter gebly het.

Tot vandag toe ry ek nie oor 'n slang as ek dit kan vermy nie.

GROOTSKRIK ll Conrad Thalwitzer (Onveranderd geplaas)

Middag sê almal.

Laat ons weer bietjie verder praat oor hierdie blou Ford met nog 'n slang storie.

Daar in 1983 stuur die Polisie mos 'n vars jong Poeliesmannetjie vir my van die Kollege af. Nuwe konstabel Johan Verster. Die man drink nie, hy vloek nie en is heel stabiel. Ek neem hom maar onder my vlerk om hom die weë van 'n Poeliesman te leer en hy ry aan die begin elke rit saam om die wyk te leer ken.

Een probleem van hom, hy het maklik en groot geskrik. So ry ons een middag, daar in die omgewing van Eindpaal in die Auob af. Soos die duiwel dit wil hê kom daar weer 'n slang uit 'n boom, nadat hy hom seker dik gevreet het aan die versamelvoëltjies. Hy kom van die regterkant, direk onder die bakkie deur. Kyk toe wil Verster net hartaanval kry en opgooi. Sy oë is so groot soos borde. Ek bring die spoed af en sien in die linker spieël hoe die slang in die gras verdwyn. Ek stop so 'n entjie verder en sê vir Verster, daai slang het nie onder die bakkie uitgekom nie. Hy weet van die vorige slang en Langman se skrik. Vir niks in die wêreld wil hy uitklim dat ons kan kyk nie en dreig met vuurwapen verdediging. Toe vat ons maar weer pad.

Die Ford het 'n langafstand radio gehad en agter in die kajuit was 'n groterige ronde gat gemaak om een koppeling deur te kry. Die rubberseël wat om die draad gesit was, is lankal weg en Verster weet dit.

Daai man sit soos 'n erdmannetjie op die sitplek en loer kort-kort op die vloer of die slang nog nie deur daai gat gekom het nie. Ek het toe reeds sy pistool afgevat om hom teen homself te beskerm. Soos ons ry, raak hy meer gerus en sit toe maar wydsbeen en loer maar soms hier tussen sy voete. Dit is warm in daai vallei en een ding wat hy lekker kon doen, is om 'n uiltjie te knip terwyl ons ry. Dan is die kop op die bors, dan ewe skielik is hy weer wakker en inspekteer die vloer. So 'n ent voor Gochas is daar 'n motorhek. Een van vele op daai pad.

Net voor die motorhek trap ek altyd effe skerp op die rem en laat los dan, sodat die Ford effe sy kop lig en gladder oor die rooster gaan.

Daai tyd was ek daai rem trap, toe skuif 'n fanbelt onder die sitplek uit. Daai remskoot ruk hom toe ook wakker en toe sy oë oopgaan, skuif daai fanbeld hier tussen sy voete in.

Bloedvannerwalt ! Toe moet ek omtrent op daai remme lê terwyl ek sy lyfband vasgryp, want daai tyd toe maak hy daai deur oop om uit te klim. Gelukkig hou die remaksie hom toe vasgedruk teen die deur. Toe die Ford gaan staan, los ek hom en spring uit. Daai man staan toe al so 20 meter van die kar af en is vol stof, want hy het die grondpad gevoel met sy uitklim slag. Nadat ons hom half ondersoek het, het dit gekos om hom omtrent te sleep tot by die deur sodat hy self die fanbelt kan sien. Van daar af het ek met 'n baie wakker passasier verder gery. Hy altyd daarna altyd self seker gemaak dat daar niks onder die sitplek lê as ons ry nie. Op die manier het hy darem verseker dat ek 'n toolbox begin saamry, wat soms baie nodig was in daai Kalahari.

Mooi aand almal.

WAAR IS DIE POLISIE...?

Kol Corrie Prinsloo

Ek moes eendag in siviele drag ryloop terug Ruacana toe, toe my voertuig moes agterbly op Tsumeb by my ouerhuis vir 'n diens en bietjie herstelwerk. Pa Kerneels het my by die kruising loop aflaai. Hierdie Weermag weeklikse gastrok het my opgelaai. Ek het agterop by die gasbottels gery tot by Ondangwa lughawe se indraai.

Langs die pad voor Oshivelo het die twee soldate by 'n piekniekplek stilgehou vir ratpacks en koffie. My ook aangebied, dankie. Toe die koedoe padbord daar naby vol gate geskiet! "Nou moet hier nou net nie 'n fo...n polisieman aankom nie...!" het die drywer gesê.

Toe hulle my afhelp van die trok op Ondangwa, stop 'n gekamoefleerde Polisie Ribbok langs ons. Die bemanning het my in die verbyry herken. Die swart sersant spreek my luidkeels en glimlaggend aan... "Sant Corrie, soek jy lift terug polisiestasie toe...?"

Ek sal daai twee soldate se gesigsuitdrukkings nooit vergeet nie... (Foto @ Facebook).

regards (Via Frans Bedord Visser)

1842: STOCKS: REPUBLIC OF NATALIA: PIETERMARITZBURG

c1965: KAPT JH VAN NIEKERK: DK KOKSTAD: BESEER MATATIELE Facebook (Gerald Buttigieg)

ENKELE OU POLISIESTASIES | SOME OLD POLICE STATIONS

• Durban Borough Police \ Durban Gemeente Politie

Eerste Polisiestasie in Durban David Balie

Old Durban City Police Station D Newcombe

Durban Borough Police Station Musgrave Road.

• Transvaal Police later SA Police HQ | ZA Politie HK

• Compol Building | Kompol-gebou

Pieter Bell In Old Pretoria on Facebook:

The Compol Building in Pretorius Street, built in the 1890s, is one of Pretoria’s oldest buildings.

This diverse building was erected by the Department of Public Works.

In 1913, it was taken over by the South African Police (SAP) and served as the SAP headquarters from June 1925 to July 1959.

The building was initially known as the New Government Buildings. Since 1913 various sections of the police have occupied parts of the building. In 1933, the Deputy Commissioner of the Transvaal Division, including the Crime Investigation Department (CID), moved into the building and occupied the ground floor which was previously occupied by the staff of the Deeds Office and the Surveyor General.

One of the rooms on the ground floor served as the charge office for the Detective Unit and provided entrance to the building from Volkstem Avenue.

Early in 1934, the SAP moved into all four floors of the Compol Building. This included the Crime Investigation Department, Detective unit, Ballistics and Records Section as well as the financial sections.

The name of the building was subsequently changed on 1 April 1934 from the New Government Buildings to the South African Police Headquarters.

In July 1959 the police vacated the Compol Building and moved to Wachthuis in Pretorius Street. In 1963, it was decided that the whole Compol Building would be used to accommodate the Security Branch. The Department of Census and Statistics was located at the building at that stage.

The Security Branch moved into the Compol building on 26 November 1963.

• SA Police HQ in Palace of Justice | SA Polisie HK in Paleis van Justisie (ook die Nongqai was hier gesetel)

At the end of 1967 the Security Branch vacated the Compol Building and moved to Wachthuis. However, the ground floor was still occupied by the Northern Transvaal Division of the Security Branch. The Security Branch vacated the Compol Building, which they shared with the Museum, in around 1995.

Sources:

• ZAR Government Offices, C/o Pretorius Street and Volkstem Avenue, Pretoria City Centre, Tshwane. (2012, August 7). ABLEWiki, Retrieved 22:23, April 28, 2014.

• Volkstem Building, 159 Pretorius Street, Pretoria City Centre, Tshwane. (2012, August 7). ABLEWiki, Retrieved 22:57, April 28, 2014.

Morne van Zyl het hierdie foto van Wachthuis op Facebook geplaas. Hierdie kant van Wachthuis is deur die ou Veiligheidspolisie gebruik.

DURBAN: POLICE DOG WALL OF REMEMBERANCE

Via Facebook (Sonja du Plooy)

Sonia Du Plooy wrote on 21 Aug. 2022: New resting place for fallen Durban SAPS K9 dog unit. It was funded by past and present SAP dog handlers and is now situated at Kloof SPCA. The official unveiling will take place on 11th November 2022. Gone but not forgotten!

1993: Nightshift complaint

I have thought about this complaint from around 1993 many times, and will still do so for many more times. I remember it was a summer’s nightshift in the township when our Ops room (operational room/unit radio room) sent us a complaint originally from 10111 (emergency call); the complaint was an axe attack and the suspect was still at the address. The complaint was given through with street number and no street name, this was normal for that time period. The local police station rarely attended complaints at night; one has to keep in mind that any complaint at night could be a potential ambush. We made our way to this complaint, drove past the address to check the situation, and then returned to the address to attend to the complaint. On arrival at the scene the section leader and myself spoke to the complainant; the complainant was a ‘Madala’ (old African man), he showed us where his grandson tried to chop down the house front door with an axe. The ‘Madala’ informed us that his children had left the grandson in his care, but the grandson was part of some street gang and was getting into trouble (probably SDU’s). The ‘madala’ had told the grandson to leave the house, but the grandson tried to chop down the front door with an axe. The ‘Madala’ told us in Afrikaans “Julle moet hom kry en net dood maak, ons soek hom nie meer nie!” (You must find him and kill him, we don’t want him anymore!), this is talk from people that are desperate. Yes, I still remember that old man’s words, “Julle moet hom kry en net dood maak, ons soek hom nie meer nie!” You know you have problems in your culture when the youth’s attack the older generation, when the old ways are forgotten chaos is sure to follow.

Gavin Tischendorf

TSHWANE METRO POLISIE: BEREDE-EENHEID

Foto HBH

ZARP: KMDT PR OOSTHUIZEN Zetef du Plessis

DIE SA POLISIE EN DIE SWART-OP-SWART GEWELD, 1990 – 1994 Dr Willem Steenkamp

Met die lente wat nou in 2022 aangebreek het, pas dit om terug te kyk na die lente van 1990, toe sekere townships reeds polities oor verhit was.

President FW de Klerk se aankondiging op 2 Februarie daardie jaar, dat SuidAfrika op pad was na ‘n kiesstelsel van een mens, een stem, het uiteraard ‘n paradigma verskuiwing beteken in die Suid Afrikaanse politiek: voortaan sou die land se politieke lot, in die vorm van wie regeer, getalsgewys bepaal word deur die swart kieserskorps. Dit het veral die ANC en Inkatha maar alte goed besef, sodat hulle mekaar die stryd aangesê het om meerderheidsteun onder swart kiesers te begin werf. Nie net beleidsgewys slaags nie, maar ook fisies. Met die geaffekteerde township bevolkings die mees algemene slagoffers.

En die Suid Afrikaanse Polisie in die middel, wat wet en orde moes bewaar.

Daarom is daar op 25 September 1990 ‘n aandklokreël afgekondig in woongebiede soos Soweto.

Hieronder haal ons ‘n ooggetuie verslag aan, van hoe dit was om op nag patrollie te gaan in Soweto, gedurende daardie komplekse, gevaarlike tyd. Dis uit die pen van ‘n joernalis van die Los Angeles Times. Komende vanuit daardie hoek, is sy waarnemings oor hoe die polisie wel daarin geslaag het om kalmte te bring, sekerlik bo verdenking al weerspreek dit die “enkel storie” oor daardie dae wat vandag vroom voorgehou word, as sou die polisie alom gehaat gewees het as die vermeende rassistiese, partydige “derde mag” aanhitsers van die geweld.

Sonder om die ooggetuie-artikel te veel te wil vooruit loop, is ‘n bietjie konteks oor daardie era nuttig. Veral om te demonstreer hoe moeilik die destydse polisiemag se taak was. ‘n Taak wat hulle tog suksesvol verrig het, met groot opoffering om só die oorgang na die Nuwe Suid Afrika moontlik te gemaak het. Sonder die stabiliteit wat die polisie verseker het, sou die demokratiese transformasieproses uiteraard nie moontlik gewees het nie.

Eerstens moet mens daardie era van “people’s war” (veral 1990 1994) in perspektief plaas teenoor die geheel van die sg. “armed struggle” (1960 1994). Kyk eerstens na die statistiek. Vervolgens dan na die analises in latere jare gedoen deur onafhanklike instansies soos die Internasionale Rooikruis (ICRC) en die Suid-Afrikaanse Instituut vir Rasseverhoudinge (SAIRR), oor die oorsake en die aandadige partye tot daardie geweldsjare.

Heelwat van dit wat ek nou kortliks hier sal aanhaal, kan u vind in NONGQAI se gratis e boek oor die SAP Veiligheidstak, wat u hier kan aflaai:

‘n Paar grafieke sal dié era in perspektief plaas:

Let hier veral op, die getal sterftes onder SAP lede (veral swart lede, waarvan die groot meerderheid sterftes die gevolg was van nagtelike sluip-aanvalle op bv. hulle wonings in die townships en lokvalle van vals nood uitroepe; die oor;grote meerderheid gedurende die oorgangsfase van swart op swart geweld na die ontbanning van die ANC). Veral treffend is ook die disproporsionele aantal swart burgerlikes wat gesterf het, en die feit dat vyf keer meer Inkatha lede as ANC lede gesterf het. Sou die

Veiligheidsmagte en Inkatha die werklike geweldsaanstigters gewees het (soos beweer), wat die ANC sou geteiken het, sou dit redelik wees om te verwag dat veel meer ANC lede sou gesterf het.

Kom ons kyk nou na wat Dr Anthea Jeffery van die SAIRR geskryf het oor daardie bloedige fase, in haar boek: “People’s War New Light on the Struggle for South Africa”.

Haar opsomming van daardie fase lees soos volg: “The conventional wisdom is that they (the 20,500 dead of the Struggle) died at the hands of a state backed Third Force, but the more accurate explanation is that they died as a result of the people's war the ANC unleashed. As the people's war accelerated from September 1984, intimidation and political killings rapidly accelerated. At the same time, a remarkably effective propaganda campaign put the blame for violence on the National Party government and its alleged Inkatha surrogate. Sympathy for the ANC soared, while its rivals suffered crippling losses in credibility and support. By 1993 the ANC was able to dominate the negotiating process, as well as to control the (undefeated) South African police and army and bend them to its will. By mid 1994 it had trounced its rivals and taken over government. Since 1994, many books have been written on South Africa's political transition, but none deals adequately with the people's war. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission should have covered this, but largely overlooked it. This book shows the extraordinary success of people's war in giving the ANC a virtual monopoly on power. It also shows, in part at least, the great cost at which this was achieved.”

Die volgende aanhaling uit NONGQAI se e boek (waarna ons vroeër verwys het) onderskryf hierdie analise, met bewyse geneem uit die Internasionale Komitee van die Rooikruis se deurtastende ondersoek wat hulle in die middle-negentigs gedoen het, na afloop van Suid-Afrika se interne konflik, sowel as peilings destyds gedoen deur die Raad vir Geesteswetenskappe (HSRC).

As is well known, the level of internecine violence among black groups fighting each other for political power increased exponentially after the 1990 unbanning of the ANC and Communist Party. Some three quarters of the total of 20,500 deaths that had occurred over the entire course of South Africa’s internal conflict post-1961, in fact occurred as such black-on-black violence between principally the ANC and the Zulu based Inkatha Movement, over those four last years alone, up to the transfer of power in May 1994. The ANC had positioned itself to be able to violently intimidate, i.a. by means of their Operation Vula (the smuggling of weapons of war into the country). Their propagandistic criticism of the security forces was therefore very much a case of “do as we say, not as we ourselves do”.

To understand the ANC’s strategy during those latter years of the conflict when it was struggling to establish itself as the dominant political force, it should be remembered that the radical political activists had always been a minority in South African society. As earlier mentioned, according to an in depth investigation undertaken by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) into the South African conflict, only 34% of Blacks had claimed to have even taken a side (between status quo and liberation forces) during the conflict around Apartheid, with two thirds, therefore, having chosen to remain uncommitted to either the government or the revolutionaries. Furthermore, only 3% of blacks had regarded themselves as having been actively involved as actual “combatants” in what had been portrayed by the ANC as having been a popular “people’s war”. The ICRC describes the conflict over Apartheid thus: “…only pockets of the overall black population, and only a sliver of the white population, were directly and actively involved in the struggle. The low level of direct involvement with the conflict was in part a measure of the efficacy of the State’s actions ... Overall, the research suggests that most South Africans, blacks and whites, did not take a side in the struggle and did not have direct contact with the conflict. Comments from the participants in the focus groups and in depth interviews give a sense of the remoteness of the conflict for many South Africans…”

A report by the HSRC into political attitudes published in 1992, also showed that almost four out of ten blacks said that they trusted then-president FW de Klerk. This ambivalence on the part of the future voting public, the ANC simply had to turn around at any cost. With intimidation, if need be. Since one of the main protagonists in the black on black power struggle, the ANC, had as its doctrine that power grows from the barrel of the gun, it is therefore no surprise to read in the aforementioned ICRC report that: “For a large number of the participants in the consultation, the political violence among black South Africans was even more vividly horrifying than the struggle against the white regime.

“Participants in the consultation, many of whom were active in this later stage of the conflict, recall that this violence often included the shooting of women and children, rape, burning or bulldozing of buildings with civilians inside, and the infamous “necklacings” placing a tyre around the neck of an opponent, filling it with gasoline (petrol), and setting it on fire. The comments of participants in the focus groups and in depth interviews suggest that in these and other ways the limits broke down in the township clashes in a way that was both horrifying and bewildering.” Die basiese gevolgtrekkings waartoe die voormelde onafhanklike instansies gekom het oor die konflik gedurende die oorgangsjare, word nogal goed geboekstaaf deur die Amerikaanse joernalis Scott Kraft se ooggetuie-verslag wat ons nou hier weergee – met ‘n saluut aan al die polisie-lede wat soveel opgeoffer het om wet en orde te handhaaf onder die moeilikste van omstandighede.

BY SCOTT KRAFT, OCT. 5, 1990 12 AM PT - LOS ANGELES TIMES STAFF WRITER SOWETO, South Africa [Received via Gavin Tischendorf]

With the night curfew only minutes old, an armour plated police Casspir rumbled out of its barbed wire encampment for duty in the largest and most violent black township in South Africa.

Maj. Steve Olivier and his riot officers hunkered down in the darkened vehicle, scanning the lights of Soweto through narrow, bullet proof windows scarred by the gunfire and rocks of previous patrols.

It was an end-of-month Friday, payday for the laborers, and usually a night of revelry and even mayhem in this township of 2.5 million. But the only sound this night was the rhythmic hum of the Casspir’s tires on asphalt.

“Seems to be a quiet evening,” Olivier said. “But anything can happen in Soweto.”

Fifty five minutes later, it did. The walkie talkie in Olivier’s hand crackled to life. A mob of 100 had gathered in Orlando East, a politically volatile ghetto.

The white policeman at the wheel shifted into high gear and steered for the trouble. A second Casspir fell into line, and on their way, their headlights flashed momentarily on a low wall. Written there in large black letters were the words: “No to Curfew.”

So began a tour of duty with the men enforcing the South African government’s week old curfew the controversial right jab of Operation Iron Fist, the effort to quell the spasm of black fighting that has left 760 dead in townships near Johannesburg since mid-August.

Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress have strongly criticized the 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew, imposed in seven black townships, and the 24 hour roadblocks at township entrances.

They say the crackdown has suspended the civil rights of millions of innocent blacks while completely ignoring right wing whites, who the ANC believes have been secretly inciting the fighting.

Whatever the cost to normal township life, the curfew has helped bring a quick end to the fighting and sent crime rates plummeting. And among many residents terrorized by eight weeks of urban warfare, the fragile new peace is welcome.

ON PATROL WITH POLICE IN SOWETO: Riot officers in armoured vehicles have brought a fragile peace to black townships with a curfew and roadblocks. They have drawn criticism and won some unexpected friends.

“Most of usdon’t like the police, but we want them to protect us,” said Stanley Nguina, 24, a computer programmer in Soweto. “This dying business must come to an end. And this curfew keeps us alive. For now.”

A senior black political activist said that while some of his colleagues have publicly denounced the curfew, “when they come home, they thank God that the Zulus won’t be coming.”

The fighting has been primarily between migrant workers who support the Zulu based Inkatha Freedom Party and township residents who support the rival ANC.

“We haven’t had a good night’s sleep for weeks,” said the activist, who asked not to be identified. “Finally, I can sleep in peace.”

As commander of Soweto’s riot squad, Maj. Olivier’s job is to keep that peace by sweeping humanity off the township streets. And the other evening he sent five Casspirs and about 50 black and white police officers into the night to help him do it.

Since the factional fighting began in August, the police have been reluctant to patrol in ordinary police cars and trucks--"soft” vehicles, they call them. The township’s junkyards are filled with the carcasses of police cars that were strafed with automatic weapons fire and gutted by Molotov cocktails.

Instead, the police prefer a “hard vehicle” such as the Casspir, a 12 foot tall personnel carrier with armour plating and a high, V-shaped underbody to diffuse the shock of land mines and navigate roads blockaded with stones and burning tires.

Olivier, a trim, sandy-haired officer with 26 years’ experience in counterinsurgency work, climbed aboard Casspir No. 59405 R with three white and two black police officers and a small battery of armaments.

The white officers carried pistols, strapped to their hips in blue canvas holsters. The black officers gripped Mosberg pump-action shotguns loaded with birdshot for crowd control. A dozen rubber bullets, each as thick as a man’s wrist, were slung around the ample belly of a white warrant officer.

And somewhere on board was “a bit of gas,” Olivier said tear gas.

“But we don’t usually use gas at night,” Olivier said, “because you can’t tell which way it’s blowing. Sometimes you drive into it and the next thing you know you can’t see where you’re going.”

The curfew forbids anyone to be on the streets of Soweto without a letter from an employer or an explanation that the police will buy.

“We’re not concerned about the law abiding citizen,” Olivier said. “If he’s got a reasonable story we let him go. Mostly, we’re looking out for the trouble-makers.”

The two black officers seemed unconcerned about possible attacks, though. They sat at the back of the heavily fortified vehicle with the door wide open, shouting to youngsters on the curbs.

“Hamba lala, " they said. Go and sleep.

The dispatcher’s report of a gathering in Orlando East was the evening’s first hint of trouble.

Since the curfew was imposed Sept. 25, police have broken up several gatherings in Soweto, apparently organized by young ANC supporters who have vowed to defy the restrictions.

At 10 p.m., the Casspirs came upon about 50 young protesters, some carrying cardboard signs bearing the words: “Forward With Operation Vula.”

Vula is a 3 year old ANC plan, recently uncovered by the police, to set up an underground military network to overthrow the government. The ANC says the operation is no longer active.

Some of the demonstrators held their ground at first, but the sight of armed police leaping out of the Casspirs sent them scurrying.

The sounds of police shouting and dogs barking filled the night air as the officers gave chase through small, fenced yards and dark alleys. Residents peeked from behind thin curtains as police returned with three young men and a woman.

Each suspect was pummeled with questions in Afrikaans, English and Zulu, the lingua franca of Soweto. One youth and the woman gave their addresses and were freed with Olivier’s admonition: “You go home and sleep. If I catch you on the roads again... " The sentence went unfinished.

But the two other youngsters refused to give an address and were arrested. Olivier was sure they were the ringleaders.

“You know when you look at a guy,” said Olivier, who once fought black insurgents trying to topple the white minority government in what is now Zimbabwe. “It’s a sixth sense.”

Soweto is the historical home of black political activism and resistance in South Africa. Mandela and other key leaders of the ANC, black labour unions and the more radical Pan Africanist Congress live here, and it was the birthplace of the 1976 student uprising.

But Soweto has multiple identities. The black bedroom community, about 15 miles from Johannesburg’s leafy white suburbs, has a population nearly as large as Chicago’s living in an amalgam of squatter shacks and worker barracks, matchbox houses and pricey brick homes.

The people of Soweto live with a rate of violent crime far higher than most American cities. On a typical Friday night, the police record 10 murders, 25 attempted murders, and 30 armed robberies.

However, last Friday, the first weekend night of the curfew, the police logbook showed one murder, seven attempted murders and 14 armed robberies.

“This is the quietest Friday night in at least seven years,” said an ambulance driver who stopped at a cafe for a sandwich.

One of the eerily quiet spots was the Merafe hostel, a sprawling single-story dormitory for thousands of migrant workers and ringed by a double layer of razor wire.

There, only a few weeks ago, Olivier had walked into the centre of 2,000 Zulu residents armed with spears and machetes to stop them from launching a counterattack on nearby residents.

“What are you going to do?” Olivier recalled asking the Zulu leader.

“We’re going to get those guys who’ve attacked us,” the leader responded.

“No, you’re not,” Olivier said, “because if you do I will stop you.”

The Zulus decided against the attack, but it was a close call.

“You can’t show the Zulu that you’re frightened,” Olivier said. “They’re tough, man.” The ANC contends that the recent fighting among blacks has been exacerbated if not encouraged by police who side with the ANC’s nemesis, the Inkatha Freedom Party.

Olivier rejected the charge with an expletive.

“We never took sides,” he said emphatically. “But when we would tell the Inkatha people to go back to their hostels, they did it. The other (ANC) guys . . . it’s a bit more difficult.”

ANC supporters and police have been at odds in the townships for more than three decades, and the enmity has not been easy to erase.

“They were our enemies for years, you know, and now things are supposed to be OK,” Olivier said, shaking his head. “But you still find terrorists, whether they are from the ANC or some other group.”

Black police still are a frequent target of anti apartheid activists, who consider them traitors to the cause of black liberation. Dozens of black police have been killed or their homes firebombed over the years.

Slightly more than half the 80,000 men and women in the national police force are black, and they are stationed in integrated units in white as well as black areas. But few blacks are officers. (A men’s room in Soweto’s Protea police station, the riot unit headquarters, carries the hand lettered warning in Afrikaans: “Blanke Offisiere Alleenlik” --white officers only.)

The black police most despised in the township are the “special constables.” Those “instant cops,” as they also are called, undergo shorter training than ordinary police and usually work in riot units where they are armed but supervised. Few have the high school diploma required of regular police recruits.

Lucky, a 27 year old special constable in Olivier’s unit, said he joined the police because “I wanted to help my people.” But he and his colleague Moketsi, another special constable, admit that they are not popular in Soweto, their home township.

“Sometimes when I’m asleep and I hear a noise outside, I think they might be attacking,” Moketsi said. Lucky said he frequently sleeps in the police barracks, surrounded by well guarded fences. The pair asked that their last names not be disclosed, for fear of retribution from their neighbors.

The new curfew appears to have won friends as well as enemies for the riot police, however. Four women working in a closed cafe waved to a passing Casspir and flashed the thumbs up sign. And some parents and spouses say they welcome, at least for now, the early closing time forced on Soweto’s taverns.

“This is the way of the policeman in South Africa,” Olivier said. “You get abuse, that’s for sure. But you get people who greet you, too.”

After midnight, Olivier’s unit parked outside the 2,500 bed Baragwanath Hospital, where dozens of knife and gunshot victims typically lie on stretchers awaiting treatment and patients inside are forced to sleep on the floors for lack of beds.

But that night a row of empty stretchers was sitting outside the emergency room and, inside, more than 500 beds were empty.

Asked when she had last seen that many spare beds, hospital spokeswoman Annette Clear said: “In the history of Baragwanath? Never.”

POLISIESIELKUNDE: LOOPBAANSTADIA

Dr Coert Mommsen

Hierdie artikel is geskryf saamgestel en vertaal deur Coert Mommsen (D.Phil.), M.A. Kliniese Sielkunde (UOVS) EEG Tegnikus. Saterdag, 3 September 2022, 16:36

Loopbaanstadia

Wanneer ʼn mens na ooreenkomste tussen verskillende loopbaanstadia kyk, is dit belangrik om vir ʼn wegspring, eers te kyk na wat die verskil is tussen ʼn werk, ʼn loopbaan en ʼn professie.

Volgens die Scikey webblad, weet baie van ons nie wat die verskil is tussen ʼn werk en ʼn professie nie. Diens, beroepe, loopbane en professies skyn almal naby verwant te wees.

Die outeur van die blad vra die vraag? Wat is ʼn Werk? En antwoord self as volg: “ʼn Werk is ʼn periode van aktiwiteit wat tipies gereelde ure insluit; ʼn Werkgewer betaal daarvoor. ʼn Werk kan ʼn kort termyn aktiwiteit wees en word verrig wanneer ‘n individu geld nodig het om te oorleef. Werke kan gepaard gaan met spesifieke kwalifikasies, ure en ander eienskappe. ʼn Werk wat mens doen mag ʼn sekere mate van gespesialiseerde opleiding vereis of wat jy moet hê indien jy daarvoor in aanmerking wil kom. Daar bestaan verskeie tipes werk soos voltyds, deeltyds, seisoen gebonde, tydelik, los werkies, en self indiensneming

Op die vraag wat ʼn professie is, gee die skrywer die volgende antwoord: “ʼn Professie vereis gewoonlik verlengde opleiding of ervaring voordat mens dit kan beoefen. Om ʼn dokter te wees is iemand se professie maar die dienste wat hy/sy verrig in ʼn bepaalde instelling, is sy/haar werk. Professies, meen die skrywer, sluit tipies verskillende werke in, elkeen met verskillende vereistes. Die skrywer meen die definisie van ʼn professionele persoon wissel afhangend van die industrie en die kultuur en die land. Dit word van professionele persone verwag om hoë etiese standaarde, tegniese vaardighede en betroubaarheid te handhaaf.

(1) https://www.scikey.ai/read-blog/1343_difference-between-job-and-profession.html

Die skrywer kom in die artikel tot die volgende slotsom: Daar word na ʼn mens se werk verwys as ʼn professie, waar as na die werk wat jy doen, verwys word as die taak/werk wat jy verrig.

Derhalwe sal daar na die persoon wat ‘n graad het in rekenaarwetenskappe se werk verwys word as ʼn sagteware ontwikkelaar in die rekenaarwetenskappe

(2) https://www.scikey.ai/read blog/1343_difference between job and profession.html

In my artikel getiteld “n Voetsoolvlak beskouing van Transformasie in die SAPD (Nongqai Vol. 13 No. 8), ondersteun ek die ontwikkeling van ʼn etiese kode vir SAPD lede. Indien so ʼn gedragskode geformaliseer kan word, sal dit ʼn belangrike eerste stap wees in terme van die professionalisering van die SAPD.

In sy Doktorsgraad (Universiteit van Pittsburgh, VSA) stel Jeffrey A. Schneider sy siening oor Polisiëring as professie soos volg:

“Polisiëring word as 'n professie beskou omdat dit 'n unieke loopbaan is, wat gespesialiseerde vaardighede en opleiding vereis. Die beginsels van diens aan ander, norme, waardes, onderwys, opleiding, seleksie en status kwalifiseer dit as 'n professie in elke sin van die woord.” (3) http://d scholarship.pitt.edu/7612/

Encyclopaedia Britannica beskryf die onlangse ontwikkeling van die polisie in demokratiese lande as volg:

“...In laasgenoemde lande het 20ste-eeuse hervormers polisiëring omskep in 'n professionele beroep wat ordentlike lone en openbare respek vasgestel het.”

(4) https://www.britannica.com/topic/police/Police-work-as-an-occupation

Die aanvaarding en instelling van ‘n fundamentele werksetiek soos voorgestel deur Neyrod en Beckley (2001: 44) kan moeilik oorbeklemtoon word: “Daar kan aangevoer word dat die aanvaarding van 'n etiese kode die polisiediens nader aan erkenning as 'n beroep in ooreenstemming met die gevestigde beroepe soos dié van die mediese professie en die regte sal bring. Die etiese posisie van (hierdie beroepe) word vir eeue reeds verteenwoordig in die akademie en Universiteite”(15) (15) https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/EJC87710

Na aanleiding van die feit dat daar na die polisiëringsberoep verwys word deur wêreld outoriteite soos Encyclopaedia Britannica, Neyrod & Beckley asook in ʼn doktorale proefskrif, word dit deur die skrywer aanvaar as betekenisvol, belangrik en wesenlik met betrekking tot wat in die toekoms ten opsigte van Polisiëring dwarsoor die wêreld verwag kan word, en beslis ook in Suid Afrika

Die belangrikste fundamentele vereiste vir die professionalisering van polisiedienste in Suid Afrika, is die opstel en amptelike formalisering van ʼn etiese kode vir polisiepersoneel.

Op haar webblad www.loveyourworkinglife.com (5) begin Carleen Hicks met die volgende inleiding tot haar artikel: Wat wil jy sien in die truspieëltjie van jou Loopbaan? Of te wel, in die truspieëltjie van jou lewe?” Hierdie is vir my ʼn redelike sterk metafoor veral na aanleiding van die feit dat

Beelde in ‘n truspieël gewoonlik kleiner is as wat dit in die realiteit is; en Hoe verder mens probeer terugkyk, hoe swakker word die beeld/hoe swakker sien jy.

Laasgenoemde moet in veral in gedagte gehou word wanneer ʼn mens lewensgebeurtenisse formeel in retrospeksie wil nagaan of boekstaaf: Dat mens “swakker” sien hoe dieper jy kyk, is vir my as sielkundige belangrik omdat jy moet besef dat wanneer jy in jou later jare terugkyk op jou lewe, jou geheue nie meer so goed is vir detail nie en dat jou geheue jou nie in staat stel om werklike kerngebeure, persepsies en ervaringe in betroubare perspektief te sien nie.

Dit is dan belangrik om die volgende in gedagte te hou nl. dat ‘n mens se retrospektiewe persepsies beïnvloed kan word deur o.a., : jou huidige omstandighede, gemoedstemmings, ervaringe of omgewingsfaktore.

Die moontlikheid van gevoelens van bedruktheid (Nabetragting kan dié nadeel hê naamlik dat dit mens mismoedig kan stem of soms negatiewe herinneringe ontlok. Volgens Psychology Today kan individue wat depressie het of geneig is tot negatiewe herinneringe, se negatiewe gedagtes bydra tot ‘n depressiewe gemoed.(6)

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/memory/memory-and-mental-health

Die verskynsel van valse herinneringe ( Valse herinneringe is ʼn verskynsel waar iemand iets onthou wat nie gebeur het nie of dit anders herroep as die wyse waarop dit werklik gebeur het.) (7)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_memory

Volgens die weblad Verywellmind (8) https://www.verywellmind.com/the consequences of false memories 2795350 het navorsers gevind dat die meeste mense valse herinnering koester oor baie dinge, insluitend hul persoonlike voorkeure en keuses tot herinneringe van gebeure uit hul vroeëre lewens. Die nadele van valse herinneringe gaan in hierdie artikel nie oor enige spesifieke inligting wat deur ʼn skrywer oorgedra word nie, maar oor die moontlike invloed daarvan op sy/haar persoonlike gemoedstoestand of interpersoonlike verhoudings(veral met verwysing na valse herinneringe.)

Volgens Psychology Today, is dit belangrik om te onthou dat mens se geheue nie net positiewe insidente insluit nie, maar ook negatiewe belewenisse. Hierdie kan, selfs lank nadat dit plaasgevind het, ʼn mens se lewe ontwrig soos in die geval van terugflitse vanweë post traumatiese stres. Sulke ervarings kan baie angswekkend wees (9)

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/memory/memory and mental health

Soms ook, wanneer die herinnering aan 'n trauma deur 'n ervaring in die hede afgetrap word, kan die individu voel asof die traumatiese ervaring weer gebeur - 'n reaksie waarna as ‘n terugflits verwys word. Sulke ervarings kan baie angswekkend wees. (10)

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/memory/memory and mental health label

Wanneer ʼn mens terugkyk oor jou loopbaan, is dit volgens die outeur van hierdie artikel, belangrik dat jy elke betrokke historiese greep in detail staaf alvorens jy dit etiketteer. Hierbenewens is dit belangrik dat jy kennis neem van die mens se lewensstadiums soos omskryf deur deskundiges. Met ander woorde, dit is belangrik dat jy die lewensstadium waarin jy was ten tye van ’n bepaalde gebeurtenis/se in gedagte hou. Aangesien alle loopbane nie presies dieselfde is nie, word die volgende twee teorieë bespreek. Deur die verskillende teorieë se inhoud na te gaan , kan help om ooreenkomste oor ʼn wyer spektrum van beroepe en loopbane te vind, ook binne spesifieke beroepe soos in die Staats (Polisie) en die Privaatsektor.

In sy artikel getiteld “Six stages of Career Development”, beskryf Jamie Johnson, ses loopbaanstadiums as volg:

“1. Assessering.”

“Vir die meeste mense begin hierdie stadium na voltooiing van opleiding. Mens is miskien bewus van sommige dinge wat jy van hou om te doen, maar jys nie ten volle bekend met jou vaardighede, of wat jy kan bydra tot die werk omgewing nie. (11) https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/thrive/stages of career development

2. “Ontrafeling.

In hierdie stadium begin mens bewus raak van al die keuses wat vir jou beskikbaar is. Indien jy verward of oorweldig voel, is jy waarskynlik besig om hierdie stadium reg aan te pak.” (12) https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/thrive/stages of career development

3. “Voorbereiding.

Wanneer jy hierdie stadium bereik, begin jy meer kennis en vaardighede aan te leer. Jy begin ook in dié stadium loopbaandoelwitte stel en jy dink aan jou toekoms” (13) https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/thrive/stages of career development

4. “Verbintenis

Wanneer jy hierdie stadium bereik het, het jy die tipe werk wat jy doen, afgebaken. Jy het dan ook ʼn spesifieke plan van aksie en beplan om vooruit te beweeg. Jy’s toegespits daarop om nuwe geleenthede te vind en jy neem bykomende verantwoordelikhede aan by die werk. (14)

https://www.loveyourworkinglife.com/blog/career retrospective

5. “Retensie

Teen hierdie tyd is jy al ʼn gerespekteerde professionele persoon en ander sien na jou op as ʼn leier. Jou kennis en ervaring het van jou ʼn vername spesialis binne jou veld gemaak.” Dit voel goed wanneer mens hierdie stadium bereik het. Baie mense raak gemaklik in dié stadium, ontspan en staak pogings om verder te ontwikkel en te groei” (15)

https://www.loveyourworkinglife.com/blog/career retrospective

6. “Oorgang

Sodra jy ʼn deskundige binne jou veld geword het, het jy moontlik tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat jy nie verder in jou huidige veld of bedryf kan beweeg nie. Jy mag onseker voel oor die stappe wat jy hierna moet neem of wat jy anders sou geniet om te doen. Op hierdie punt is dit tyd om te beweeg na die volgende fase van jou loopbaan. Dis ʼn ongemaklike plek om in te wees want jy voel asof jy van vooraf begin. Gelukkig genoeg veerkragtigheid en selfkennis bymekaar gemaak om uit te werk wat jy volgende gaan doen.” (16)

https://www.loveyourworkinglife.com/blog/career retrospective

Mens sal nie alles uit die verlede kan onthou nie (hoe verder jy terugkyk, soos gesê, hoe wasiger word die beelde.) Foto’s en geskrewe materiaal help om die herinneringe te verfris. Daar is selfswetenskaplike artikels wat die effek van foto’s op die gemoed nagaan /gebruik: “As jy na jou persoonlike versameling memento opnames kyk, of self foto's neem, kan dit voordelig vir jou wees. Maar deur dit te doen, kan ook diep herinneringe en kragtige emosies verrassend vinnig oplewer, wat soms baie oorweldigend kan wees vir diegene wat nie weet hoe om sulke dinge te hanteer wanneer hulle skielik opduik nie.” (17) https://phototherapy centre.com/therapeutic photography/

Die Assesseringsstadium: Gedurende hierdie stadium maak mens gereed vir jou lewenstaak. Dié stadium word gekenmerk aan onbewustheid, onbewustheid in dié opsig dat mens nie seker is van jou waardes, sterk punte en swak punte nie. Jy begin voel jy wil meer van jouself weet en jy wend doelbewuste pogings aan om met jou werklike self in aanraking te kom.

Gedurende die 2de stadium wat Casto bestempel as die Beoordeling stadium, ondersoek mens die bestaande aktiwiteite van die werksomgewing. Die stadium word gekenmerk aan gevoelens van verwardheid, in dié opsig dat jy nie seker is oor die loopbaan keuses tot jou beskikking nie. Jy voel oorweldig deur al die bestaande verskillende take en geleenthede namate jy die moderne werkswêreld verken. Indien jy laasgenoemde verken met ʼn positiewe ingesteldheid, mag jy vasstel dat jy leer van moontlikhede wat jy nooit oorweeg het nie.

Die Voorbereidingsstadium. Gedurende hierdie stadium is jy steeds besig om voor te berei vir jou lewenstaak. Hierdie stadium word gekenmerk aan gevoelens van opwinding wanneer mens dink aan hoe aangenaam dit sal wees om betekenisvolle werk te verrig. Daar lê egter nog baie werk voor en ten einde suksesvol te wees, moet mens voorbereid wees.

Gedurende die Verbintenisstadium, het mens meer selfvertroue in dié opsig dat jy uitgepluis het wat dit presies is wat jy moet doen. Soms weet mense vir ‘n geruime tyd reeds wat dit is wat hulle moet doen, maar hulle kon hulself nie verbind tot die proses om dit te laat gebeur nie. Dit is belangrik dat jy in hierdie stadium jou energie konsentreer en jou oog op die doelwit hou.

Gedurende die Retensiestadium voel mens gemaklik binne jou loopbaanveld, omdat jy nou uitgepluis het hoe dinge in die bedryf werk. Jy mag miskien verbind wil bly in jou loopbaan deurdat jy voortdurend nuwe vaardighede aan te leer en op hoogte te bly van standaarde binne die praktyk. Die Oorgangsstadium word gekenmerk aan gevoelens van ongemak en onsekerheid oor wat jy volgende wil doen en of jy gelukkig gaan wees. Gedurende hierdie stadium leer jy om bewustelik veranderinge in jou loopbaan te maak of aan die rigting van jou loopbaan (18) https://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sd/news_article/4729/_PARENT/CC_layout_details/false

SAMEVATTING:

Dat mens “swakker” sien hoe dieper jy kyk, is vir my as sielkundige belangrik omdat jy moet besef dat wanneer jy in jou later jare terugkyk op jou lewe, jou geheue vir detail nie noodwendig meer so goed is nie en jou onthouvermoë jou nie altyd in staat stel om werklike kerngebeure, persepsies en

Michelle L. Casto, in haar boek The 6 Stages of Modern Career Development onderskei sy die volgende Stadia:

ervaringe in perspektief te sien nie. Dit kan baie demoraliserend wees. Wanneer ʼn mens terugkyk op jou loopbaan of jou lewe, moet jy maar sorgvuldig omgaan met dáárdie grepe wat jy as die loutere waarheid of geldig aanvaar. Dit is baie maklik dat mens se retrospektiewe persepsies beïnvloed word deur jou huidige omstandighede, gemoedstemminge, ervaringe of omgewingsfaktore.

• Wees bedag op die effek die effek van terugflitse

• Wees bedag op die effek van valse herinneringe

• Die volgende kern ooreenkomste is verkry uit deskundiges se beskouings van Loopbaan stadiums (soos hierbo uiteengesit)

Assessering stadium:

• Onsekerheid. Jy’s nie ten volle bekend met jou besondere vaardighede nie.

Ontrafelingsstadium:

• Gevoelens van verwardheid/Oorweldiging. (Mens raak meer bewus van die keuses tot jou beskikking)

Voorbereiding stadium:

• Voorbereidingsaktiwiteite en toekomsverwagtings

Verbintenisstadium:

• Werksgrense is in die stadium bepaal en toespitsing op nuwe geleenthede vind plaas

Retensie:

• Jy ervaar jou situasie as positief en wend pogings aan om jou kennis te verbeter

Oorgang:

• Jy ervaar gevoelens van ongemak en oorweeg veranderinge van rigting in jou loopbaan

Samevattend

Stadiums 3, 4 en 5 blyk uit die ontleding die enigste werklik positiewe belewenisstadiums (vry van gevoelens van en onsekerheid.) Hierdie uitgangspunt verwys egter slegs na die stadiums van ʼn mens se loopbaan en op die oog af, nie spesifiek na beroepstevredenheid nie. Beroepstevredenheid hang sterk saam met beroepskeuse en beroepskeuse is een van die belangrikste besluite van ʼn mens se lewe. Ek vergelyk altyd die regte beroepskeuse met ʼn koffietafel. Die doelwit by die ontwerp van ʼn koffietafel, is dat al die pote ewe lank moet wees. Die vier “pote” van mens se beroepskeuse kan mens as volg benoem: Belangstelling, aanleg, persoonlikheid en die vierde een het my oom Harry my eenkeer tydens ʼn gesprek oor beroepe op gewys: aanvraag (As daar nie ʼn duidelike en oortuigende aanvraag vir die beroep is nie, kan dit ʼn negatiewe invloed op jou loopbaan hê ). Verder, moet daar moet ʼn optimale balans (gelykheid) tussen hierdie vier elemente wees (Die bene moet almal ewe lank wees)

As mens die regte aanleg het vir ʼn beroep maar nie die regte persoonlikheid nie, kan dit vir jou sleg wees in jou beroep. So ook, as jy die regte persoonlikheid het, maar nie die belangstelling nie, kan dit ook vir jou sleg wees. Al het jy die regte belangstelling in ʼn beroep maar nie die aanleg nie, kan dit ook sleg vir jou wees en so voorts...

Ek dink mens moet vroeg in jou lewe (soos deur Voorligtingdeskundiges bepaal) opgeleide kenners raadpleeg oor ʼn loopbaankeuse.

Bou ʼn goeie verhouding met ʼn geregistreerde Voorligtingsielkundige vir dié doel en wees openlik en eerlik met hom/haar- die gesprekke wat julle gaan voer is van die grootste belang.

Wanneer jy aan die begin van jou loopbaan staan, is dit goed om die gesegde te onthou wat sê: Rome is nie in ʼn dag gebou nie. Hierdie gesegde het my waardering gegee vir die volgende aanhaling wat ek onlangs raakgelees het: “Elke deskundige was eens op ʼn tyd ʼn beginner” (Rutherford B. Hayes)(19)

Bronne:

https://www.scikey.ai/read blog/1343_difference between job and profession.html

(2) https://www.scikey.ai/read blog/1343_difference between job and profession.html

(3) http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/7612/

(4) https://www.britannica.com/topic/police/Police work as an occupation

(5) www.loveyourworkinglife.com

(6) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/memory/memory and mental health

(7) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_memory

(8) https://www.verywellmind.com/the-consequences-of-false-memories-2795350

(9) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/memory/memory and mental health

(10) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/memory/memory and mental health Label

(11) https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/thrive/stages of career development

(12) https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/thrive/stages-of-career-development

(11) https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/thrive/stages of career development (12) https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/thrive/stages of career development (13) https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/thrive/stages of career development (14) https://www.loveyourworkinglife.com/blog/career retrospective

(15) https://www.loveyourworkinglife.com/blog/career-retrospective (16) https://www.loveyourworkinglife.com/blog/career retrospective (17) https://phototherapy centre.com/therapeutic photography/ (18) https://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sd/news_article/4729/_PARENT/CC_layout_details/false (19)

https://www.google.com/search?q=every+expert+was+once+a+beginner&sxsrf=ALiCzsZ9uVvKaQ CG VnJHDSpphN7tUFisA%3A1662030896769&source=hp&ei=MJQQY9q6K K28gLqqIW4Cg&iflsig=AJiK0e8AAAAAYxCiQAY1nJl7nBwu1sW8vANvw0UbFtud&oq=&gs_lcp=C gdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYAzIHCCMQ6gIQJzIHCCMQ6gIQJzIHCCMQ6gIQJzIHCCMQ6gIQJzIHCCMQ6 gIQJzIHCCMQ6gIQJzIHCCMQ6gIQJzIHCCMQ6gIQJzIHCCMQ6gIQJzIHCCMQ6gIQJ1AAWABg3 RBoAXAAeACAAQCIAQCSAQCYAQCwAQo&sclient=gws wiz

VAN NONGQAI

BOEK

SAKE, VERHALE EN STAALTJIES

Brig Ronnie Beyl

• Moord op Mnr. van der Bank

Tydens hierdie voorval op Uchab sylyn het terroriste deur die klein venstertjie in die gebou ingeklim waar Mnr. van der Bank, die Baanmeester wat vir die trajek verantwoordelik was, geslaap het. Hulle het hom verskeie kere met ʼn bajonet gesteek en die hele gebou was met bloed besmeer. Dit was duidelik dat Mnr. Van der Bank nog ʼn tyd lank, nadat hy aangeval was, gelewe het. Die ironie van die saak was dat die terroriste op pad uit weer deur die venstertjie geklim het in plaas daarvan om die deur te gebruik om die toneel te verlaat. Sersant Strydom en ʼn groepie lede van die Spesiale Taakmag was op die toneel om die nodige beskerming te verleen terwyl die misdaadtoneel opgeruim was. Die ondersoek by dié toneel het etlike dae geneem.

• Botsende Belange

Wie doen wat? ʼn Seksie Weermag lede onder bevel van ʼn 2de Luitenant en ʼn seksie SAP lede het so saam saam op die Uchab toneel opgedaag om die spore op te volg. Daar was baie spore op die toneel en dit het etlike ure geneem om te bepaal waar die spore vandaan kom en waarheen dit gelei het. Dit het meegebring dat lede van die SASP, die SAP en die SAW saam om ‘n tafel gesit het om ʼn strategie uit te werk. As gevolg van die druk wat daar op die veiligheidsmagte was om die terroriste op te spoor, het dit dikwels gebeur dat gemoedere tussen die SAW en die SAP hoog geloop het oor wie se verantwoordelikheid dit nou eintlik was om die opvolgoperasie uit te voer. Die Uchab voorval was geen uitsondering nie. Die SAW het geargumenteer dat hulle die hakkejag moes doen terwyl die SAP die beveiliging moes doen. Die SAP het net mooi die teenoorgestelde geargumenteer. Om die situasie te ontlont, het ‘n lid van die Spoorwegpolisie opgestaan, sy spoorkaart uitgehaal en gesê dat hulle solank die hakkejag sou uitvoer, totdat die SAW en SAP besluit het wie nou eintlik die hakkejag gaan doen. Die SAW en SAP het die spore in verskillende rigtings opgevolg omdat die spore in verskeie rigtings beweeg het. Die Uchab moord- en sabotasie saak was deur adjudant offisier Loekie Jordaan, die seksie speurder op Grootfontein, ondersoek. Die Minister van vervoer, Mnr. Hendrik Schoeman, verskeie personeel van die Hoofbestuurder se kantoor in Johannesburg, asook verskeie senior offisiere van die S.A. Spoorwegpolisie het die toneel besoek. Lede van die Spesiale Taakmag het die nodige beskerming en beveiling aan die hooggeplaastes verskaf.

• Die Berugte “Big Foot”

Dit is noemenswaardig dat die voetspoor van “Big Foot”, soos die terroris later gedoop was, vir die eerste keer op die Uchab toneelopgemerk was. “Big Foot” het sy naam gekry vanweë die besondere

groot voetspoor wat hy gelaat het. “Big Foot” het groot bekendheid onder die veiligheidsmagte verwerf en was gejag totdat hy eendag gevind was waar hy onder ʼn stormwaterbruggie op die hoofpad tussen Karibib en Okahandja weggekruip het. Dit was die laaste keer dat hy die lig gesien het.

• Die Plaaslike Bevolking se Bydraes

Die lede wat dienste in die omgewing van Otjiwarongo verrig het, het ʼn oorvloed van kos en rantsoene gehad. Hulle het orals waar hulle diens verrig het kontakte opgebou waar hulle vars rantsoene kon kry. Een keer ʼn week was twintig kilogram vars T Bene by die vleisfabriek langs Otavi stasie teen geen koste afgehaal. Die SAW se rantsoenstore op Otjiwarongo en Grootfontein het vir die res van die voorrade gesorg. Vars gebakte brood en “brotchens” was op ʼn daaglikse basis by die bakkery op Otjiwarongo afgehaal. ʼn Sekere plaas opstal naby Grootfontein het vir vars melk, joghurt en vrugtedrankies gesorg. Die manne het die vermoë gehad om dit vir hulself gemaklik te maak. Weens die aard en ongereelde tye wat die lede gewerk het, was drankgebruik baie minimaal en meestal beperk tot langs die braaivleis vuur wanneer hulle gebraai het. ʼn Baie gewilde drankie onder die lede was ʼn “kleina-kleina” – dit is ʼn yskoue bier met ʼn dubbele “Jagermeister” daarin.

• Die Kerkraad Weier

Die geestelike versorging van die lede het ʼn baie hoë prioriteit gedurende die spesiale dienste geniet. Godsdiens en kerkparades was ʼn instelling wat nie weens ʼn verpligting ontstaan het nie, maar wat maar altyd deel van die Spoorwegpolisie se “esprit de corps” was. Een Sondagaand het twintig lede besluit om ʼn kerkdiens op Omaruru by te woon. Die treine was laat en hulle het genoeg tyd gehad om die kerkdiens by te woon. Die groep het uit wit en swart lede bestaan en almal was in kamoefleerdrag geklee. Die lede het ongewapen die kerkgebou binne gegaan uit respek vir die erediens en die kerk. Al die wapens was agter in die voertuie toegesluit waar ʼn lid dit bewaak het. Die lede het so agt rye van voor in die kerk gaan sit en sommige gemeentelede het vir hulle gesangeboekies en Bybels aangegee. Net voor die diens sou begin, het ʼn ouderling vanuit die konsistorie verskyn en die lede meegedeel dat swart mense nie in die kerk toegelaat was nie. Al die lede was geskok en sersant Strydom, wat die seksieleier van die groep was, het die ouderling meegedeel dat indien die swartes nie in die erediens welkom was nie, was die wit lede ook nie welkom nie. Die seksie het soos een man opgestaan en die kerk begin verlaat. Sommige gemeentelede het ook opgestaan en die kerk verlaat. Buite die kerk het ʼn ander ouderling hulle genader en gesê dat die predikant nie beswaar het indien hulle die diens wou bywoon nie, maar daar was desnieteenstaande besluit dat die erediens uit respek vir die gemeente se siening, nie bygewoon sou word nie.

REMINISCENCES OF A RAILWAYS POLICEMAN

Keith Alfred Adolf Blake

• Smoking Gun

The following police story I am about to communicate is because we just came past Plumstead railway station and this story I had forgotten came to the front and I told Tina about it.

In the 1980's I used only trains from Ottery station to Cape Town station and then the reverse if I came home. The morning shift 06h00 till 14h00 and 14h00 till 22h00 shifts was fine and I felt safe and secure. Tina and I had an arrangement when she drove me to the station, she drops me and she drives home. If I came home especially from the 22h00 she only drove from our home which is two minutes away when she heard the train arriving. The night shift train trip was to me quite scary and Tina would drop me off with the car's engine idling and once I went through the subway then only, she would drive off leaving me all alone on Ottery station. The one habit I always did on this night shift, I threw my winter coat or rain coat over my shoulders and then I would draw my service pistol with one up the spout but they would cover the pistol. One night Tina dropped me off and I did the above procedure and stood with my back against the toilet wall. All of a sudden out of nowhere came these two men and as they approached me, they kept looking around. They stood in front of me and I had this cigarette in my mouth and using my left hand to put it in and out of my mouth. These two CAPE SKOLLIES then asked me for a cigarette and a light. I then calmly said that I do not smoke and puffed out some smoke. The one then said to me what would I do if the two of them searched (skud meneer uit) me for cigarettes. I then calmly said they must take a look at my right pants pocket. Well, they looked down and into the barrel of my service pistol and that looked on their faces as they hastily moved back in shock and the one said " MENEER ONS MAAK NET N GRAP" and I calmly responded with my pistol following their retreating bodies, "EK OOK!"

• Sjamboked by the Queen

The following police story I want to tell you may be sensitive to people who are involved and are on Facebook but like the saying goes the truth will set you free. The heading sounds strange but I will give clearance and appreciation as I tell the story.

It was in the early late 1980's early 1990's but it was on a Saturday afternoon that I was on duty at the Table Bay Harbour Charge Office as Shift commander when I was called to deal with a lady who was assaulted. A lady was brought into my office and I could see she was in a lot of pain and as she suddenly lifted up her dress and I saw all over her body thick stripes. Painfully she told me she was at the OUEENS HOTEL at the harbour entrance when she and the owner had an altercation and then the owner took a black plastic sjambok and her a beating all over her body. This angered me and I quickly took her statement and took her to the OUEENS HOTEL where she pointed out the owner who had sjambokked her. I went into the premises and arrested him. He was shouting he knows a certain top officer and I will get into trouble for daring to arrest him. He went to a phone and I stopped him, handcuffed him and placed him into the back of my patrol van. He shouted in Portuguese to a colleague and I could hear the top cop's name. At the Charge office I arranged for the injured lady to be taken to the Somerset Hospital where I later learnt she was admitted due to her wounds. I was busy with my docket against the suspect and as I was about to take this criminal\s fingerprints a senior officer and a detective who went to school with me came into my office. Without

any ceremony I was told to hand over my docket, to hand over my prisoner and weas told they were taking over the case. The senior officer then signed in the M.R. register mad a vague occurrence book entry and then left with my prisoner and docket. The smirk on that suspect's face haunted me for a very long time. What the senior officer did not know is that I made contact with my school friend and he told me after they left my office, they all went to the hospital where money was placed under the cushion of my complainant and this money cured her of all pain and sense of justice and she signed the withdrawal statement.

• College Memory

Today, 13 May, is Colonel Andre Oliver's birthday. In 1978 January to July, he was our Self Defence Instructor. The only time I had close communication with him was when he was the on duty sergeant. I did not like to go out and visit bars with my fellow colleagues I was scared in a way as I never grew up that way, my parents were very conservative for which I was thankful, it was only later that I took a walk down the broad road. I was asleep in my bed when I was rudely awakened by my one platoon member Collett and another platoon member next to our room Von Willigh. I was shocked to see their faced covered in bruises and blood. Apparently, these "Manne" went in Collett's light brownish Audi to "Kuier" and "patrolleer" the night life in Kempton Park. They had a argument with a car driver in front of them by a robots and jumped out to "konfronteer" this driver and his passengers but to their horror they did not realized the two cars with "Hase' behind theirs were all friends and as the saying goes There is Strength in Numbers. I remember Collett's word from his swollen bloodied lips and I quote: "Blake daai ouens het ons getrap en gevee soos besems op die teer pad." The "beseerde manne" wanted me to keep quiet but I convinced them the "Noodhulp Kissie" was in the sergeant's office and I then went and awoke the then sergeant Andre Olivier and told him about the incident. He asked me to fetch them he wanted to hear their story and applied the basic first aid.

• Police Story: The S.O.S. Taxi Passenger

The following story is about a passenger not in a mini bus taxi but in a metered taxi which has a meter that clocks at the end of the journey how much the trip cost and this trip I am about to relate was almost the final trip for the passenger.

I was busy posting the night shift members on parade at about 21h45 when all of a sudden I was called to the front desk. Here was the taxi driver in a frantic state and shouting his passenger was in the sea. Without hesitation me and a few colleagues I know one is one my Facebook rushed to the corner of E and F berth. There in the darkness I could see a Taiwanese fishing vessel berthed in the corner of the two berths. The wind was strong and the seawater was like a boiling pot. The taxi driver pointed in the sea between the ship and the quayside and there in the water was a Chinese seaman. All around him was debris and oil and paint on the surface of the choppy water. The crew on the ship were watching but did not know what to do. I jumped onto the ship and by sign language asked for a ladder. To my relief the crew brought a ladder which had two hooks at the end which I hooked on the ship's railing and I climbed down towards the almost drowning seaman. I went to the last step and as the water rose, I grabbed the man by his clothing with my one arm, the other holding on to dear life onto the ladder. I shouted for a rope and it was thrown to me and I tied the rope around the seaman's arms and shouted for those on the deck to pull the seaman up. As they were pulling him up and he reached my body to myhorror the rope came loose, and the poorseaman fell back into the turbulent seawater. I was wet, covered in oil, paint and other dirt and exhausted but I was determined to save this terrified man very determined. I went down again and after a while I grabbed the seaman again and shouted again for the rope. I managed to get the rope again around his body and made about four knots and shouted to the crew and my colleagues to pull up the seaman. This time I held onto to him as they pulled him up and finally the seaman was on the deck and I was the hero of the crew. To get finality I went to the taxi driver and asked him how did he know about the seaman landing in the water and this was his response: "Sir I knew in this taxi business and this evening this was my first trip and the seaman my first passenger. I picked him up at a club in town and he showed me the way to his ship. Well sir I parked next to the quayside and

when he paid me, he opened the taxi's door and as he climbed out, he landed in the sea because sir I had parked right next to the quayside. All I said was: "Meneer the next time you come to the harbour with or without a passenger park ten meters from the quay."

Yes, I was taken home, had a warm bath, changed into another uniform and went back to work.

FROM MESSENGER TO GENERAL

By Sergeant Keal, Servamus January 1987

When summing up Maj-Gen. P.M. du Plessis’ career, you will find that blood, sweat and tears got him where he is today. He is one of the very few, if not the only, generals to have started his career as a messenger in a musty little station waiting room in Potfontein, and to eventually reach the heights of Deputy Commissioner of the former South African Railways Police.

Maj. Gen. Petrus Marthinus du Plessis was born on July 13, 1935 in the Douglas district. He attended a farm school near Heuningneskloof until std. 5, where he went on to Kimberley to complete std. 7.

On September 7, 1953 he joined the South African Railways Police after having served as messenger at the Potfontein station and in turn at the Divisional Manager’s office in Kimberley. At this point in time, he was able to attain his junior certificate by correspondence.

His first allotment after joining the South African Railways Police was Point, Durban, where he was faced with the grim side of life harbour Crimes, drug peddling and prostitution. In 1957 he was promoted to the rank of lance sergeant and was posted to Francistown in Botswana. By 1965 he had reached commission ed rank and was posted to Nelspruit.

In 1969 he was promoted to the rank of captain and was posted to Head Office, Braamfontein. He remained at Head Office until the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, whereafter he was transferred to Pretoria on November 1, 1980 after being promoted to the rank of colonel. He, however, returned to Head Office on August 2, 1982 after being promoted to the rank of major general.

Gen. Du Plessis acquired a BA degree in Police Science in 1976 from the University of South Africa. He has also been awarded numerous medals throughout his career:

(1) The SARP Star for Exemplary Diligence (Stella Dillengentae Egregiae)

(2) The SARP Decoration for Excellent Service (Stella Muneris Optimi)

(3) The SARP star for Merit

(4) The SARP Star for Faithful Service

(5) The SARP Medal for Combating Terrorism.

“I’ve had a most fruitful career”, Gen. Du Plessis states, “but I’ve put a lot into it. I made use of every opportunity that came my way, and I performed each and every duty beyond each limit. I never

allowed anything to obstruct my path. Everything I did, I enjoyed to the fullest, and I regarded my work as my favourite hobby.”

One of the obvious highlights in Gen. Du Plessis’ career was his brief, but incandescent stay in Francistown, Botswana. He was one of the very few members of the South African Railways Police assigned to perform duty outside the Republic in the capacity of Post Commander. Apart from his lengthy stay at Head Office, Gen. Du Plessis was also posted to the Esselen Park Police College for a period of three years.

It is interesting to note that Gen. Du Plessis held the rank of brigadier for a mere four months before being promoted to Major General, Deputy Commissioner (Administration) for the South African Railways police.

Gen. Du Plessis and his wife, Emmie, live in a beautiful home in Kempton Park with their three-yearold “laatlammetjie” who is an absolute delight in their lives. Their four older sons have all left home to concentrate in their various professions.

Gen. and Mrs Du Plessis love touring and are planning a well earned trip to the Far East in the near future.

Apart from pottering about in the garden and being an enthusiastic photographer, Gen. Du Plessis enjoys an occasional game of bowls. He is also the Vice President of the National Tug O War Union.

To conclude he has a special message for all up-and-coming young policemen: “Try your best. Do your utmost, and most important of all don’t contaminate others with the poison in your own body.”

Nagskof, Durbanstasie 1974

Johan van Eck, oud Spoorwegpolisielid

Dit was ons nagskof beurt en saam met my was Jorrie Jordaan, jonger broer van Loekie Jordaan pas oorgeplaas vanaf ek dink Windhoek en 'n bok om poetse te bak en so kom dit ook toe dat ons besluit dat aangesien ons van die Saterdagoggend sou af wees en eers weer die Maandag vir die 6 tot 2 skof moes aanmeld dit beter sou wees om vir my ouers in Stanger te gaan kuier vir die naweek, saam met ons was 'n konst. Pelser (hy het die vervoer gehad.) So deur die verloop van die nagskof het ek 'n hoofpyn ontwikkel en was Jorrie dadelik by met 2 pilletjies, waar hy dit gekry het weet ek nie maar teen 4 uur toe sê ek maar die hoofpyn gaan nie weg nie en gee hy nog 2. Nouja ek het nie eintlik pille geken nie en teen 6 uur nog 2 geneem en die koshuis waar ons moes gaan verklee net gemaak toe spuit my maag van die pilletjies. Nodeloos om te sê ou Jorrie het homself gekraak vir die poets, my astertjie wat saam is Stanger toe was nie baie beïndruk met my nie maar die suikerrietlande tussen Durban en Stanger was baie goed besproei, ek ontwater en my kopseer weg. Het nog nooit weer pille van enige persoon aanvaar nie want wat 'n naweek van lekker eet moes wees was 'n naweek van toilet besoeke en hidreer muti om reg te kom.

Kind regards

Frans Bedford-Visser Roelf Louw

Johan van Eck."

Toe ek nou so na die foto van oorlede Roelf Louw kyk en kommentaar lewer toe slaan my gedagtes 40 jaar terug in die verlede na een oggend net voor teetyd (julle weet mos, daardie lekker tee met die blou skynsel ) wat ons LO gehad het by Sers Pottie.

Nou is dit maar eenmaal so dat daar maar altyd 'n ou is wat so bietjie slap is en nie kan byhou nie en die arme drommel was stadig om sy hasie spronge van die een doelpale reg agter die Ordonanskantoor tot by die ander pale en terug te maak (die ou was in Pel. 82) en terwyl ons vir hom wag moes ons sterre vang en so met die gesterre vangery het die skroefdraad maar begin strip en toe ons eindelik daar breek vir tee toe klap ek die ou teen sy oor en gaan kamer toe om aan te trek; nodeloos om te sê dat nog voordat my gulp vas was toe donder Sers. Beyl die kamer binne (hy is mos maar groot van gestalte en vreesaanjaend vir 'n troep) en beveel my dat Kapt. Horak (net so vreesanjaend) my wil sien. Sy presiese woorde: "Jy moet jou gat roer troep."

Met my aankoms in die Kapt. se kantoor (half geklee) moes ek my handeling verduidelik en so benoud soos wat ek was en met 'n bewende stem het ek probeer verduidelik.

Gelukkig was Kapt. Horak in 'n nie te slegte bui nie hy het net vorentoe geleun en gesê, ‘maak net seker jy doen volgende keer 'n beter "job" en roer jou gat troep laat jy by die lesingsaal kan kom’ .

Kind regards

Frans Bedford Visser

Roelf Louw.

Fanie Kruger, oud Spoorwegpolisielid

Was in SAS&H Kollege 1973.

Saam met my gewerk te JG Strijdom Lughawe Windhoek.

Kyk die "Top foto" bo aan SPOORIES blad, met Kapt Horak voor, Roelf is die tweede persoon regter gelid.

Roelf is 1974, na sy skof, oppad vanaf die Lughawe na Windhoek toe in 'n "Kop aan kop" botsing oorlede.

Kind regards

Frans Bedford Visser

MONUMENT: GEN TIM LUKIN

Craig Stuart Brown

GENERAL SIR HENRY TIMSON LUKIN

Sir Henry Lukin

Nickname(s) Tim

Born 24 May 1860

Edith Villas, Fulham, England

Died 15 December 1925 (aged 65) Muizenberg, Cape Province

Buried Cape Town, South Africa

Allegiance Union of South Africa United Kingdom Service/branch Army Years of service 1878 1919

Rank Major general Unit Cape Mounted Riflemen

Commands held

1st South African Infantry Brigade 9th (Scottish) Division 64th (2nd Highland) Division

Battles/wars Anglo Zulu War

Basutoland Gun War Bechuanaland Campaign

Second Boer War

First World War

Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order

Other work First president of the British Empire Service League (SA)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

Sir Henry Timson Lukin

Major General Sir Henry Timson Lukin KCB CMG DSO (24 May 1860 15 December 1925) was a South African military commander. He fought in the Anglo Zulu War (1879) and the Basutoland Gun War (1880 1881), the Bechuanaland Campaign (1897), and the Anglo Boer War when he was in command of the artillery during the defence of Wepener for which action he was awarded a Distinguished Service Order. From 1900 to 1901 he commanded the Cape Mounted Riflemen, from 1904 to 1912 he was Commandant General of the Cape Colonial Forces and in 1912 Inspector General of the Permanent Force of the Union of South Africa.

Brig Gen Lukin transferred to the new Union Defence Forces in 1912 as Inspector-General of the Permanent Force. He commanded a formation in the German South West Africa Campaign (1914 1915), and commanded the 1st South African Infantry Brigade of the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force in Egypt (1916) and France (1916), at Delville Wood before being promoted to a divisional command in the British Army. He was knighted for his war service, and retired in 1919.

Military career

Lukin was the only son of barrister at law Robert Henry Lukin of the Inner Temple; Henry or Harry Lukin, as he was usually known, had a sister two years younger and lost his mother when sixteen years old. Henry Lukin did not enter Sandhurst despite a family military tradition. Following the death of his mother in 1867, Lukin instead sailed for Durban in South Africa in January 1879 and was commissioned as lieutenant into the 77th Regiment of Bengough's Horse at the start of the Anglo Zulu War during which he was seriously wounded at Ulundi in 1879. He transferred to the Cape Mounted Riflemen (CMR) on 23 March 1881 and participating in Basutoland Gun War that year. In 1893 he attended the gunnery and signal course at Woolwich and Shoeburyness in Britain and in 1894 he was promoted to captain.

He participated in the Bechuanaland campaign in 1897 and was deployed with the Colonial Division in the Cape Colony and Orange Free State in 1899 at the start of the Second Boer War. On 13 October 1900 he was appointed as commanding officer of the CMR with the rank of lieutenant colonel and on 1 June 1901 he was made Second-in-Command of Colonel H. Scobell's column. A couple of days later he was mentioned by Lord Kitchener for gallantry in attack on laager in Cape Colony 8 June 1901, and received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). Then on 10 October 1901 he was appointed as commander of the column of Lt-Col George Frederick Gorringe. He became Commander of No 1 Area, Queenstown, Cape Colony, in December 1901. In recognition of services during the Second Boer War, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the South African Honours list published on 26 June 1902, shortly after the end of the war.

He remained in South Africa and served as Commandant General of the Cape Colonial Forces, CCF with the rank of colonel from 1904. In 1910 he was the escort commander for first opening of the Parliament of the Union of South Africa and the following year he became Commander of South African detachment to attend the coronation of King George V.

On 1 July 1912 he was appointed as inspector general of the Permanent Forces of the Union Defence Force with the rank of brigadier general and in 1914 at the start of World War I he became commander of A force for the occupation of German South West Africa. In November and December 1914, he took part in operations against the rebels and on 23 September 1914 he fought at the Battle of Sandfontein in German South-West Africa. In July 1915 he was appointed as commander of the demobilising force in German South West Africa and on 11 August 1915 he became general officer commanding, the 1st South African Infantry Brigade.

Statue of Sir Henry Lukin in Company's Garden, Cape Town

In September 1915 he sailed for Britain and then in December 1915 he sailed for Egypt to take part in the campaign against The Senussi Uprising. On 6 to 9 February 1916, he was acting commander of the Western Frontier Force in Egypt and on 26 February 1916 he commenced operations against the Senussi Uprising. In April 1916 he sailed for Marseilles and on 14 July 1916 the Battle of Delville Wood commenced. On 30 November 1916 he was appointed as general officer commanding, the 9th Scottish Division with the rank of major-general. In 1917 he was appointed as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) and awarded the Order of the Nile, 3rd Class by the Sultan of Egypt. In April 1918 he was appointed as general officer commanding of the 64th (2nd Highland) Division, Eastern Command in Britain before his retirement later that year.

On 26 March 1920 he sailed for Cape Town and in July 1921 he was appointed as deputy chair of the Delville Wood Memorial Committee. In 1924 he became a member of the Defence Council of South Africa and on 28 October 1924 he was appointed as president of a Defence Commission of Enquiry.

Family

In 1891 he married Lily Quinn. After Lukin's death, his brother-in-law Reverend R.E. Johnston wrote a biography in 1929 titled Ulundi to Delville Wood: The life story of Major General Sir Henry Timson Lukin, K.C.B., C.M.B., D.S.O., Chevalier Legion d’ honneur, Order of the Nile.

References

Nortier, Erasmus Wentzel (December 2005). Major General Sir Henry Timson Lukin (1860 1925) The Making of a South African Hero (Thesis). Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University. hdl:10019.1/3103.

"Rewards for distinguished services". The Times. No. 36483. London. 17 June 1901. p. 12. "No. 27306". The London Gazette. 19 April 1901. p. 2702. "No. 27399". The London Gazette. 21 January 1902. p. 453. "No. 27448". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 June 1902. p. 4195. "No. 29977". The London Gazette. 9 March 1917. p. 2450. Johnston 1929. Sources

Judd, Colonel BC (June 1987). "Major-General Sir Henry Timson Lukin, KCB, CMG, DSO". Military History Journal. Johannesburg: South African Military History Society. 7 (3). SA. Retrieved 18 March 2009

Militaria – Official Professional Journal of the SADF (Vol 12/2: 1982) Johnston, R E. (1929). Ulundi to Delville Wood; the Life Story of Major genl. Sir Henry Timson Lukin, Chevalier Legion D'honneur, Order of the Nile. Miller.

PHOTO: GEN TIM LUKIN: GARDENS: CAPE TOWN

HBH

ANGLO BOER WAR

Jennifer Bosch

• Winburg Commando

1/ Officers of the Winburg Commando at Ladysmith - 1899

Front leftmost is H.B. Swart, father of the 1st President of South Africa, C.R. Swart.

Front Right Roelof Jacobus Schutte from Marquard.

Other names mentioned - H Viviers, W Naude. The man with the full beard standing centre was killed during battle at Driefontein. Photo Source Nico Moolman.

• Landman Family in Concentration Camp

2/ Members of the Landman family pose for a photograph while in a concentration camp, possibly Irene. Photo source: Nico Moolman

• Gen SG ‘Manie’ Maritz

3/ One of South Africa's most famous, but also one of the most controversial warriors, General Salomon (Manie) Gerhardus Maritz.

He was born on 26 July 1876 in Kimberley. At the age of 19 he moved to Johannesburg; because of his voluntary service to the Republic with the Jameson invasion, he was granted the civil rights of the Zuid Afrikaansche Politie (ZARP) and with the outbreak of the Anglo Boer War he joined the Boksburg commando.

Maritz was a short, stocky man who possessed extraordinary physical strength. His courage and drive made him a formidable opponent. He had a restless nature and a quick temper that earned him many enemies, but his patriotism and love for his people spoke through his actions. On his deathbed, his genuine national feeling was expressed for the last time when he muttered the words on his epitaph.

In the Anglo Boer War, Maritz was sent to North West Cape and after the early months of the war, where he commanded the citizens and rebels from the Calvinia and Kenhardt districts as commandant and later general. In this period, he was wounded twice, but he recovered to such an extent that he even led his soldiers as far as Darling (October 21, 1901).

When peace was concluded on 31 May 1902, Maritz refused to lay down arms and went to Europe through German South West Africa. However, he returned in 1904, and after a short stay in SWA he went to Ventersburg to farm there. He married Emma Francis Nel and from the marriage two sons and two daughters were born.

In 1912 he re-joined the police. He holds the rank of commandant. In the same year, however, he resigned from the SA Police and joined the new Union Defence Force, as a major. However, he

soon clashes with General JC Smuts when he refuses to participate in the invasion of SWA, and he rebels with most of hismen. When it became clear that the rebellion was going to fail, he and General JCG Kemp initially also decided to surrender. However, Maritz later decided against it and once again went through SWA to Angola and Portugal, where he settled temporarily. After also living in Germany for three years, he returned to South Africa in 1923, where he was charged with treason and sentenced to three years' imprisonment. In 1924, the newly elected Pact government released him.

In his later years, General Maritz became an ardent admirer of the National Social doctrines. In addition to speeches in which he made particularly scathing attacks on the Jews, he also continued the attacks in his autobiography, My Life and Strive, which earned him a fine of £75 (R150), for having the "deliberate purpose" had "to stir up hostile feelings towards the Jews".

In the Second World War, Maritz occupied himself with various extra-parliamentary political groups that were opposed to the war and the government of the time. His stormy career was ended by a fatal car accident nearPretoria on 19 December 1940 when he died of multiple injuries in the hospital about an hour after the accident.

His funeral, which took place on 22 December 1940 from the Pretoria city hall, confirmed the Afrikaner people's respect for this Afrikaner patriot. Already early on that Sunday it became clear that it was going to be a true national ceremony. His remains lay in state from 11:00 to 14:00, thousands of people moved past the coffin in long unbroken lines. Nearby the Rebel flag was raised. A massive boulder of blue granite was erected over his grave. The base of the extraordinary tombstone, which is nearly 3½ m high, is approximately 6 m in circumference. Almost 1 m from the bottom, a section was levelled, on which the poignant inscription (his last words) was engraved. In addition, the following words also appear: Genl. Manie Salomon Gerhardus Maritz 1876 1940.

Source: Du Plessis, JG 1989. Manie Maritz. In Afrikaner Beacons, Auckland Park: FAK, pp. 200 201.

Willem Diederik Fouché (1874 1939), like Scheepers, was a member of Kritzinger’s invasion force of December 1900; and in due course, he operated with Scheepers’s commando in the Cape Midlands. After he was given command over his own commando, Fouché operated in the region of Molteno, Dordrecht and Jamestown, amongst others; and on one occasion, he embarked on an incursion into the Transkei in an attempt to capture horses and provisions. At about the end of July 1901, Fouché crossed the Orange River into the OFS/ORC in order to escape from the pursuing British forces, and to obtain better fodder for his horses. However, a month later, he and his commando returned to the Cape Colony. For a few months, Fouché operated in the North eastern Cape and engaged in several skirmishes with British units. He himself was wounded on one occasion. By April 1902, Fouché and his commando found themselves in the Midlands. On 27 May, Fouché and Wynand Malan (see infra) attacked the British forces at Sheldon Station. Malan was wounded, and had to be left behind, and for four days Fouché acted as combat-general, taking command of both commandos. On 3 June 1902, he and his commando laid down their arms outside Cradock.

[Andre Wessels’ The Anglo Boer War [http://www.africansunmedia.co.za/.../Anglo Boer%20War%20E page 68]]

Fouche had several rebels under his command. Fouche’s party of 20 men assisted van Heerden when they surprised the garrison of Aberdeen and made off with a number of horses. It was only after Fouche was informed that Peace had been signed that he surrendered in the Cradock district on 3 June.

[https://angloboerwar.com/.../10880 from cape rebel to http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol073vm.html]

4 - Rebel Commander Fouché

Commandant Fouche (seated middle row, 2ndleft) and some of his men. Left of Fouche is 16 year old ‘penkop’ Pietie de Wet and to Fouche’s right, the German Rudolf Baartson.

Fouche, (without bandolier in the 3nd photo) and his ‘band of ruffians’, according to ‘Navy and Army May 1902’. Fouche was still evading English columns and was at large in the Aliwal district.

Photo Sources: Arnold van Dyk Collection (Image 4.1) Johan Slabbert (Image 4.2)

• Leo Weinthal, Pretoria News

5 Leo Weinthal, 1st editor and founder of the Pretoria News.

Leo Weinthal was a South African journalist. He was born in 1865 in Graaff-Reinet. He was connected to newspapers in early Johannesburg and Pretoria. He was the editor of the Kruger oriented English magazine, Press and correspondent for The Times, Daily Telegraph and Reuters. He was an intimate friend of President Paul Kruger. After the Second War of Independence he settled in England and founded the African World in 1902. He has The Story of the Cape to Cairo Rail and River Route published in 1923 in five volumes. He died in 1930. (Wiki)

Leo was of German origin and grew up in the Jewish faith. He studied in Hamburg, Germany as well as the Grey Institute in Port Elizabeth as a photographer. In 1887, he moved to the ZAR and joined the Department of the Land Surveyor General, in Pretoria as a state lithographer. He was more interested in journalism and in 1888, he became the principal agent of Reuter in the Transvaal, a position he held up to 1897. He also represented The Times and the Daily Telegraph (London).

Upon the resignation of the editor of The Press / De Pers in 1891, Leo took up the position. As a result, the newspaper supported the Kruger Government. Following the death of Nellmapius in August 1893, Leo approached the Rand mining magnate, J.B. Robinson to buy the press... Robinson was also a supporter of the Kruger Government.

After the Jameson Raid, there was a clash between Leo and the Government as a result of a report he had published concerning the Transvaal Press Act in 1896. Leo, strongly opposed by Dr. W.J. Leyds [State Secretary] and in disagreement with Robinson, felt it was necessary to resign. For a while, he spent some time in Natal, but in 1898, he returned to start the midday paper, The Pretoria News, which still exists today. With the outbreak of war in 1899, he served as a special war correspondent for various American newspapers. After the British occupation of Pretoria in June 1900, he was medically advised to move to London. (Melvin Residence)

On June 13, 1898 the Pretoria News printed its first edition. With the exception of a period during the South African War the Second Boer War it has continued to print.

The first editor was Leo Weinthal and he and its first manager, a Mr Reno, bought an old Methodist Church at 216 Vermeulen Street where they started the Pretoria Printing Works.

When war broke out a year later Weinthal became a war correspondent and printing was interrupted from 1900 to December 1902, when Reno received permission from the British governor, with Vere Stent as its second editor. While Weinthal had enjoyed a good relationship with Paul Kruger, then president of the South African Republic (the Transvaal Republic) Stent declared himself to be “brilliant and British” and loyal to Governor Milner’s administration.

After he left, the newspaper became more moderate, with the next editor Rex Hall celebrating Afrikaans and supporting Pretoria as the only capital city (rather than having Parliament in Cape Town) something the newspaper supports to this day. (Pretoria News)

• Ds. HPJ Pasch

6/ Ds. Hendrikus Philippus Josef Pasch Pasch was born in Amsterdam to Catholic parents on the 2nd of March, 1865, emigrated to South Africa at around the age of 19 and landed in Cape Town on 6 December 1884. His first job was as an engineer in the Orange Free State.

In the war he was wounded in his right arm and leg. He was promoted to field cornet and later to captain of a reconnaissance corps. He also did good service as an army doctor and later fought under Gen. Christiaan de Wet and Cmdt. Ackerman van Edenburg.

Ds. Hendrikus Pasch was betrayed and captured at the end of 1901 at Kapokfontein in the Free State. He was exiled to Bermuda where he remained until 16 July 1902 when he signed the oath of allegiance to the British crown on Darrels Island and thereafter he returned to his homeland. He died on 15 September 1936 at Lindley.

(Source: My Dopperdagboek http://gk pretoria.weebly.com/.../7/1/2771236/hoofstuk_1.pdf)

Ds (Dominee) is Afrikaans translation of Reverend

JC Smuts

7/ Jan Christiaan Smuts

„… the Jameson Raid was the real declaration of war”. Smuts on the Second Boer War, as cited in Antony Lentin, 2010, Jan Smuts Man of courage and vision

8/ Arthur Cowell Stark

(27 November 1846 18 November 1899) was an English medical doctor and naturalist. He emigrated from Torquay, England to Cape Town, South Africa in 1892.

After the death of his wife Rosa in 1892, he settled in Cape Town, while his daughters remained in England. Besides practicing as medical doctor he travelled regularly to collect animal specimens for the South African Museum and made sketches and extensive notes of his observations.

8.1 Dr Arthur Cowell Stark was killed on the veranda of the Royal hotel during the siege of Ladysmith .Photo credit Linda Fouche

His travels up to 1898 included excursions into the inland regions of the Cape, Natal, Orange Free State and Transvaal, while he consulted the major specimen collections of the time, at the South African Museum, Albany Museum in Grahamstown and the Durban Museum.[2] Besides his personal notes, he accumulated bird eggs, bird nests and butterfly specimens, some of which were added to his personal collection.[3]

He moved from Cape Town to Durban shortly before the outbreak of the Boer War and travelled to England in 1899 to oversee the printing of the first volume of his ornithological work, The Birds of South Africa. The completed series was meant to form part of a wider project under the editorship of William Sclater, director of the South African Museum, describing the fauna of southern Africa. Stark returned to the Colony of Natal in September, 1899, where he volunteered as medical officer for the British forces when the Boer War broke out.

During the siege of Ladysmith, he was resident in the Royal Hotel, but spent the days in shell-proof dugouts along the Klip River, or fishing, while the town was being shelled by Boer forces. Stark had just returned and was standing on the hotel's veranda on the evening of 18 November 1899, when at 19:30 the Long Tom cannon stationed on Pepworth Hill fired two shots at the hotel. These were

aimed at important persons who may have assembled there, probably Leander Starr Jameson, Prime Minister of the Cape Colony, and Colonel Francis Rhodes who were known to be in town.[4]

Stark's legs were seriously injured by the second shell and he died shortly afterwards while undergoing surgery. Stark was buried in Ladysmith. H.W. Nevinson who was present at his burial records the irony of him being a strong opponent of the Chamberlain policy, and a vigorous denouncer of the war's injustice.[4]

Stark's field notes were afterwards recovered from Ladysmith and his Durban home. His executors entrusted these to William Sclater, director of the South African Museum (The Iziko South African Museum, located in Cape Town.), to be prepared for the second volume of The Birds of South Africa.[5] This volume appeared in 1902 as part of Sclater's series The Fauna of South Africa. William Sclater named Laniarius starki for him in 1901,[6] and Captain George Shelley followed by naming Stark's lark, Spizocorys starki, in Stark's honour in 1902.[7] William Sclater, Stark's coauthor of The Birds of South Africa, died in 1944 from injuries sustained from a V 1 flying bomb dropped in London. [Wiki]

• Ds. P Postma

Ds. Petrus Postma

He was a minister in the Reformed Church. He was born in Zwolle, Netherlands on the 21st January 1854 and died in Heidelberg, Transvaal on the 4th October 1919) He is especially remembered for the fact that during his 22 years of service as minister of the Pretoria Reformed congregation, he was Paul Kruger's chaplain and faithful adviser, especially on religious and educational matters, and did much to promote Christian National Education.

During the Boer War was exiled to Ceylon and there acted as spiritual leader of the members of his church association on the island.

Ds (Dominee) is Afrikaans translation of Reverend Extracted from af.wikipedia.org/

10.2 Middelburg prisoners of war in Bhimtal, India, in 1902. Back John Croese, Danie Minnaar, Jan F. Vercueil, Ds Burger and Isaac Lover. Front Philip Minnaar, Jan Schabort, PW de Villiers and Koos Sc???

Burger

10/ Ds. Alewyn Petrus Burger

Ds. Alewyn Petrus Burger was born in Montagu on the 10th of May 1853 and died in Middelburg, Transvaal on the 30th of October 1937. He was a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church and co founder of this church in the Transvaal.

At the outbreak of the Second Anglo Boer War (1899 1902) he joined the Middelburg commando as a field preacher, but was captured and sent to India, where he spent the most fertile months in Shahjahanpur and in the Bhimtal camp. His memories of this time are recorded in 'Worsteljare', a book by his son Ds. Attie Burger.

Ds (Dominee) is Afrikaans translation of Reverend Extracted from af.wikipedia.org

D Postma

11/ Ds. Dirk Postma

Ds. Dirk Postma was a minister in the Reformed Church. He was born in Aliwal North on the 5th May 1877 and died in Burgersdorp on 29th December 1940)

Dirk Postma received his schooling in Burgersdorp and Middelburg, Cape and then at the Theological School Burgersfort. With the outbreak of the Boer War in 1899, he fought as a Cape rebel under Gen. CF Beyers. As a prisoner of war, he was exiled to Burtts Island, Bermuda, where he acted as a teacher and as editor of the prisoners of war journal De Burtts Trumpet. Here he is the mediator between the prisoners of war and the British authorities. After the peace in 1902, he undertook a trip to the United States of America and Europe. On his return to his homeland, Postma obtained a BA degree and completed his theological studies in Burgersdorp.

Ds. Postma was one of the advisers of the 1933 translation of the Afrikaans Bible.

GENERAL CHRISTIAAN BOTHA (ABW & ZARP)

Iain Hayter

Christiaan Botha (October 6, 1864 October 29, 1902) [1] was a brother of Louis Botha and a general during the Anglo Boer War. He was born in Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal. His parents, Louis and Salomina Botha, were among the first residents of the short lived Niewe Republiek. When the republic was incorporated into the Transvaal, they automatically become citizens.

Botha became the commander of the police of Swaziland in 1898. After the Anglo Boer War broke out, he went to the Natal front where he played a prominent part in several of the early battles. He also fought at the Battle of Colenso. When the British liberated Ladysmith, Botha retreated to Laing's Nek.

He met with General Redvers Buller at the historic O'Neill's Cottage near Laing's Nek to discuss the possiblity of an end to hostilities on the Natal front in June 1900. Botha is concerned that his position

has become untenable. Neither party has the mandate for such discussions. The two agreed to a cease fire whilst their proposals are put to their relevant superiors. The proposal is vetoed.

One of Christiaan Botha's achievements was the capture of a British convoy to Melmoth. Another victory was at Scheepersnek, where a British force was ambushed and some 31 British soldiers killed, mainly from Bethune's MI. He also took part in Louis Botha's raid into Natal in September 1901, resulting in the failed attack on Fort Itala. Generally, he was overshadowed by his elder Brother Louis.

He acted as a delegate at the Peace Conference and seconded the resolution to accept the terms offered.

He died in Kokstad on 29 October 1902 at the young age of 38.

Photo 1: Chris Botha.

Photo 2: Monument at Scheepersnek. The man in the photo is David Rattray, well known historian, who was murdered during an armed robbery on house in KZN.

KAY MASAKI: ZULU POW: CHAMPION BOXER

Via Albert van Niekerk

“

The greatness of a nation consists not so much in the number of its people or in the extent of its territory as in the extent and justice of its compassion”

WAR HORSES AND RE-MOUNT DEPOTS (SOUTH AFRICA, 1899 –1902)

Western Cape Heliograph (Newsletter 23: Aug 2022)

Prof. Sandra Swart (History Dept., US), in her ‘Society and Animals’, dedicates nineteen pages to the (Re) Mounting Crisis during the Anglo Boer War. She states that on the eve of that war which commenced in October 1899, the British were utterly unprepared. While the Boers and their grooms (agterryers) simply provided their own mounts on commando, the British army had to create a mounted force, larger than any they had ever mobilized before and then transport it some 10,000 kilometers to South Africa further than they ever had to do so. ‘Remounts’ is the term used for fresh horses to replace those worn out or killed. She states that the army predicted a speedy campaign, with the idea that a mere 125 cavalry horses and 250 mules would be needed as monthly replacements (which translates to some four and a half thousand in a year.) This prediction, she wrote, was to be wrong by a factor of ten (!)

A decade earlier, a Remount Department was created for this purpose, to set up a listing of horses that could be deployed in times of crisis and when this war was imminent, some 6,000 horses were immediately enlisted. These animals spent weeks at sea, compelled to stand in their stalls, unable to roll or lie down. In cases where insufficient fodder was packed, these creatures simply starved to death. Stalls were poorly designed, which made it difficult to clean out decaying manure and urine. And, although horses and mules don’t make good sailors, of the more than 350,000 that were shipped to SA from all ports, just over 13,000 died at sea (a loss rate of 3.7%.) It was not so much the voyage that killed them as the aftermath - the failure to acclimatize them afterwards and being moved to the fronts almost immediately. Insufficient supplies of fodder resulted in constant low level nutrition, leading to disease.

The remount depots were at times rather negligently run, as it was seen as a kind of ‘Siberia’ to which less than competent army officers were sent to get them out of the way of actual soldiering. This was referred to as being ‘Stellenbosched’ a term that has survived right to

Or, to quote the ‘Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary’ ‘To relegate to a post where incompetence matters less.’ Stellenbosch - (v.) to tactically demote someone, (source: www.haggardhawks.com/post/stellenbosch) to Stellenbosch someone is, in general terms, to remove them from office. But more specifically, the word refers to not necessarily an absolute ousting from a high-status position, but rather a subtle sidelining or nudging away: a removal from office to a place of arguably no lesser importance, but nevertheless one that is away from the action, where a person’s deeds and opinions can no longer have any impact.

Horses were shipped from all over the globe and varied much with regard to suitability. In the first 15 months, some 87,000 came from Britain and Ireland - large, unwieldy animals that required better forage than could be grazed on the veld. As Genl. Ben Viljoen stated; “The British cavalryman might have used elephants with almost asmuch advantage as their colossal horses.” Smaller and hardier stock were imported from the USA, providing more than England, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand combined (almost 110,000.) By the end of 1901, some 6,000 (mostly mustangs) arrived form the USA every month. The best South American horses came from Argentina. The table below is an indication of their numbers and origins.

There were several remount depots in SA, the largest being close to the sea ports and these were spread further inland, along the main railway lines. Some thirty thousand horses were processed through the harbour of Port Elizabeth alone. Fatalities became rife disease, physical privation and combat losses, coupled with the army’s sheer inability to give proper care

this day! As a result, this was experienced by many such officers as stigmatic - Extract from Oxford Dictionary (1962 edition)

to their horses, contributed to massive casualties. Horse sickness accounted for some 5,700 deaths and strange ailments imported with the foreign horses spread to local stock, that had little resistance to it. Throughout the war, there were some 27,300 cases of mange and another 12,000 infected with glanders had to be euthanased.

The Army Veterinary Department (AVD) was, wrote Prof. Swart, widely condemned as inadequate in dealing with equine casualties. A report by Battersby, 1900, quoted that “The waste in horseflesh … has been little short of appalling, and for that waste the inadequacy of the AVD has been largely to blame.” They were stretched beyond their capacity, with no executive control. A less documented cause of equine mortality was simply bad horsemanship on the part of the soldiers.

Remount camps were established at some thirty locations, the largest being at Port Elizabeth, Stellenbosch, Durban and at rail junctions such as Queenstown, De Aar and Naauwpoort. About 30,000 horses were processed through Port Elizabeth.

Transfer from ship to barge

Horse camp on the old showgrounds in Port Elizabeth

The Remount Depot at Stellenbosch

The Stellenbosch Remount Depot was the largest and most important of them all and used to purchase, acquire, train and upkeep Army horses. It covered an area which included the three farms of Nooitgedacht, De Hoop (nowadays Simonsig) and Koelenhof. Acquiring Nooitgedacht and Koelenhof was made easier for the fact that Cecil John Rhodes purchased these farms in 1899 and readily allowed the Army to establish their Depot there. Dr. Chris Venter (History Dept., US) states in his 2001 contribution to the ‘Annale’ circular that these farms were rented by the British military as early as November 1898 (and as stated by Lt.Genl. W.F. Butler) put in use as such by December 1898 / January 1899.

The first CO was a Captain Peters, who only served as such for two months before being returned to England. The first equine imports came from Argentina. These horses were given time to recuperate at the Depot, prior to being sent to the war front. Many horses died of pneumonia shortly after arriving in the Cape. According to a Capt. E.P. Elmhurst, stationed at the Depot between January and March 1900, horses that were deemed sound were sent to the front within three to four days of arrival. Elmhurst complained during this time that there were only 84 Indian soldiers that had to care for some 1,200 to 1,300 horses at a time.

The Argentinian imports were cared for by Mfengo (Fingo) labourers from the Eastern Cape. Elmhurst also stated that when horses were transported to the front by train, they often had to do without fodder and water for three or more days. Between 200 and 300 horses were transported in this way at a time and to properly care for them during their voyage was an impossible task. It is said that these war horses worked very hard a single cavalry unit

(lancers) sometimes used up something like 400 horses in a couple of weeks. Nooitgedacht and Koelenhof were exceptionally busy and at one stage some 1,400 horses were processed per day.

Official British statistics mention that from June 1899 to January 1902, a staff of 647 was utilized at this remount depot. This included (besides British officers, soldiers and Vets), 202 black and coloured labourers and 347 Indians. In this way, it appears that the staff shortage that Elmhurst complained about later improved considerably. John X Merriman, the well known Cape parliamentarian who farmed at ‘Schoongezicht’ in the Stellenbosch district, made mention about a visit on 16 March 1900 that he undertook to the remount camp and described it as “the scene of indescribable dirt and dust … 2,500 horses.”

Elmhurst was a good friend of his and showed him a battery of Maxim guns (pom poms) which was under the command of Major F.H. Crampton (Royal Artillery.) These were fired during exercises from time to time, to the consternation of nearby farmers. Magistrate Herold in Stellenbosch received complaints from J.A. and F. Bosman (Weltevreden) that shells fell close to their manor house. This could not be substantiated successfully and the CO of the remount depot did not care to comment.

Besides the personnel at the remount depot and the Royal Artillery unit, other battalions were stationed there from time to time such as the 18th Battn. Imperial Scottish Yeomanry, two companies of the 1st Battn. Royal Munster Fusiliers, the 15th Company of the Army Service Corps and units like the Norfolk Regiment, Duke of Cambridge’s Own Yeomanry (Middelsex Regiment) and the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. By Feb. 1902 a company of 100 Cape Town Highlanders were sent to Stellenbosch to guard the railway station.

With regard to the term being ‘Stellenbosched, Dr. Venter further states in the ‘Annale’ circular that instructors at the Sandhurst Military Academy, as recently as 1999, still warned candidate officers that incompetence could result in being ‘Stellenbosched’ (!)

Historical archeologists, Mr. Hennie de Vos and Mrs. C. Smit, mentioned that artefacts like horseshoes, buttons, bottles, cartridge cases etc. were, for many years, regularly found on the terrain and retrieved from old garbage dumps. There were military graves on top of a hill and also north and south of the Kromme Rhee stream. Some of the Indian grooms, blacksmiths, horse breakers and trainers were reportedly buried on these estates too, but it would appear that they were later re buried elsewhere and only one Indian grave remained.

Horses being mustered at Koelenhof

Indian soldiers at Koelenhof Remount Camp

Horses en route to the front

Lately, a residential complex was established on a part of where the Remount Depot used to be at Nooitgedacht, and it carries the name of the original estate, with a bronze horse at the main entrance.

With due recognition and thanks to Prof. Sandra Swart and Dr. Chris Venter (History Dept,. US.) and the Internet’s Litnet Journal. Dr. Venter graciously permitted us to use the old Koelenhof photographs.

SADF: UNIMOGS

Koos de Wet via Erika van den Bergh & Frans Bedford Visser

Dis vanjaar 38 jaar gelede (1978) dat ek die Unimog plaaslik vervaardigde kajuit ontwerp en saam met Busaf PE ontwikkel, getoets en vervaardig het. Dit het saamgeval met wat die beginjare was van wat later die Samil projek geword het en Krygkor het dus nie belanggestel nie en dit ook baie duidelik gemaak dat dit hoogstens ‘n baie kort dienslewe sou hê (alhoewel dit BAIE goedkoper as die Samil 20 was!) was en dan sou verdwyn indien dit enigsins suksesvol sou wees.

Hierdie projek het my ook ‘n helse drag slae laat kry deur die bestuursraad van Daimler Benz destyds (maar het terselfdertyd ook baie deure vir my later oopgemaak binne die topbestuur van daardie organisasie). Toe hulle die eerste foto’s sien (en meer spesifiek hierdie met die Mercedes ster op die neus) bars daar ‘n kernbom in die raadsaal van D B in Stuttgart en word ek en my destydse CEO, Morris Shenker beveel om binne 24 uur voor die raad te verskyn en te "please explain". Ons het eintlik nie geweet waaroor alles gaan nie en toe ons die volgende oggend 10 uur voor die VOLLE raad verskyn toe weet ek HKGK!

Aan die woord was die destydse direkteur en hoof vragmotorontwerper van D B, Artur Mischke en hy het my omtrent beetgekry ...............omdat ek dit gewaag het om die Mercedes ster op my kajuit te sit! Ek moes vir amper ‘n uur luister hoe D B se ontwerpvermoë en reputasie oor amper ‘n eeu

opgebou is deur beroemde ontwerpers en wie dink ek is ek om die "heilige ster" op my lelike "Derdewêreld" kajuit te plaas. En hoe langer hy aangaan hoe groter bult die are in sy nek en hoe meer spoeg sproei oor die tafel soos ‘n ligte reënbui teen die agtergrond van die raadsaaligte. Boggerol is eintlik oor die kajuit self gesê (wat ek gedink het eintlik die probleem was voor die vergadering).Uiteindelik kom hierdie pynlike (vir my) skrobbering genadiglik tot n einde en ek word uit die vergadering verskoon terwyl Mnr Shenker moet agterbly. Ek weet toe al wat gaan kom.

Die see kon my nie afwas nie en ek het begin beplan om van loopbaan te verander sodra ek die volgende dag in SA terug is. Verpletter en verneder het ek die raadsaal verlaat en begin gereed maak om nog dieselfde aand terug te keer SA toe. Groot was my verbasing dus toe Mnr Shenker later by my hotel kamer in die Hotel Zeppelin instap en vir my sê ek vlieg nie terug nie want Mnr Mischke het vir hom en vir my genooi vir n privaat ete daardie aand!!

Lang storie kort Ek ontmoet toe daardie aand n heel ander (en ook die ware) Artur Mischke wat my se hy moes doen wat hy gedoen het MAAR hy het respek en waardering vir wat ek gedoen het en as ek in die toekoms tegniese hulp nodig het met enige nuwe projekte dan kan ek hom DIREK skakel maar ek moet net NOOIT WEER die M B Ster op enige van my ontwerpe wat D B komponente gebruik, plaas nie. Ek het later van hierdie aanbod gebruik gemaak en vir meer as 20 jaar n besonderse verhouding met daardie organisasie en hul topbestuur gehad, ‘n voorreg wat nie baie mense buite D B gehad het nie.

En drie weke gelede sien ek sowaar twee van hierdie ou Unimogs met my kajuite net buite Somerset Wes en toe kom al die ou herinneringe weer terug en per slot van sake, wat was n goeie pak slae tussen vriende nou gemeet teen al die positiewe wat daaruit gevolg het Dit was inderdaad goeie dae daardie, hoe mens ookal daarna kyk.

Frans Bedford Visser

THE SOUTH AFRICAN TIGERCAT/HILDA MOBILE SURFACE TO AIR (SAM) MISSILE SYSTEM

History and Background

Although the SADF has made no comment, most open publications accepted Press reports from 1974 that South Africa acquired a number of the British Tigercat Surface to Air Missile systems (SAM) from Jordan. The amount totalled 54 batteries. It was further stated that Jordan had indirectly concluded an arms deal with South Africa, including the sale of the Tigercat missile system and 41 Centurion tanks. Where ever the Tigercat came from, under South African control due to secrecy reasons they were renamed "Hilda".

The Tigercat is a system comprises a three-round trailermounted launcher towed system, and as such has limited utility in a mechanised operational scenario. It is the land based mobile version of the naval Sea Cat point defence missile system. It is towed by a Land Rover, and a second trailer carrying the fire control equipment (director). The two towing vehicles carried a five man detachment, a generator and spare missiles.

It thus seems likely that it was used to supplement the Cactus SAM system in the air - base defence role.

Once in position and the director are set up levelled on jacks and connected to each other by cable links. The director consists of a control officer's console and a pedestal which has a powerful binocular with a traverse of about 170° and an elevation range from 30° to + 60°. Once a target has been acquired and identified as hostile, the operator launches a missile and guides it align the line of sight to the target by means of a joystick, commands being passed by radio link. The missile is kept in sight with the aid of flares built into its tail. Designed to be simple and quick in reaction. Tigercat requires no pre flight sequences, and is thus suited to engaging fast, manoeuvring targeted at close range. It can be integrated with most mobile radar systems to give it night and poor weather capabilities.

Deployment

The Tigercat/Hilda system was issued to the 250 Air Defence Artillery Group (ADAG) of the South African Air Force, which equipped its 121 and 123 Squadrons with them. The Squadron was based initially at Air Force Base (AFB) Waterkloof and then Pienaarsrivier.

On external deployments, the Tiger/Hilda system was issued to 123 Squadron at AFB Grootfontein for Operation Savannah during 1975 and 1976 and thereafter became a permanent and 129 Squadron at AFB Ondangwa in South West Africa throughout the duration of the Bush War in the airbase defence role.

Live fire training was held at the St Lucia range in northern Natal.

250 ADAG was disbanded in 1993 and with it 121 Squadron and the Hilda System. South African Air Force (SAAF) 121 Squadron was a South African Air Force Squadron formed in 1974 to operate the Tigercat/Hilda surface to air missile systems in an air defence role. The unit was disbanded when the Tigercat/Hilda system was retired from service in the early 1990s. 250 air Defence Artillery Group was disbanded in 1993 and the Hilda withdrawn from service.

250 Air Defence Artillery Group (ADAG):

121 Squadron SAAF

Active: 1970 1980 Country: South Africa

Branch: South African Air Force ( SAAF)

Role: Missile based air defence Specifications

Type: Mobile Surface to Air Missile system (SAM)

Crew: 5

System Data: Range: 3 500 m

Missile Data: Mass: 63 kg, length: q,48 m, Diameter: 19 cm, Motor: 2 stage solid propellant, Warhead: High explosive, Fuse: Contact and proximity fuses

The Tigercat/Hilda missile is a small, subsonic missile powered by a two-stage solid fuel rocket motor. It is steered in flight by four swept, cruciformly arranged wings and is stabilised by four small tail fins. It is guided by Command Line Of Sight (CLOS) via a radio link; i.e. flight commands are transmitted to it from a remote operator using a joystick, with both the missile and target in sight.

Live firing exercises were held annually at the St Lucia range and dubbed Tappet allowing gunners to hone their skills. During 1977 the unit relocated to Pienaarsrivier (now called Ditholo).

The Tigercat/Hilda Surface to Air Missile System

The operator would launch a missile and guide it along a line of site to an approaching enemy aircraft by a joystick, issuing a radio command. The Hilda missile was small and subsonic, powered by a two stage rocket and steered by four swept wings and stabilised by four tail fins.

Sources

Google: //https//www.saairforce.co.za/theairforce/weapon/88/tigercat-sam Book

South African Arms and Armour

A concise guide to armaments of the SA Army, Navy and Air Force Page: 90 Helmoed-Römer Heitman.

Hilda missile, similar to that operated by 121 Squadron.

CPL BA FIDLER, HC

He was on one of two vehicles late the night of the 14th of September 1985 when a large enemy force ambushed them. Most of the UNITA soldiers were killed and the two Artillery Officers and Medical Orderly who were in the second vehicle were wounded in the attack.

One of the Artillery Officers attempted to drag Bruce from the back of the vehicle, but he was wounded again. The two Artillery Officers made it to cover and were both later awarded the Honoris Crux.

Bruce was captured, tortured, and interrogated by his captors. He was aware of most of the order of battle for an upcoming operation to support UNITA, including SADF artillery positions and the location of the SAMS surgical team.

Intelligence received from Angola reported that a Captain had been captured. This was part of the misinformation that was given by Bruce to his captors. By refusing to give up any information he undoubtedly prevented further loss of life or injury to own forces.

Paul Ferguson via Frans Bedford-Visser

Corporal Bruce Andrew Fidler of 7 Medical Battalion was an Operational Medical Orderly with Special Forces training. He was involved in Operation Magneto and was providing medical support to Parachute Forces in Angola.

His body was repatriated in June 1992 and he was cremated a few months later on 15 September 1992, seven years after his death. The post mortem report indicated that he was brutally tortured and then executed.

He was awarded the Honoris Crux medal for bravery posthumously. Kind regards

1947 ROYAL VISIT & DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH

"After Queen's death a lot of comments were made on this group, some good, some not so good and I felt I just wanted to share this, maybe we can all learn from this.

My grandfather was a Penkop in the Boer war, when they were ambushed by the British or as he called them, the Khakis. He was wounded in his leg, needless to say he hated the English until he died in 1981. He later lost the use of both his legs and had to walk with crutches.

When the Royal Family visited South Africa, then the Queen was only 21 and still a princess. they visited the town of Aberdeen in the Karoo, he hand picked the best peaches on his land himself, he washed them and wrapped each peach in specially bought serviettes, put it in a basket and gave it to them as a present.

On the question if he hated the English so much, why all the effort, his reply was: “Hulle is ons gaste in ons land, hulle het immers moeite gedoen om ons te kom besoek, so ons moet hulle respekteer en tuis laat voel". I attached a letter of gratitude which the Queen herself signed, then only a princess.

Yes, ek is Afrikaans en sal altyd Afrikaans bly, ek was in 7SAI 1987 1989. En hand aan hand saam met ons Engelse buddies diens gedoen, Quito Canavale en Oshakati.

Trevor Jordaan

One thing I also learned in the Army, at least in our unit always respect your enemy. Salute to all who served."

• Letter from White Train

SOUTH AFRICANS’ COMMONWEALTH WAR CASUALTIES BURIED ACROSS THE WORLD – PART FIFTY-SIX

Captain (SAN) Charles Ross (SA Navy Retired)

South Africans took part in almost every theatre of war during both the First and Second World Wars. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty Data Base 7 290 (includes 607 unknown)

First World War casualties and 9 986 (includes 84 unknown) Second World War casualties are buried in 1 207 cemeteries while 2 959 First World War and 2 005 Second World War casualties are commemorated on 48 memorials. This does not include the 1 750 members of the South African Native Labour Corps and the 306 from the South African Book of Remembrance, whose names are in the process of being added to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Casualty Data Base.

• Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery, Belgium

From June to November 1917, Commonwealth Forces (XV Corps) held the front line in Belgium from St.Georges (now Sint Joris), near Ramskapelle, to the sea. Most of Plot I of Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery was made in July and August 1917, but the cemetery was considerably enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from battlefields and smaller burial grounds.

There are now 841 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 312 of the burials are unidentified, but special memorials commemorate two casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Also within this number are 26 special memorials to casualties originally buried at Nieuport or Nieuport-Bains whose graves were destroyed by shell fire. There are an additional 2 unidentified Foreign National burials here. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

One South African casualty from World War One is buried in the cemetery.

• Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension, France

For much of the First World War, Abbeville was headquarters of the Commonwealth lines of communication and No.3 BRCS, No.5 and No.2 Stationary Hospitals were stationed there variously from October 1914 to January 1920. The communal cemetery was used for burials from November 1914 to September 1916, the earliest being made among the French military graves. The extension was begun in September 1916.

During the early part of the Second World War, Abbeville was a major operational aerodrome, but the town fell to the Germans at the end of May 1940. On 4 June, an attempt was made by the 51st Division, in conjunction with the French, to break the German bridgehead, but without success. Towards the end of 1943, eight large ski shaped buildings appeared near Abbeville. These proved to be storage units for flying bomb components and they were heavily bombed by Commonwealth air forces. Abbeville was retaken on 4 September 1944 by Canadian and Polish units.

Abbeville Communal Cemetery contains 774 Commonwealth burials of First World War and 30 from the Second. The Extension contains 1,754 First World War burials and 348 from the Second.

The Commonwealth sections of both cemetery and extension were designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

Ten South African casualties from World War One, all July 1916, are buried in the cemetery.

• Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, France

Field ambulances used the Communal Cemetery for Commonwealth burials from September 1915 to August 1916, and again during the German advance of March 1918. It contains 127 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. The XV Corps Main Dressing Station was formed at Dernancourt in July 1916, when the adjoining EXTENSION was opened. The 45th and 56th (1st/1st South Midland) Casualty Clearing Stations came in September 1916 and remained until March 1917.

The 3rd Australian was here in March and April 1917, and the 56th from April 1917 to February 1918. The 3rd Casualty Clearing Station came in March 1918 but on 26 March, Dernancourt was evacuated ahead of the German advance, and the extension remained in their hands until the village was recaptured on 9 August 1918 by the 12th Division and the 33rd American Division. In September it was again used by the 47th, 48th and 55th Casualty Clearing Stations under the name of "Edgehill", due to the rising ground on the north west. At the Armistice, the Extension contained more than 1,700 burials; it was then enlarged when graves were brought in from isolated positions in the immediate neighbourhood and certain small cemeteries

It contained the graves of 65 soldiers from the United Kingdom and 33 from Australia, who fell in April August, 1918. It was made by Australian units and by the 58th (London) and 12th Divisions. The extension now contains 2,162 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 177 of the burials are unidentified, but there are special memorials to 29 casualties known or

believed to be buried among them, and to two buried at Albert Road Cemetery, Buire-sur-Ancre whose grave could not be found on concentration. The extension was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

32 South African casualties from World War One, 30 identified and two unknowns, are buried in the cemetery.

• Strand Military Cemetery – Belgium

'Charing Cross' was the name given by the troops to a point at the end of a trench called the Strand, which led into Ploegsteert Wood. In October 1914, two burials were made at this place, close to an Advanced Dressing Station, the cemetery was not used between October 1914 and April 1917, but in April July 1917 Plots I to VI were completed. Plots VII to X were made after the Armistice, when graves were brought in from some small cemeteries and from the battlefields lying mainly between Wytschaete and Armentieres. The cemetery was in German hands for a few months in 1918, but was very little used by them. It contained the grave of one soldier from the United Kingdom, buried by the Germans in December, 1914.

There are now 1,143 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 354 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to six casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and to 13 whose graves in four of the concentrated cemeteries were destroyed by shell fire. The eight Second World War burials (three of which are unidentified) all date from May 1940 and the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary force to Dunkirk ahead of the German advance.

The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

One South African casualty from World War One is buried in the cemetery.

• Ismailia War Memorial Cemetery - Egypt

Ismailia is a small town on the west side of the Suez Canal. The cemetery was begun in February 1915 following an unsuccessful attack on the town by Turkish forces (this action was later commemorated by the French with a memorial at Gebel Mariam), and continued to be used for burials from camps and hospitals in and around Ismailia and nearby Moascar. After the Armistice, the cemetery was enlarged when graves were brought in from other cemeteries in the area and from isolated sites.

In 1956, the adjoining Indian cemetery was absorbed into the War Memorial Cemetery. There are now 372 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery.

Second World War burials number 291. The cemetery also contains 297 non war graves, chiefly of servicemen of the garrison and their dependents, mostly dating from the inter war years.

Four South African casualty from World War Two is buried in the cemetery.

POLICE

POLICE CHIEF IN CHARGE OF QUEEN'S FUNERAL HAILS OPERATION LONDON BRIDGE AS 'ENORMOUS SUCCESS' AFTER 5,000 OFFICERS FROM ACROSS UK SUPPORTED ROYAL EVENTS IN 10 DAYS OF OFFICIAL MOURNING

• Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi declared the operation 'an enormous success'

• She was Gold Commander for Operation London Bridge in charge of security

• Police were drafted in from across the country for the various funeral events

• She said it was 'too early' to determine the cost of the massive operation

By Darren Boyle for Mailonline

Published: 08:45 BST, 24 September 2022 | Updated: 08:48 BST, 24 September 2022

Operation London Bridge has been described as 'an enormous success' by the officer in charge of coordinating policing for the Queen's funeral and national mourning period.

More than 5,000 police officers from across the UK supported 10 days of ceremonial events to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The number of officers drafted in to support events in Scotland, London, Windsor and Norfolk would make up the fifth largest police force in England and Wales, with tens of thousands of additional officers supporting events locally.

Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi, gold commander for Operation London Bridge, said: 'From a policing perspective, I think it's been an enormous success. What made this operation different to ones we routinely do is that there was no notice'

Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi, gold commander for Operation London Bridge, said: 'From a policing perspective, I think it's been an enormous success.

'What made this operation different to ones we routinely do is that there was no notice. 'The operation starts from the minute that we were aware of the death of Her Majesty and that makes it fundamentally different to any other operation.'

She added that it was 'too early to tell' the full cost of the operation, which was the largest ever ceremonial policing operation.

Ms D'Orsi, who since March 2021 has served as chief constable of the British Transport Police, said the operation involved the 'largest ever deployment of hostile vehicle mitigation' with large vehicle barriers blocking off the entrances to roads in central London such as The Mall.

'We have sadly in the past seen terrorist attacks which have used the car as a weapon, so it is important to make sure that areas are sealed off so that the public is safe.'

Ms D'Orsi thanked the officers and staff involved in Operation London Bridge, as well as the public 'who understood the extra security measures in place for such an occasion and supported police officers, staff and volunteers in their duties'.

Around 650 protection officers, firearms officers and armed response vehicles were sent out over the 10 days of mourning, with over 500 specialist search teams trained to scour key landmarks and buildings where crowds gathered.

More than 50 police dogs trained in explosives and firearms detection were also deployed. The day of the Queen's funeral itself was the Metropolitan Police's largest ever policing operation, beating the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympics in 2012.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: 'This was the largest ever ceremonial policing operation, seeing thousands of officers deployed from forces across the United Kingdom to manage and oversee this unparalleled event, including ensuring the safety of the Royal Family and foreign dignitaries during the state funeral.

D'Orsi, who is head of the British Transport Police said a great deal of planning went in to protect the events from possible terrorist attack

'I have seen first-hand the professionalism, dedication and skill of officers, who should be immensely proud of their work.'

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Kommentaar deur HBH

Die begrafnis van koningin Elisabeth ll was eerstens vanuit ‘n veiligheidsoogpunt ‘n reuse sukses. Die begrafnis was ook ‘n reuse sukses as mens kyk wat die begrafnis vir die bevolking van Brittanje beteken het. Die mense was lief vir hul monarg.

Koningin Elisabeth ll was ‘n ware Christen en haar diens en begrafnis is internasionaal uitgesaai en ongeveer 5 biljoen mense op die aardbol het daarna gekyk. Vanuit ‘n Christelike- en sending oogpunt is dit ‘n onverbeterlike Christelike seremonie!

Ek het gekyk hoe die polisie hul taak uitgevoer het: Dit was pynloos korrek. Selfs die beredepolisie wat die begeleiding gedoen het was foutloos. Oral tussen die BBP’s kon mens lede van die polisie se BBP-eenheid opmerk.

Gedagtig aan “9/11” was ek heeltyd op my hoede dat “iets” sou gebeur; maar ‘n saluut aan die polisie, MI5 en die weermag alles het vlot verloop. Ek is seker dat baie gebede daardie dag beantwoord is, vir ‘n insident vrye begrafnis.

Dis net die Britte wat so ‘n seremonie kan aanbied! Die Britse weermag se optrede strek die monarg tot in die besonder en die weermag in die algemeen tot eer! (Die Britse perde: Polisie en weermag was van internasionale gehalte!)

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - SOUTH AFRICAN BRANCH

Frans Bedford-Visser

[08:10, 23/09/2022]

Frans Bedford Visser: Gedurende die proklamasie van toetreding van Sy Majesteit Koning Charles III na die troon. [08:15, 23/09/2022] Frans Bedford Visser: Sondag 11 September in George Square, Glasgow. 12:45

Frans skryf verder

"Yesterday morning at 10:24 whilst having a lie in on my one day off this week I received an emergency Op Order to attend at George Square, Glasgow, in full SA Legion kit at 12:15. This was to attend the parade for the Proclamation of Accession of King Charles III to the Throne. Not an Op Order I could ignore despite having numerous plans for the day, so I hurriedly made ready, digging out my kit and medals with the help of my good wife, Sue. I raced to the train station making the Glasgow bound train by the skin of my teeth and arrived in Glasgow, at George Square with 18 minutes to spare. I eventually tracked down Cary Hendricks who had with him our Standard, and we followed the directions of the RSM as to where to fall in.

Being the only two South African members in attendance, it was not only a momentous occasion, but one at which it was essential that we fly the flag of the Royal British Legion South African Branch for those of our Brothers who could not attend.

Ex Unitate Vires

Not for ourselves, but for others!

Long Live The King!"

USS MERRIMACK - DIE SKIP WAT NIE WOU STERF NIE Philip Malherbe

VSA Virginia

https://www.google.co.za/search?q=uss+virginia+civil+war&hl=af&M

Die USS Merrimack, was ‘n stoom fregat, beter bekend as “die romp” wat gedurende die Amerikaanse Burger Oorlog gebou is. Die Merrimack was die eerste van ses stoom fregatte wat in 1854 deur skroewe aangedryf is. Sy is soos ander skepe na riviere vernoem en op 15 Junie 1855 ter water gelaat en het in Wes Europa se water gevaar. Gedurende 1856 het sy teruggekeer na Boston vir herstelwerk. Sy het dieselfde jaar as vlagskip gevaar in die Suide en Sentrale Amerika waarna sy in 1859 teruggekeer het na Norfolk. Sy sou weer ter see vaar na Philadelphia, maar die hawe is gebombardeer, waarna verskeie ligte bote gesink is, wat veroorsaak het dat die hawe geblokkeer was. Sy is daarna aan die brand gesteek en gesink om te verhoed dat sy gekaap kon word.

Aangesien die Konfederasie desperaat skepe benodig het, is die Merrimack na die oppervlakte gebring en herbou as ʼn yster versterkte stormram skip, en hernoem na Virginia, met die doel om hout skepe te vernietig en die Unie se blokkade te beëindig.

Die boot is verder versterk deur 2 duim (5.08 sentimeter) yster plaat. Die skip se vuurkrag het uit twee 6 duim ( 15,24 sentimeter), twee 7 duim (17,78 sentimeter) en ses 9 duim (20,32 sentimeter) kanonne plus twee 12 pond (5,4 kilogram) Howitzers bestaan. Gedurende Maart 1862 met die nuwe bevelvoerder Buchanan, die boot met die versterkte ysterplaat die USS Cumberland en USS Congress vernietig en gesink, wat die eerste twee geveg tussen yster versterkte bote in die geskiedenis ingelui het, asook ʼn nuwe era in die vloot oorlogvoering. Alhoewel die Virginia ʼn formidabele vaartuig was, het haar grote en lywige masjiene dit moeilik gemaak om te maneuvreer en ʼn volle sirkel het ʼn myl (1,6 kilometer) benodig en het vyf en veertig minute geduur. Daarna het al hoe meer oorlogskepe met versterkte staalplate begin veg wat die era van antieke hout oorlogskepe tot ʼn einde gebring het.

Met die Unie se militêre sterkte was die Konfederale geforseer om Norfolk te ontruim, met die gevolg dat die Virginia, as gevolg van haar addisionele staal versterking nie in staat was om te ontsnap nie. Weereens is die skip ontruim en teer, olie, vet en ghries is oor die hele dek versprei is, waarna dit aan die brand gesteek is. Ooggetuies het later verklaar dat die brand vir ʼn uur en ʼn half heftig aan die gang was voordat, ʼn ontsettende ontploffing (buskruit vir kanonne) die skip in stukke opgebreek

het. Die lug was dik van al die rook en klein en groot stukke hout. Groot seksies rooiwarm plate is afgeskeur en in die lug versprei soos papier. Wrakstukke het die omliggende water en strandoord bedek met ondenkbare grotes en vorme. Die noodlottige vaartuig het onmiddellik gesink en geen oorblyfsel het bokant die water oorgebly nie.

Nabetragting:

In 1865 is die Virginia as ʼn gevaar vir navigasie verklaar nadat ʼn skip erg met van die onderwater oorblyfsels van die Virginia se wrakstukke beskadig is. Gedurende 1867 is berig dat stukke van die wrakstukke van die Virginia toenemend verwyderd is.

In 1874 het ʼn verdere berig verskyn wat gemeld het dat nog dele herwin is van die Virginia onder andere ʼn 10 ton (9,071,8 kilogram) krukas.

Op 17 Junie 1875 is weer eens in die pers berig van koper boute en pype van die Virginia wat herwin is en aangewend is om oulike artikels te vervaardig.

Op 29 Junie 1875 verskyn daar nog ʼn berig van ʼn duiker wat twee kanonne van Virginia na die oppervlakte gebring het en in sy boot gelaai het, sy boot het egter begin lek en sy boot met die kanonne het gesink.

Op Mei 1876 haal die Virginia weer die nuus nadat ʼn duiker die onderste hout van die boot na bo gebring het en dit per sleepboot na ʼn droogdok vervoer het, dit opgekap het en die hout verkoop het. Van die hout is kieries gemaak en die res is as afval hout verkoop.

Bronne:

https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack

https://numa.net/expeditions/merrimack u s s/

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://shop.marinersmuseum.org/sink before pb.A

1916: GAS MASK FOR MULE

German soldiers and mule in gas mask 1916

DUQUESNE SPY RING

Philip Malherbe

How’s this for being a step ahead of the enemy? Before America ever fired a shot in World War II, we had rolled up a massive ring of Nazi spies operating on U.S. soil 33 in all, ranging from Paul Bante to Bertram Wolfgang Zenzinger. By December 13, 1941 just six days after Pearl Harbor every member of the group had either pled guilty or been convicted at trial, including its ringleader, Fritz Duquesne.

It all began when a lone German American refused to give in to Nazi aggression and hatred. His name was William Sebold, and he served the Allied cause by becoming a double agent for the FBI

Sebold was a naturalized U.S. citizen who worked in industrial and aircraft plants throughout the U.S. and South America after leaving his native land in 1921. During a return trip to Germany in 1939, Sebold was “persuaded” by high ranking members of the German Secret Service to spy on America. Sebold received espionage training in Hamburg (including how to work a short wave radio), but not before secretly visiting the American consulate in Cologne and telling officials there that he wanted to cooperate with the FBI.

We were waiting when Sebold returned to New York City in February 1940. He’d been instructed by the Nazis to take on the persona of “Harry Sawyer,” a diesel engineer consultant. He was then to meet with various spies, pass along instructions to them from Germany, receive messages in return, and transmit them back in code to Germany.

With Sebold’s masterful acting, we played right along with the ruse, using some deceits of our own.

First, our Lab engineers built a secret shortwave radio transmitting station on Long Island. There, our agents pretending to be Sebold sent authentic sounding messages to his German superiors for some 16 straight months. Over that time more than 300 messages were sent and another 200 were received from the Nazis.

Second, we helped set up an office for “Harry” in Manhattan where he could receive visiting spies. The office was outfitted with hidden microphones and a two way mirror where we could watch and film everything going on. With cameras secretly rolling, Sebold met with a string of Nazis who wished to pass secret and sensitive national defence and wartime information to the Gestapo.

One of those visitors was Duquesne, a veteran spy who served as the group’s leader. In Sebold’s rigged office, Duquesne explained how fires could be started at industrial plants and shared photographs and plans he’d stolen from a plant in Delaware describing a new bomb being made in the United States.

Another one of the spies, we learned, was preparing a bomb of his own and even delivered dynamite and detonation caps to Sebold.

Once we had enough information to pinpoint the members of the ring and enough evidence for an airtight case, the 33 spies were arrested. Nineteen quickly pled guilty; the rest were found guilty at trial in the days following the Pearl Harbour attack.

As a result of the massive investigation, the FBI and America entered the war with confidence that there was no major German espionage network hidden in U.S. society.

The 33 Members of the Duquesne Spy Ring

On January 2, 1942, 33 members of a Nazi spy ring headed by Frederick Joubert Duquesne were sentenced to serve a total of over 300 years in prison. They were brought to justice after a lengthy espionage investigation by the FBI. William Sebold, who had been recruited as a spy for Germany, was a major factor in the FBI’s successful resolution of this case through his work as a double agent for the United States.

A native of Germany, William Sebold served in the German army during World War I. After leaving Germany in 1921, he worked in industrial and aircraft plants throughout the United States and South America. On February 10, 1936, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Sebold returned to Germany in February, 1939, to visit his mother in Mulheim. Upon his arrival in Hamburg, Germany, he was approached by a member of the Gestapo who said that Sebold would be contacted in the near future. Sebold proceeded to Mulheim where he obtained employment.

In September, 1939, a Dr. Gassner visited Sebold in Mulheim and interrogated him regarding military planes and equipment in the United States. He also asked Sebold to return to the United States as an espionage agent for Germany. Subsequent visits by Dr. Gassner and a “Dr. Renken,” later identified as Major Nickolaus Ritter of the German Secret Service, persuaded Sebold to cooperate with the Reich because he feared reprisals against family members still living in Germany.

Since Sebold’s passport has been stolen shortly after his first visit from Dr. Gassner, Sebold went to the American Consulate in Cologne, Germany, to obtain a new one. While doing so, Sebold secretly told personnel of the American Consulate about his future role as a German agent and expressed his wish to cooperate with the FBI upon his return to America. Sebold reported to Hamburg, Germany, where he was instructed in such areas as preparing coded messages and microphotographs. Upon completion of training, he was given five microphotographs containing instructions for preparing a code and detailing the type of information he was to transmit to Germany from the United States. Sebold was told to retain two of the microphotographs and to deliver the other three to German operatives in the United States. After receiving final instructions, including using the assumed name of “Harry Sawyer,” he sailed from Genoa, Italy, and arrived in New York City on February 8, 1940.

The FBI previously had been advised of Sebold’s expected arrival, his mission, and his intentions to assist them in identifying German agents in the United States. Under the guidance of Special Agents, Sebold established residence in New York City as Harry Sawyer. Also, an office was established for him as a consultant diesel engineer, to be used as a cover in establishing contacts with members of the spy ring. In selecting the office for Sebold, FBI Agents ensured that they could observe any meetings taking place there.

In May, 1940, a shortwave radio-transmitting station operated by FBI Agents on Long Island established contact with the German Shortwave station abroad. This radio station served as a main channel of communication between German spies in New York City and their superiors in Germany for 16 months. During this time, the FBI’s radio station transmitted over 300 messages to Germany, and received 200 messages from Germany.

Sebold’s success as a counterespionage agent against Nazi spies in the United States is demonstrated by the successful prosecution of the 33 German agents in New York. Of those arrested on the charge of espionage, 19 pleaded guilty. The 14 men who entered pleas of not guilty were brought to trial in Federal District Court, Brooklyn, New York, on September 3, 1941; and they were all found guilty by jury of December 13, 1941. The activities of each of these convicted spies and Sebold’s role in uncovering their espionage activities for the Reich follow.

Frederick Joubert Duquesne

Born in Cape Colony, South Africa, on September 21, 1877, Frederick Joubert Duquesne emigrated from Hamilton, Bermuda, to the United States in 1902 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen on December 4, 1913. Duquesne was implicated in fraudulent insurance claims, including one that resulted from a fire aboard the British steamship Tennyson which caused the vessel to sink on February 18, 1916. When he was arrested on November 17, 1917, he had in his possession a large file of news clippings concerning bomb explosions on ships, as well as a letter from the Assistant German Vice Consul at Managua, Nicaragua. The letter indicated that “Captain Duquesne” was “one who has rendered considerable service to the German cause.”

When Sebold returned to the United States in February, 1940, Duquesne was operating a business known as the “Air Terminals Company” in New York City. After establishing his first contact with Duquesne by letter, Sebold met with him in Duquesne’s office. During their initial meeting, Duquesne, who was extremely concerned about the possibility of electronic surveillance devices being present in his office, gave Sebold a note stating that they should talk elsewhere. After relocating to an Automat, the two men exchanged information about members of the German espionage system with whom they had been in contact.

Duquesne provided Sebold with information for transmittal to Germany during subsequent meetings, and the meetings which occurred in Sebold’s office were filmed by FBI Agents. Duquesne, who was vehemently anti British, submitted information dealing with national defence in America, the sailing of ships to British ports, and technology. He also regularly received money from Germany in payment for his services.

On one occasion, Duquesne provided Sebold with photographs and specifications of a new type of bomb being produced in the United States. He claimed that he secured that material by secretly entering the DuPont plant in Wilmington, Delaware. Duquesne also explained how fires could be started in industrial plants. Much of the information Duquesne obtained was the result of his correspondence with industrial concerns. Representing himself as a student, he requested data concerning their products and manufacturing conditions.

Duquesne was brought to trial and was convicted. He was sentenced to serve 18 years in prison on espionage charges, as well as a 2 year concurrent sentence and payment of a $2,000 fine for violation of the Registration Act.

Paul Bante

A native of Germany, Paul Bante served in the German army during World War I. He came to the United States in 1930 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1938.

Bante, formerly a member of the German American Bund, claimed that Germany put him in contact with one of their operatives, Paul Fehse, because of Bante’s previous association with a Dr. Ignatz T. Griebl. Before fleeing to Germany to escape prosecution, Dr. Griebl had been implicated in a Nazi spy ring with Guenther Gustave Rumrich, who was tried on espionage charges in 1938.

Bante assisted Paul Fehse in obtaining information about ships bond for Britain with war materials and supplies. Bante claimed that as a member of the Gestapo his function was to create discontent among union workers, stating that every strike would assist Germany. Sebold met Bante at the Little Casino Restaurant, which was frequented by several members of this spy ring. During one such meeting, Bante advised that he was preparing a fuse bomb, and he subsequently delivered dynamite and detonation caps to Sebold.

Entering a guilty plea to violation of the Registration Act, Bante was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and was fined $1,000.

Max Blank

Max Blank came to the United States from Germany in 1928. Although he never became a U.S. citizen, Blank had been employed in New York City at a German library and at a book store which catered to German trade.

Paul Fehse, a major figure in this case, informed Germany that Blank, who was acquainted with several members of the spy ring, could secure some valuable information but lacked the funds to do so. Later Fehse and Blank met with Sebold in his office. They told Sebold that Blank could obtain details about rubberized self sealing airplane gasoline tanks, as well as a new braking device for airplanes, from a friend who worked in a shipyard. However, he needed money to get the information.

Blank pleaded guilty to violation of the Registration Act. He received a sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment and a $1,000 fine.

Alfred E. Brokhoff

Alfred E. Brokhoff, a native of Germany, came to the United States in 1923 and became a naturalized citizen in 1929. He was a mechanic for the United States Lines in New York City for 17 years prior to his arrest. Because of his employment on the docks, he knew almost all of the other agents in this group who were working as seamen on various ships.

Brokhoff helped Fehse secure information about the sailing dates and cargoes of vessels destined for England. He also assisted Fehse in transmitting this information to Germany. Also, another German agent, George V. Leo Waalen, reported that he had received information from Brokhoff for transmittal to Germany.

Upon conviction, Brokhoff was sentenced to serve a five year prison term for violation of the espionage statutes and to serve a two-year concurrent sentence for violation of the Registration Act.

Heinrich Clausing

In September, 1934, German-born Heinrich Clausing came to the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen in 1938. Having served on various ships sailing from New York Harbor since his arrival in the country, he was employed as a cook on the SS Argentine at the time of his arrest.

Closely associated with Franz Stigler, one of the principal contact men for this spy ring, Clausing operated as a courier. He transported microphotographs and other material from the United States to South American ports, from which the information was sent to Germany via Italian airlines. He also established a mail drop in South America for expeditious transmittal of information to Germany by mail.

Clausing was convicted and was sentenced to serve eight years for violation of espionage statutes. He also received a two year concurrent sentence for violation of the Registration Act.

Conradin Otto Dold

Conradin Otto Dold came to the United States from Germany in 1926. He became a U.S. citizen in 1934 under the Seamen’s Act. Prior to his arrest, he was Chief Steward aboard the SS Siboney of the American Export Lines.

Dold was related to people holding high positions in Germany and was closely associated with other members of the espionage group who worked on ships sailing from New York Harbor. As a courier, Dold carried information from Nazi agents in the United States to contacts in neutral ports abroad for transmittal to Germany.

Dold was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison on espionage charges and received a 2-year concurrent sentence and a fine of $1,000 for violation of the Registration Act.

Rudolf Ebeling

After leaving Germany for the United States in 1925, employed as a foreman in the Shipping Department of Harper and Brothers in New York City when he was arrested.

Ebeling obtained information regarding ship sailings and cargoes, which he provided to Paul Fehse for transmittal to Germany. He also furnished such information to Leo Waalen, who delivered the material to Sebold for transmittal.

Upon conviction, Ebeling was sentenced to 5 years in prison on espionage charges. he also received a 2 year concurrent sentence and a $1,000 fine for violating the Registration Act.

Richard Eichenlaub

Richard Eichenlaub, who came to the United States in 1930 and became a citizen in 1936, operated the Little Casino Restaurant in the Yorkville Section of New York City. This restaurant was a rendezvous for many members of this spy ring, and Eichenlaub introduced several new members into the group.

Eichenlaub reported to the German Gestapo and often obtained information from his customers who were engaged in national defence production. Through Eichenlaub, dynamite was delivered to Sebold from Bante.

Having entered a plea of guilty to violation of the Registration Act, Eichenlaub was sentenced to pay a fine of $1,000 and to serve 18 months in prison.

Heinrich Carl Eilers

A native of Germany, Heinrich Carl Eilers came to the United States in 1923 and became a citizen in 1932. From 1933 until his arrest, he served as a steward on ships sailing from New York City. Eilers made a trip from New York to Washington, D.C., to obtain information for Germany from the Civil Aeronautics Authority. His mission, however, was unsuccessful.

At the time of his arrest in New York City by Customs authorities in June, 1940, he had in his possession 20 letters addressed to people throughout Europe. He also had books relating to magnesium and aluminium alloys which had been sent to him by Edmund Carl Heine, one of the principal espionage agents in this group.

Upon conviction, Eilers received a 5 year prison sentence on espionage charges and a concurrent sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment and a $1,000 fine under the Registration Act.

Paul Fehse

In 1934, Paul Fehse left Germany for the United States, where he became a citizen in 1938. Since his arrival in this country, he had been employed as a cook aboard ships sailing from New York Harbour.

Fehse was one of the directing forces in this espionage group. He arranged meetings, directed members’ activities, correlated information that had been developed, and arranged for its transmittal to Germany, chiefly through Sebold. Fehse, who was trained for espionage work in Hamburg, Germany, claimed he headed the Marine Division of the German espionage system in the United States.

Having become quite apprehensive and nervous, Fehse made plans to leave the country. He obtained a position on the SS Siboney, which was scheduled to sail from Hoboken, New Jersey, for Lisbon, Portugal, on March 29, 1941. He planned to desert ship in Lisbon and return to Germany.

However, before he could leave the United States, Fehse was arrested by FBI Agents. Upon arrest, he admitted sending letters to Italy for transmittal to Germany, as well as reporting the movements of British ships.

On April 1, 1941, Fehse was sentenced on a plea of guilty to serve one year and one day in prison for violation of the Registration Act. He subsequently pleaded guilty to espionage and received a prison sentence of 15 years.

Edmund Carl Heine

A native of Germany, Edmund Carl Heine came to the United States in 1914 and became a naturalized citizen in 1920. Until 1938, he held various positions in the foreign sales and service department of Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Motor Corporation. His employment took him to the West Indies, South America, Spain, and Berlin, Germany. Heine was closely associated with Dr. Hans Luther, former German Ambassador in Washington, D.C., and Prince Louis Ferdinand of Berlin.

Heine sent letters from Detroit, Michigan, to Lilly Stein, one of the German spies Sebold was instructed to contact. The letters contained detailed technical data regarding the military, aircraft construction, and various industries. He also wrote to aircraft companies to obtain information about their production, number of employees, and the time required to construct military planes.

After obtaining technical books relating to magnesium and aluminium alloys, Heine sent the materials to Heinrich Eilers. To ensure safe delivery of the books to Germany in case they did not reach Eilers, Heine indicated the return address on the package as the address of Lilly Stein. Upon conviction of violating the Registration Act, Heine received a $5,000 fine and a 2 year prison sentence.

Felix Jahnke

In 1924, Felix Jahnke left Germany for the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen in 1930. Jahnke had attended military school in Germany and had served in the German army as a radio operator.

Jahnke and Axel Wheeler Hill secured the services of Josef Klein, a radio technician, in building a portable radio set for Jahnke’s apartment in the Bronx. Jahnke used this radio to transmit messages, which were intercepted by the FBI, to Germany. He also visited the docks in New York Harbor to obtain information about any vessels bound for England.

After pleading guilty to violation of the Registration Act, Jahnke was sentenced to serve 20 months in prison and to pay a $1,000 fine.

Gustav Wilhelm Kaercher

Gustav Wilhelm Kaercher came to the United States in 1923, becoming a citizen in 1931. He served in the German army during World War I and was a former leader of the German Bund in New York. During visits to Germany, he was seen to have worn a German army officer’s uniform. At the time of his arrest, he was engaged in designing power plants for the American Gas and Electric Company in New York City.

Kaercher was arrested with Paul Scholtz, who had just handed Kaercher a table of call letters and frequencies for transmitting information to Germany by radio.

As a result of his guilty plea to charges of violating the Registration Act, Kaercher received a $2,000 fine and a prison sentence of 22 months.

Josef Klein

A native of Germany, Josef Klein came to the United States in 1925; he did not become a citizen. Klein, a photographer and lithographer, had been interested in the building and operation of shortwave radio transmitters.

Klein constructed a portable shortwave radio transmitting and receiving set for Felix Jahnke and Axel Wheeler Hill. When he built the radio set, Klein knew it would be used for transmitting messages to Germany.

Upon conviction, Klein received a sentence of five years’ imprisonment on espionage charges and a concurrent sentence of two years’ imprisonment under the Registration Act.

Hartwig Richard Kleiss

Born in Germany, Hartwig Richard Kleiss came to this country in 1925 and became a naturalized citizen six years later. Following his arrival in the United States, he was employed as a cook on various ships.

Kleiss obtained information for Germany, including blueprints of the SS America which showed the locations of newly installed gun emplacements. He included information about how guns would be brought into position for firing. Kleiss also obtained details on the construction and performance of new speedboats being developed by the United States Navy, which he submitted to Sebold for transmittal to Germany.

Kleiss had originally chosen to stand trial. However, after cross-examination, he changed his plea to guilty on charge of espionage and received an eight year prison sentence.

Herman W. Lang

Herman W. Lang came to the United States from Germany in 1927 and became a citizen in 1939. He was one of the four people Sebold had been told to contact in the United States.

Until his arrest, Lang had been employed by a company manufacturing highly confidential materials essential to the national defence of the United States. During a visit to Germany in 1938, Lang conferred with German military authorities and reconstructed plans of the confidential materials from memory.

Upon conviction, Lang received a sentence of 18 years in prison on espionage charges and a 2 year concurrent sentence under the Registration Act.

Evelyn Clayton Lewis

A native of Arkansas, Evelyn Clayton Lewis had been living with Frederick Joubert Duquesne in New York City. Miss Lewis had expressed her anti British and anti Semitic feelings during her relationship with Duquesne. She was aware of his espionage activities and condoned them. While she was not active in obtaining information for Germany, she helped Duquesne prepare material for transmittal abroad.

Upon a guilty plea, Miss Lewis was sentenced to serve one year and one day in prison for violation of the Registration Act.

Rene Emanuel Mezenen

Rene Emanuel Mezenen, a Frenchman, claimed U.S. citizenship through the naturalization of his father. Prior to his arrest, he was employed as a steward in the transatlantic clipper service.

The German Intelligence Service in Lisbon, Portugal, asked Mezenen to act as a courier, transmitting information between the United States and Portugal on his regular trips on the clipper. He accepted this offer for financial gain. In the course of flights across the Atlantic, Mezenen also

reported his observance of convoys sailing for England. He also became involved in smuggling platinum from the United States to Portugal.

Following a plea of guilty, Mezenen received an eight-year prison term for espionage and two concurrent years for registration violations.

Carl Reuper

Having come to the United States from Germany in 1929, Carl Reuper became a citizen in 1936. Prior to this arrest, he served as an inspector for the Westinghouse Electric Company in Newark, New Jersey.

Reuper obtained photographs for Germany relating to national defence materials and construction, which he obtained from his employment. He arranged radio contact with Germany through the station established by Felix Jahnke. On one occasion, he conferred with Sebold regarding Sebold’s facilities for communicating with German authorities.

Upon conviction, Reuper was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment on espionage charges and 2 years’ concurrent sentence under the Registration Act.

Everett Minster Roeder

Born in the Bronx, New York, Roeder was a draftsman and designer of confidential materials for the U.S. Army and Navy.

Sebold had delivered microphotograph instructions to Roeder, as ordered by German authorities. Roeder and Sebold met in public places and proceeded to spots where they could talk privately. In 1936, Roeder had visited Germany and was requested by German authorities to act as an espionage agent. Primarily due to monetary rewards he would receive, Roeder agreed.

Roeder entered a guilty plea to the charge of espionage and was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Paul Alfred W. Scholz

A German native, Paul Scholz came to the United States in 1926 but never attained citizenship. He had been employed in German book stores in New York City, where he disseminated Nazi propaganda.

Scholz had arranged for Josef Klein to construct the radio set used by Felix Jahnke and Axel Wheeler Hill. At the time of his arrest, Scholz had just given Gustav Wilhelm Kaercher a list of radio call letters and frequencies. He also encouraged members of this spy ring to secure data for Germany and arranged contacts between various German agents.

Upon conviction, Scholz was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment for espionage with 2 years’ concurrent sentence under the Registration Act.

George Gottlob Schuh

George Schuh, a native of Germany, came to the United States in 1923. He became a citizen in 1939 and was employed as a carpenter.

As a German agent, he sent information directly to the Gestapo in Hamburg, Germany, from this country. Schuh had provided Alfred Brokhoff information that Winston Churchill had arrived in the United States on the HMS George V. He also furnished information to Germany concerning the movement of ships carrying materials and supplies to Britain.

Having pleaded guilty to violation of the Registration Act, Schuh received a sentence of 18 months in prison and a $1,000 fine.

Erwin Wilhelm Siegler

Erwin Siegler came to the United States from Germany in 1929 and attained citizenship in 1936. He had served as chief butcher on the SS America until it was taken over by the U.S. Navy.

A courier, Siegler brought microphotographic instructions to Sebold from German authorities on one occasion. He also had brought $2,900 from German contacts abroad to pay Lilly Stein, Duquesne, and Roeder for their services and to buy a bomb sight. He served the espionage group as an organizer and contact man, and he also obtained information about the movement of ships and military defense preparations at the Panama Canal.

Subsequent to his conviction, Siegler was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on espionage charges and a concurrent 2 year term for violation of the Registration Act.

Oscar Richard Stabler

Born in Germany, Oscar Stabler came to this country in 1923 and became a citizen in 1933. He had been employed primarily as a barber aboard transoceanic ships. In December 1940, British authorities in Bermuda found a map of Gibraltar in his possession. He was detained for a short period before being released. A close associate of Conradin Otto Dold, Stabler served as a courier, transmitting information between German agents in the United States and contacts abroad.

Stabler was convicted and sentenced to serve five years in prison for espionage and a two year concurrent term under the Registration Act.

Heinrich Stade

Heinrich Stade came to the United States from Germany in 1922 and became a citizen in 1929. Stade had arranged for Paul Bante’s contact with Sebold and had transmitted data to Germany regarding points of rendezvous for convoys carrying supplies to England.

Following a guilty plea to violation of the Registration Act, Stade was fined $1,000 and received a 15 month prison sentence.

Lilly Barbara Carola Stein

Born in Vienna, Austria, Lilly Stein met Hugo Sebold, the espionage instructor who had trained William Sebold (the two men were not related) in Hamburg, Germany. She enrolled in this school and was sent to the United States in 1939.

Lilly Stein was one of the people to whom Sebold had been instructed to deliver microphotograph instructions upon his arrival in this country. She frequently met with Sebold to give him information for transmittal to Germany, and her address was used as a return address by other agents in mailing data for Germany.

Miss Stein pleaded guilty and received sentences of 10 years’ and 2 concurrent years’ imprisonment for violations of espionage and registration statutes, respectively.

Franz Joseph Stigler

In 1931, Franz Stigler left Germany for the United States, where he became a citizen in 1939. He had been employed as a crew member aboard U.S. ships until his discharge from the SS America when the U.S. Navy converted that ship into the USS West Point.

His constant companion was Erwin Siegler, and they operated as couriers in transmitting information between the United States and German agents aboard. Stigler sought to recruit amateur radio operators in the United States as channels of communication to German radio stations. He had also observed and reported defence preparations in the Canal Zone and had met with other German Agents to advise them in their espionage pursuits.

Upon conviction, Stigler was sentenced to serve 16 years in prison on espionage charges with 2 concurrent years for registration violations.

Erich Strunck

A seaman aboard the ships of the United States Lines since his arrival in this country, Erich Strunck came to the United States from Germany in 1927. He became a naturalized citizen in 1935.

As a courier, Strunck carried messages between German agents in the United States and Europe. He requested authority to steal the diplomatic bag of a British officer traveling aboard his ship and to dispose of the officer by pushing him overboard. Sebold convinced him that it would be too risky to do so.

Strunck was convicted and sentenced to serve 10 years in prison on espionage charges. He also was sentenced to serve a two year concurrent term under the Registration Act.

Leo Waalen

Waalen was born in Danzig while that city was under German domination. He entered the United States by “jumping ship” about 1935. He was a painter for a small boat company which was constructing small craft for the U.S. Navy.

Waalen gathered information about ships sailing for England. He also obtained a confidential booklet issued by the FBI which contained precautions to be taken by industrial plants to safeguard national defense materials from sabotage. Waalen also secured government contracts listing specifications for materials and equipment, as well as detailed sea charts of the United States Atlantic coastline.

Following his conviction, Waalen was sentenced to 12 years in prison for espionage and a concurrent 2 year term for violation of the Registration Act.

Adolf Henry August Walischewski

A German native, Walischewski had been a seaman since maturity. He became a naturalized citizen in 1935.

Walischewski became connected with the German espionage system through Paul Fehse. His duties were confined to those of courier, carrying data from agents in the United States to contacts abroad.

Upon conviction, Walischewski received a five year prison sentence on espionage charges, as well as a two year concurrent sentence under the Registration Act.

Else Weustenfeld

Else Weustenfeld arrived in the United States from Germany in 1927 and became a citizen 10 years later. From 1935 until her arrest, she was a secretary for a law firm representing the German Consulate in New York City.

Miss Weustenfeld was thoroughly acquainted with the German espionage system and delivered funds to Duquesne which she had received from Lilly Stein, her close friend.

She lived in New York City with Hans W. Ritter, a principal in the German espionage system. His brother, Nickolaus Ritter, was the “Dr. Renken” who had enlisted Sebold as a German agent. In 1940, Weustenfeld visited Hans Ritter in Mexico, where he was serving as a paymaster for the German Intelligence Service.

After pleading guilty, Else Weustenfeld was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on charge of espionage and two concurrent years on charge of registration violations.

Axel Wheeler-Hill

Axel Wheeler Hill came to the United States in 1923 from his native land of Russia. He was naturalized as a citizen in 1929 and was employed as a truck driver.

Wheeler Hill obtained information for Germany regarding ships sailing to Britain from New York Harbour. With Felix Jahnke, he enlisted the aid of Paul Scholz in building a radio set for sending coded messages to Germany.

Following conviction, Wheeler Hill was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for espionage and 2 concurrent years under the Registration Act.

Bertram Wolfgang Zenzinger

Born in Germany, Zenzinger came to the United States in 1940 as a naturalized citizen of the Union of South Africa. His reported reason for coming to this country was to study mechanical dentistry in Los Angeles, California.

In July, 1940, Zenzinger received a pencil for preparing invisible messages for Germany in the mail from Siegler. He sent several letters to Germany through a mail drop in Sweden outlining details of national defence materials.

Zenzinger was arrested by FBI Agents on April 16, 1941. Pleading guilty, he received 18 months in prison for violation of the Registration Act and 8 years’ imprisonment for espionage

2

2,646 pages of FBI files covering the Duquesne Spy Ring, archived on CD ROM. On January 2, 1942, 33 members of a Nazi spy ring headed by Frederick Joubert Duquesne were sentenced to serve a total of over 300 years in prison. William Sebold, who had been recruited as a spy for Germany, was a major factor in the FBI's successful resolution of this case through his work as a double agent for the United States.

Files include:

Background information on each member of the spy ring. Detailed chronology of events. Information on the disposition of the cases against each member of the spy ring. Sworn affidavits of Frederick Joubert Duquesne. Sworn affidavits of other members of the spy group. Transcripts of letters found in Duquesne's apartment. Transcripts of interviews with other members of the spy ring. Listings of findings from searches of the homes and apartments of spy ring members. Information obtained from bugging. Radio messages sent and received from the Bureau's station at Centerport, Long Island.

4FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover called it the greatest spy roundup in US history, a notorious network of 33 agents headed by daring international spymaster Frederick ‘Fritz’ Duquesne.

Duquesne was a notorious rogue, a South African born soldier of fortune and a master of disguise described at various times as a Russian count, a New York publisher, an English gentleman with a monocle, and an Austrian war hero with a tobacco pouch made of lion skin.

In peacetime, Duquesne advised US President Theodore Roosevelt on big-game hunting, worked as a publicist in the movie business, and wrote adventure stories for the New York Herald. His job in the build up to WWII, however, was to assemble a network of US spies for Adolf Hitler.

Duquesne was one of Germany’s most audacious and resourceful spies. He’d escaped from a prisoner-of-war camp in Bermuda during the Boer War; duped US doctors into believing he was mentally incapable of standing trial for embezzlement; faked paralysis, then fled from New York’s Bellevue psychiatric hospital to avoid extradition to the UK over a 1916 ship bombing.

Duquesne disappeared for long periods. Even while under surveillance in New York, his mastery of the tradecraft made him difficult to pin down. As the FBI described it: “He would take a local train, change to an express, change back to a local, go through a revolving door and keep going on right around, take an elevator up a floor, get off, walk back to the ground, and take off in a different entrance of the building.”

Building a spy network

Among the dozens of men recruited for Duquesne’s network was Heinrich Stade, a German musician who’d moved to the US at the age of 21 to play the bass in Manhattan during the Roaring Twenties.

It was the golden age of jazz and WWI was a distant memory for New Yorkers dancing the Charleston in crowded speakeasies. Yet, Berlin’s defeat was still an open wound for Stade and many other German immigrants who made America their home after the war.

By the time Hitler rose to power in 1933, Stade and his German-American friends were firmly embedded in New York society not just working as musicians and artists, but as engineers, security guards, couriers, dock workers, ship stewards, and airport staff. They were ripe for recruitment.

One of the popular spots for German nationals was the Little Casino Restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, an ex-pat hangout that served Eichenlaub beer in steins. The restaurant was run by another German spy who picked up intel from US defense industry customers for the Gestapo. The Führer’s New York agents would also drop by to trade secrets, discuss bomb plots, or talent spot potential agents.

Stade bragged to friends that he was transmitting data to Berlin about US ships carrying aerospace and military equipment to England. For all of his bravado and treachery, however, the musician was really just one small part of a bold German operation that involved four separate spy cells.

The unraveling of Duquesne’s network would eventually lead to more than 30 US arrests and stretch from New York to Detroit, California, Berlin, London, and beyond.

The double agent

As spymaster Fritz Duquesne plotted his next move in New York, a separate drama was unfolding in Germany.

William Sebold was a California aircraft worker visiting family in Germany in 1939 when he was threatened by the Abwehr, Hitler’s military intelligence service. Sebold was warned that his mother’s life was at risk unless he spied on America.

Sebold confessed all to US authorities, however. He described being trained in disguises, Morse code, shortwave radio, and coding/decoding messages. The Germans had ordered Sebold to return to the US, adopt the alias ‘Harry Sawyer’, and join the National Guard to access new weapons. His reports were to be sent via mail drops to Portugal, Rio, and Shanghai.

“The story, to say the least, seemed preposterous,” the FBI later said.

The Little Casino Restaurant was a meeting point on East 85th Street in Manhattan

The FBI changed its mind when Sebold flipped open the back of his wristwatch to reveal five thumbnail slivers of micro photographs with instructions on how to set up a short wave radio. The micro photos also had instructions for another German agent in New York: Fritz Duquesne.

The FBI sting

The Bureau quickly developed procedures for large-scale telephone and microphone surveillance, and they set up Sebold’s German short wave radio in a bungalow in Long Island, New York to monitor hundreds of messages between Sebold and his German handlers.

The Bureau also arranged Sebold’s ‘research office’ in Times Square and hid behind a two way mirror to film meetings between Sebold and spy ring suspects.

The dragnet of FBI arrests began in June 1941. Heinrich Stade, the stocky musician from Hanover, Germany, was arrested while playing in the orchestra at an inn on Long Island - not far from where the FBI set up the Gestapo’s shortwave radio. Stade had given Berlin intelligence reports about petroleum tankers under construction in US shipyards and served 15 months in prison. Most of the ring members received sentences of several years and fines of $1,000 $2,000.

Fritz Duquesne

Duquesne was a special case, however. The FBI caught him on camera in Sebold’s rigged office explaining how fires could be started at industrial plants, and sharing photographs and plans he’d stolen involving a new US-made bomb.

He was sentenced to 18 years in prison. There would be no escape this time.

Duquesne was released early on health grounds in 1954, however, and died two years later at age 78. His last-known lecture was at New York’s Adventurers' Club entitled My Life - In and Out of Prison.

Sebold was told to send intel to mail drops in Rio (above), Portugal, and Shanghai

Duquesne’s spy ring remains the largest espionage operation of its kind ever found operating on US soil.

https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous cases/duquesne spy ring

2 https://www.amazon.com/Duquesne Nazi Germany Ring Files/dp/B001CZ6BMS

3 https://www.loc.gov/resource/cph.3c28525/

4 https://spyscape.com/article/hitlers spies how the fbi brought down the biggest spy ring in us history

1939: DUITSE

AMBASSADE: PRETORIA

Die Duitse ambassade in Arcadia, Pretoria. Let op die Nazi vlag. Met die uitbreek van die tweede wêreld oorlog is die meeste van die Duitse spioenasiebedrywighede na Lourenço Marques in Mosambiek verskuif. Suid Afrika en Brittanje se spioene het op die Duitsers spioeneer omdat talle Suid-Afrikaners weer, met die Duitse inligtingsdiens saamgewerk het.

STRATEGY

VIDEO: GREAT POWER CONFLICT OVER UKRAINE – END SEPTEMBER ANALYSIS

Dr Willem Steenkamp

This month, we are switching to a video reportage about the conflict over Ukraine. We will do the next set of monthly assessments in English (after having done the first set in Afrikaans).

This one-page summary will provide you with the link for accessing the video, plus a short overview. Suffice it to say that the conflict over Ukraine has, during September, rapidly grown more serious for the whole world as regards both the military threat (including possible use of weapons of mass

destruction) and the global economic fallout. The spiral of escalation that we feared from the start, is now surging upwards most alarmingly. With the fast approaching Northern winter, the economic threat is about to strike with full force in especially Western Europe, and Germany in particular. As part of the “collateral damage”, they will feel hardship and suffer generational harm to their industrial base and terms of trade. However, global recession and high inflation will mean that the impacts will be acutely felt by ordinary people around the world as well particularly by the poor. Social unrest is, therefore, highly likely, with the concomitant political instability and security risks.

In Africa, we have a saying: when bull elephants fight, what suffers most is the veldt under their feet… The rest of the world is, willy nilly, once again being impacted by a conflict on European soil. Once again, the contagious consequences flowing from the current conflict are spreading around the planet. Kief is clearly just a proxy. The main protagonists are Washington/the Anglosphere versus Moscow and its sympathizers in the post colonial world (and, by extension, China). Through incessant propaganda, they are trying to make a morality play out of what is nothing but a brutal, self centred power struggle for world “primacy” or hegemony. Trying to force all else, to pick a side.

There should be no doubt that the big power protagonists see this as an existential struggle: for the survival of the Russian Federation as it now exists (as the Kremlin sees it) and for the perpetuation of Washington’s post-World War ll primacy (as seen by the Beltway Neocons, London and Beijing).

In analysing this kind of struggle, it must be understood that big powers have always, egotistically, done what they deem to be in their own best interest and to hell with the collateral damage caused to others. In the video analysis (please click on the image to access it) we don’t pick sides and we don’t play one sided blame games, knowing that it always “takes two to tango”. We thus ignore the propaganda and focus on the broad strategic trends and consequences for victims worldwide.

PLEASE CLICK ON https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwVeBOCVus4

OM TE KAN BEGIN MET GEAFFILIEERDE BEMARKING, WAT BENODIG MENS? (#4 in reeks)

Dr Willem Steenkamp

In ons vorige artikels (#1 3) soos gedra in onlangse uitgawes van NONGQAI, het ons geskryf oor die wêreld wye ekonomiese drukgang waarin ons almal ons bevind met inflasie en resessie wat gesinne se besteebare inkomste al hoe erger begin knyp sodat mense begin soek vir aanvullende bronne van verdienste. Ekstra inkomste verkieslik in ‘n harde geldeenheid, soos die VSA dollar. ‘n Nuwe nering wat mens enige plek op aarde kan beoefen sonder nodigheid vir her kwalifisering. ‘n Tipe werk wat mens vanuit die gerief van jou eie huis kan bedryf, ook na ure. Dus: jou eie baas wees werk waar jy wil, wanneer jy wil.

Vervolgens het ons verduidelik hoe die nuwe digitale ekonomie, gebaseer op die internet, hierdie jaar na net dertig jaar se bestaan reeds in geld-waarde die geheel van die tradisionele ekonomie in waarde oortref. ‘n Tendens wat verseker gaan voortduur. Met die groot voordeel dat die nuwe internet ekonomie by uitstek geskik is vir benutting deur individue om ‘n ekstra inkomste te verdien, soos hierbo beskryf in dollars, vanuit jou eie huis, in jou eie tyd, en wat jy enige plek op aarde kan beoefen.

In die derde artikel in die reeks het ons kortliks beskryf hoe hierdie tipe internet gebaseerde tuis ondernemings funksioneer; dat hulle meesal gerig is op die wêreld se grootste aktiwiteit sektor, naamlik bemarking en verkope. ‘n Sektor wat egter fundamenteel verander het, met die aanbreek van die internet era: nie meer gladde haar, gladde bek reisende verkoopsmanne wat ongenooi hulle produkte van deur tot deur, of met onwelkome foon-oproepe smous nie! Nou is dit die domein van die bedrewe administrateur van die massa media uitreik kapasiteit wat moderne tegnologie bied beslis nie beperk tot die “computer geeks” wat kan programmeer of rekenaars uitmekaar haal nie, maar eerder beoefen deur die self-gedissiplineerde programbestuurder (wat dikwels ‘n introvert is) wat hom/haarself kwalifiseer het om die funksionaliteite van die digitale tegnologie effektief te kan aanwend. Al wat nodig is, is om soos wat u uself geleer het om MSWord te gebruik, of u slim foon se “apps” soos YouTube en WhatsApp nou te leer hoe om bestaande sagteware pakkette vir die bestuur van geoutomatiseerde “bemarking tregters” vanaf u skootrekenaar en/of slim-foon te bedryf.

Vandag sal ons nou kortliks kyk na wat mens nodig het om toe te tree tot hierdie sektor. En die goeie nuus? Dit kos nie ‘n fortuin nie, ook nie jare se formele studies nie, en benodig nie tegniese rekenaar vaardigheid nie u besit waarskynlik reeds al die nodigste infrastruktuur, in die vorm van u slim-foon, skootrekenaar en internet-konneksie.

1. Wat word benodig, ten einde sinvol te kan begin met geaffilieerde bemarking? In hoofsaak is twee dinge nodig, om geaffilieerde bemarking suksesvol te kan begin bedryf. Eerstens die nodige prakties/teoretiese opleiding, verkieslik aangebied in die vorm van “leer deur te doen”, ten einde die noodsaaklike kennis-basis te bekom en die nodige vaardighede prakties te kan in oefen. (Dit is waarop in hierdie maand se artikel gefokus sal word) Tweedens, die nodige infrastruktuur, in die vorm van die essensiële hardeware en dienste (wat u waarskynlik reeds oor beskik soos ‘n skoot rekenaar en internet konneksie) maar veral dan spesialis sagteware. Laasgenoemde is bv. pakkette vir e-pos outomatisering, vir die opsoek van die sleutel-soekterme wat mense die meeste voor “Google” (“keywords”) en vir sg. SEO (“search engine optimization”) wat mens help om jou web produkte so sigbaar moontlik te maak vir soek enjins soos Google en YouTube dit alles, sodat jou webblad of video kanaal dan, as ‘n sg. “authority site”, bo aan die soek enjin se stel response kan rangeer, reg in die oog van die soekers. (Volgende maand se artikel sal op die infrastruktuur fokus).

1.1 Drie tipes opleidingspakkette vir die bemeester van geaffilieerde bemarking:

As mens “affiliate marketing” gaan “Google”, gaan jy op hordes aanbiedinge afkom wat elk jou gaan probeer oortuig daarvan dat hulle, en net hulle, die beste opsie is. Hierdie artikel het juis as hoof doel, om u te help om deur hierdie getjommel te navigeer en die beste opsies sinvol uit te sorteer. Dis veral nodig, omrede die instansies wat AM-opleiding aanbied, per definisie self AM bemarkingsdeskundiges is (en dus elke truuk in die bemarkingshandleiding sal gebruik om potensiële kliënte stelselmatig mee in te trek). Dikwels met oormatige ophemel van die verdien potensiaal wat hulle meen te kan ontsluit, en aan die ander kant, ‘n onderspeling van die noodwendige aanvangskostes verbonde daaraan om jouself met hulle te kan opstel.

1.1.1 Maak seker presies waarvoor jy jouself inlaat waak teen MLM skemas: Natuurlik is daar ook dikwels (juis omdat dit oor AM gaan) ‘n wesentlike element van wat genoem word “multi level marketing” (MLM) by betrokke, iets wat baie na kan kom aan ‘n onwettige piramiede skema wees (“Ponzi scheme”). Wat in sulke gevalle tipies gebeur, is dat die AM opleiding-instelling in hulle promosie-materiaal (heeltemal korrek) groot klem plaas op die noodsaaklikheid vir die student om AM proefondervindelik te leer, d.m.v. sogenaamde “experiential learning” leer deur te doen. Dan gee hulle voor om aan hulle studente die geleentheid te bied “to earn while you learn” (in die vorm van affiliasie kommissies te verdien), deur dan as deel van die prakties, vir hulle as opleidingsinstelling te bemark met jý wat dan Google, YouTube en Facebook se advertensie-fooie betaal vir die bemarking wat jy ten behoewe van die “opleier” bedryf, in die hoop van ‘n affiliasie fooi daarvoor verdien...

1.1.2

Alles op die oog af baie lofwaardig en oënskynlik aantreklik, maar wat eintlik van die student dan ‘n gevange bemarker kan maak van net maar die spesifieke opleiding-instelling se dienste self. Omrede die hele leerproses, tesame met die instansie se “unieke” pakket verpakte infrastruktuur, in werklikheid primêr gefokus is daarop om net maar vir hulle te bemark Met eksterne sagteware integrasies wat slegs dienlik is om daardie spesifieke instelling as sulks te kan bemark. (Let wel ‘n sg. MLM skema is nie as sodanig onwettig nie, maar dit kan dieselfde konsekwensies hê as ‘n “Ponzi scheme”, deurdat die ouens wat laat inkom die eerstes ryk maak en die laat in kommers in effek nie self dan hulle eie uitgawes kan goed maak nie. ).

1.1.2 Gebondelde pakkette (opleidingsmateriaal plus dienste en sagteware), kan baie kos: ‘n Tweede wesentlike faktor om voor op die uitkyk te wees, is die saam bondeling van die opleiding plus die essensiële dienste wat dit benodig ten einde te kan funksioneer, wat opgekoppel is met spesifieke diensverskaffers wat deur die opleier geselekteer en voorgeskryf word. Die leerplan vir die bemeestering van die teorie, plus die dienste / sagteware vir die praktiese in oefen, is dan tipies binne die opleier se saamgestelde leerplan as on-breekbare pakket verpak. Indien die student dus nie hierdie vooraf gekonfigureerde pakket heelhuids aan boord neem nie (bv. omrede hy/sy reeds oor ander, soortgelyke sagteware of dienste beskik), kan die student nie effektief in die uiters belangrike praktiese in oefen element van die opleiding meedoen nie.

Om hierdie met ‘n analogie te verduidelik: ten einde ‘n AM-onderneming op die internet op die been te bring, is in beginsel dieselfde as om ‘n fabriek met beton, steen en staal te wil oprig. As voorgenome fabriek baas, kan mens óf ‘n sg. “turn key” tender uitsit waar een projek kontrakteur die hele pakket beheer (m.a.w., hy kies watter loodgieter, elektrisiën, ventilasie stelsel of brandbestryding stelsel om te gebruik / installeer met die loodgieter wat dan sy swaer kan wees en bloot daarom gekies is, of ‘n ventilasie-stelsel wat gekies is op basis van watter fabrikant vir die kontrakteur die hoogste kommissie betaal). Die meer algemene manier van fabriek bou sou dus wees vir die fabrieksbaas om ‘n onafhanklike projekbestuurder en bestekopnemer in diens te neem, met opdrag om vanuit die hele spektrum van opsies, die beste / mees koste effektiewe individuele oplossings te vind vir elke afsonderlike behoefte en dan daarmee ‘n eie optimaal doelmatige en koste effektiewe pakket vir die oprig van die fabriek te konfigureer.

Hierdie punt is veral belangrik, vir twee redes: die eerste is dat, so ‘n “turn-key” opleidingspakket wat net met bepaalde diensverskaffers se produkte kan funksioneer, belemmerend en koste dupliserend kan wees vir studente wat nie heeltemal van nul af begin nie (m.a.w., wat reeds self oor sagteware en toerusting beskik waarmee hulle gemaklik is). Tweedens lei dit dikwels tot onvoorsiene kostes vir die student, wat nie by aanvang openbaar is nie soos wanneer ‘n AM opleidingsinstansie bemark dat hulle kursus jou maar net $xxx gaan kos, maar die moment dat jy as student ingeskryf het en jou kredietkaart debiteer is, dan is die eerste item wat aan jou gestuur word, ‘n nota oor die “begroting” wat jy gaan benodig met dan veelvuldiglik meer geld wat sal moet gaan aan die dienste / sagteware wat moet ingekoop word, om die opleiding te maak werk (want hulle praktiese opleiding werk bv. net as jy wel spesifiek handelsmerk XYZ se e pos outomatiseerder op jou rekenaar gelaai en met hulle opleidingsprogram integreer het, en met niemand anders s’n nie).

‘n Ander analogie wat ook relevant is, is dié van ‘n motorkar loop aankoop. Vandag se motors sal jou elkomtrent wis en seker van A na B kan vervoer,of dit nou die goedkoopste of die duurste fabrikaat op die mark is. Jou keuse word dus dikteer deur wat jy kan / wil spandeer. Dieselfde geld vir die opleiding vir, en uitrus van jou nuwe AM onderneming. Elk van die opleidingspakkette gaan jou van A na B kry die vraag is: hoeveel wil / kan jy betaal vir spoggerige styl en bv. top produksie-waardes in hulle video-lesings.

1.1.3 Dit gesê, is moderne AM opleiding didakties oor die algemeen uitstekend: Ondanks hierdie waarskuwings, wil ek persoonlik onderstreep dat hierdie moderne aanlyn opleiding uiters effektief en didakties funksioneel is dis bv. ligjare beter as enigiets wat ek oor die jare self op universiteit ervaar het (ek glo ek het die nodige agtergrond om my met gesag hieroor uit te spreek, gegewe my eie akademiese loopbaan, wat by verskeie universiteite in die RSA en Europa draai gemaak het, plus my ervaring as destydse hoof van die diplomatieke akademie in Pretoria, en meer resent as direkteur van studies van twee internasionale taal-skole).

Die tipiese AM-opleiding gaan die toegewyde student deeglik toerus om te kan doen, eerder as om net abstrak te weet Dit gaan daardie doel verwesenlik binne ‘n fraksie van die tyd, en teen fraksie van die koste van universiteitsopleiding (en met baie beter kwaliteit en praktiese gevolg in die reële wêreld mits mens darem altyd eers bietjie jou navorsing gedoen het oor die verskillende opleidingsinstansies, hulle resultate en hulle graderings by instansies soos die Better Business Bureau en Trust Pilot, en dan net die bestes oorweeg). ‘n Drie jaar B.Com graad aan Stellenbosch gaan jou omtrent R150,000 uit die sak jaag, plus die geleentheidskoste van drie jaar sonder inkomste rondsit in lesingsale, en sonder om naastenby dieselfde vlak van “werklike wêreld” praktiese, gefokusde vaardigheid te gevestig het nie, as wat hierdie professionele opleidingsinstellings in vier tot ses maande kan vermag, teen tipies ‘n derde van die koste.

Soos hierbo verduidelik as mens reeds ‘n basiese kennis het van hoe om bv. ‘n webwerf te bou, en ook reeds oor die verwante sagteware en internet-dienskontrakte beskik, sou die aangewese weg weesom self jou eie AM bedryfsopset te konfigureer. Daar is massas toepaslike inligting gratis beskikbaar op YouTube en op die internet. Mens kan ook aanlyn kursusse spotgoedkoop aankoop by veral Udemy (wanneer Undemy “uitverkopings” aan die gang het en dis dikwels ‘n paar keer per maand kan mens gewoonlik andersins duur kursusse bekom vir ongeveer $0 11).

Aan die einde van hierdie artikel (en nog meer so in ons komende gratis e Boek waaroor later meer) sal ons veel meer in diepte ingaan op hoe om te maak, ten einde uself eerstens genoegsaam vertroud te kry met wat AM is, en dan, hoe om u eie onderneming ten beste te bedryf (teoretiese kennis wat grootliks GRATIS bekom kan word). Gewapen met daardie begrip, en as u dan besluit om wel AM as nering te begin beoefen, dan sal ons u ook wys hoe om self

u eie doelmatige en koste-effektiewe AM-bedryf te konfigureer, uit die beste / mees kosteeffektiewe opleidings en infrastruktuur komponente op die mark beskikbaar.

Die situasie is egter anders as mens heeltemal van grondvlak af moet begin, met geen toepaslike voorgaande kennis of bestaande infrastruktuur nie. Dan maak ‘n pakket benadering heeltemal sin. Mens kry natuurlik dít wat jy voor betaal het (net soos met kar koop), maar selfs die bekostigbaarste opsie gaan jou van punt A na punt B bring. Ons gaan nou kyk na drie sulke pakket opsies, elk waarvan ek persoonlik gebruik / eerstehands ken, en wat oor die hele bekostigbaarheid-spektrum strek.

1.2 Opleidingsinstansie “WA”:

Die grootste en oudste van die betere opleidingsinstansies (ons noem die firma hier net WA hulle word volledig identifiseer en toegelig in ons komende gratis e Boek) is ook die mees bekostigbare. Hulle bestaan reeds sedert 2005, het al meer as 2.6 miljoen studente gehelp (teenoor die ander opleiers, wat tipies van meer resente oorsprong is en elk slegs maar ‘n paar duisend studente had) WA het voorts ‘n top 4.9 uit 5 gradering by TrustPilot, en is dus beslis nie ‘n “scam” nie. In heelparty internet revues word WA as die #1 AM opleier aangeslaan (alhoewel ons tweede opsie hieronder, “AH”, nog meer sulke #1 revue graderings het).

Wat WA se aanbieding so uniek en bekostigbaar maak, is dat hulle self elk van die dienste en sagteware wat mens gaan benodig om jouself as AM praktisyn op te stel, sonder ekstra koste as deel van hulle geïntegreerde opleiding pakket aan hulle studente beskikbaar maak Dit, teen ‘n saamgestelde koste (in die vorm van ‘n maandelikse subskripsie) wat heelwat laer is as om daardie dienste of sagteware self buite te gaan aankoop, indien jy jou AM opset van die grond af self sou wou opbou en konfigureer na eie smaak.

Soos gesê, is die eerste noodsaaklikheid vir die ernstige en doelmatige bedryf van AM, dat mens ‘n eie web-werf moet hê. Dit vereis dat mens ‘n domein moet bekom (wat WA verskaf, totdat mens jou eie url aanskaf). Vervolgens moet mens dan leer om jou webblad te bou (waarin WA jou dan spesifiek oplei, gebaseer op WordPress.org, wat die gratis sagteware is wat 43% van die internet se inhoud dra). ‘n Verwante en onvermybare koste, is dat gebruikers wat hulle webblaaie bou met die gratis Wordpress.org sagteware, dan noodwendig huur moet betaal aan ‘n gasheer-instelling op wie se super-rekenaars mens jou webblad moet parkeer, ten einde dit vir die publiek toeganklik te maak (die sg. “hosting” van jou webblad); WA sluit die koste van die “hosting” van jou webblad op hulle eie stelsel, gratis in by hulle maandelikse opleiding subskripsie.

‘n Verdere noodsaaklikheid vir die suksesvolle bedryf van AM, is om toegang te hê tot ‘n sg. “keyword research tool” wat jou toelaat om jou webblad se inhoud te kan fokus op die dinge wat mense in die werklike lewe op Google opsoek (dus, die sleutel-woorde en terme wat werklik gebruik word in internet soeke na die onderwerp waarop jy jou bemarking wil fokus). Daardie sleutel soekterme moet mens inkorporeer in jou webblad inhoud, as jy wil hê dat Google se sg “spinnekoppe” jou moet kan identifiseer as ‘n gesaghebbende m.bt. die onderwerp en hoog op rangeer, sodat jy sigbaar sal wees binne die roesmoes van die oor bevolkte internet. WA maak ook so ‘n eie werktuig vir sleutelwoord soek gratis aan hulle studente beskikbaar, as integrale deel van hulle maandelikse subskripsie. (Dis miskien nie die gesofistikeerdste van dié tipe instrumente op die mark nie, maar dis beslis funksioneel, maklik om te gebruik, en koste effektief). Dieselfde kan gesê word van WA se lesings die video’s se produksie-waardes is nou nie Hollywood slick nie, maar die inhoud is goed, en word didakties baie sinvol en leer effektief aangebied.

WA bied ‘n aanvanklike gratis begin pakket aan vir eerste intekenaars, met beperkte funksionaliteite, sodat mens eers self kan kyk of hulle styl en inhoud jou geval. Daarna kan mens opgradeer na hulle Premium Plan, wat die eerste maand $19.00 kos, en wat daarna opgaan na $49.00 per maand, insluitend van alles hierbo genoem (mens kan ter enige tyd kanselleer, en

steeds die opleiding wat jy reeds ondergaan het, behou). Uit eie ervaring, meen ek dat ‘n toegewyde student die hele opleiding binne vier na ses maande kan voltooi dus teen ‘n totale koste van minder as $300. Daarna kan mens dan aangaan met hulle (omrede die goedkoop infrastruktuur), óf jou eie ding doen, of dalk opgradeer na van die ander opsies.

Omdat bekostigbaarheid in hulle benadering tot AM voorop gestel word, is WA se opleiding in hoofsaak gemik daarop om studente te leer hoe om soek resultate sg. organies te genereer (in Engels: “organic search” m.a.w., om besoekers na jou webblad te lok deur jou Google teenwoordigheid te optimiseer). Optimisering vir sukses met organiese soek is gratis, en dus vir meeste beginners ‘n aantreklike alternatief, gesien teenoor betaalde advertensies gebruik op YouTube, Facebook of Google om oë na jou webblad te probeer lok.

‘n Geldige kritiek teen WA is dat die webblaaie wat hulle basiese stelsels mens toelaat om te bou, nou nie van die spoggerigste is nie wat ‘n nadeel kan wees, deurdat die soek publiek dit as ietwat verouderd of nie optimaal professioneel mag sien, en dus nie genoeg geloofwaardigheid daaraan sal heg nie.

1.3 Opleiding-instelling “AH”: Die tweede opleiding instelling wat ons kortliks sal behandel en wat ook besonder hoë graderings kry in sektorale revues, sal ons hier na verwys as AH. Hulle is anders, deurdat hulle nie ‘n subskripsie model met maandelikse betalings volg nie. Hulle verkoop hulle kursus teen een vasgestelde prys vir die geheel, wat eenmalig of in afbetalings afbetaal kan word. Met AH, anders as met die ander opleiding instansies se maandelikse subskripsie model (wat kan aangaan en aangaan), is daar dus ‘n definitiewe eind-punt van betalings. Daar is egter nie dienste of sagteware by AH se model ingesluit nie net die opleidingsmateriaal.

Afhangend van die afslag wat mens te beurt mag val, sal AH se opleidingskursus as sulks, ‘n student tussen $600 en $900 kos. Inhoud gewys, word AH se opleiding baie hoog aangeslaan hulle het die meeste #1 aanbevelings onder die revues wat mens aanlyn aantref. Hulle benadering is ook baie prakties van aard, van die tipe: “leer deur te doen” Die lesing video’s is, wat produksie-waardes van bv. die kamera-tegnieke betref (soos WA s’n), nie van die Hollywood gepoleerde tipe nie, maar in opleidingsterme is dit hoogs effektief.

Net soos die ander opleidingsinstansies wat ons hier behandel, fokus AH ook daarop dat elke student ‘n eie WordPress.org gebaseerde webblad ontwikkel en dan verder daarop oefen, soos wat hulle deur die leerplan vorder.

AH se hoof inslag, wat betref die baie belangrike aspek van hoe om jou webblad hoog te laat rangeer in Google-soeke as ‘n sg. “outoriteit-blad”, is om voorrang te gee aan skakel-bou (“link building”). Waarop dit gebaseer is, is om Google se sg. soek spinnekoppe daarvan te oortuig (wanneer hulle u webblad of blog sg. “crawl”), dat u blad/blog deur die soek publiek hoog aangeslaan word as gesahebbend, op grond van hoeveel ander webblaaie terug skakel na u s’n (m.a.w., soortgelyk daaraan as om u blad of blog aan te haal) Skakel bou is nie die maklikste manier van sg. web-outoriteit vestig nie, en daar is ander metodes soos bv. WA se bo-vermelde klem op organiese soek, gebaseer daarop om gesaghebbende inhoud te skep wat sleutel soekterme (“key words”) identifiseer en teiken, en wat dan fokus op soek optimisering (“SEO"), wat alles gratis tegnieke is. Dan is daar natuurlik ook die maklike uitweg (maar wat kom teen ‘n prys) van betaalde advertensies gebruik ten einde jou webblad en promosie materiaal onder Google of YouTube web-soekers, of Facebook-aanhangers, se oë te kry soos wat u sal sien ons derde opleidings opsie hieronder, op fokus.

Wat ‘n prospektiewe student van AH egter moet besef, is dat daardie eenmalige klas fooi net maar die opleiding dek. Omdat AH s’n ook praktyk gebaseerde “leer deur te doen” opleiding is (uiteraard die beste tipe van opleiding) waar die student sy eie webblad en tregter stelsels bou, maar op die AH lees geskoei, moet AH studente aanvanklik heelwat addisioneel spandeer op al die ander bykomstige dienste, soos bv. sleutelwoord soeker, ‘n outomatiese e pos

respondeerder, en so meer. Dié dienste en sagteware moet dan eksklusief van AHgespesifiseerde verskaffers ingekoop word, wie se sagteware of dienste deur AH geïntegreer is met hulle leerplan model (met ander woorde, AH se opleiding werk enkel en alleen met daardie spesifieke ondersteuning-stelsels). Op die lang duur, vir diegene wat van grond-vlak af begin, mag hierdie nie ‘n groot probleem wees nie, want AH se bedryfsmodel (“template”) en verwante stelsels is beslis van die beste en mens sal tog onvermydelik sulke sagteware en dienste benodig om jou eie AM onderneming optimaal te kan bedryf.

Vir persone met egter reeds ‘n basiese kennis agtergrond en ander stelsels / sagteware / dienste reeds in plek, waarmee hulle reeds vertroud en tevrede is, sal studeer deur AH uiteraard duplisering van koste en her leer van bestaande vaardighede meebring.

Studente moet ook in gedagte hou dat opleidingstelsels wat so eng verweef is met spesifieke sagteware en dienste, dit later moeilik kan maak om mens se eie pakket te ontwikkel, gemik op spesifieke eie behoeftes en gebaseer op die grootte van mens se beursie. Die opsies wat opleiers kies, is ook nie altyd op die lang duur die goedkoopste, of noodwendig die optimaal toepaslike, vir mens se spesifieke tipe nie aanlyn onderneming nie.

Byvoorbeeld: van die beste e pos auto respondeerders se subskripsie planne verskil aansienlik, asook hulle aanwending-fokus van hulle is beter vir bv. bemarkers wat organiese soekers teiken met goeie inhoud (dus, vir daardie bemarkers bekend as “content creators” met bv. substantiewe eie blogsof video kanale), terwylander weer beter is virbemarkers wat in hoofsaak betaalde advertensies gebruik. Dieselfde met sleutelwoord opsoekers, waar party van die instrumente bv. die opsie bied van eenmalige betaling (nie buitensporig nie) vir lewenslange gebruik, met alle toekomstige opgraderings ens. ingesluit, en wat dus die oplopende koste van herhalende maandelikse subskripsies uitsluit. Net so is daar SEO sagteware wat beter integreer met bepaalde web bou “plugin themes” (die sagteware wat mens gebruik om jou Wordpress.org webblad mee te skep), as met ander.

In die laaste gedeelte van hierdie artikel (en in baie meer detail in ons gratis e-Boek) sal ek vir u aandui hoe ek my stelsels self gekonfigureer het om by my spesifieke behoeftes te pas, op wat vir my die mees ekonomiese manier is (en weer: ons gaan niks aan u probeer verkoop nie u as NONGQAI-leser sal nie ‘n ketting van geoutomatiseerde e-posse van ons begin ontvang nie!).

1.4 Opleiding-instelling “LY”:

Die derde opsie wat ons aanbeveel, meer spesifiek vir diegene met diep sakke en ‘n haastige natuur, kan mens noem die “luukse sportmotor” van die AM opleidingsmark (onthou egter: ons weet mos dat elke fabrikaat, van goedkoop tot duurste, deesdae mens wel van A na B sal bring – die keuse is dus u s’n, maar elk het sy prys).

LY is gewis die visueel indrukwekkendste, wat betref die gepoleerde produksie waardes van sy Hollywood styl opleidingsvideos en promosiemateriaal. Inhoudelik/opvoedkundig is hulle materiaal goed, alhoewel tans nog nie so gebruiker vriendelik gestruktureer en organiseer as die ander twee s’n nie (waarskynlik omrede LY gedurende die pandemie ‘n totale her-ordening en vernuwing van hulle opleiding onderneem het, om dit op aanlyn dosering te teiken, sodat hulle tans dus nog ietwat in ‘n oorgang fase is voor die pandemie was hulle merendeels op gesig tot gesig onderrig in ‘n simposium tipe werkswinkel formaat gerig).

LY gebruik die maandelikse subskripsie-formule hulle basiese aanbieding (gemik op “doendit self “, aan die hand van die kennis gedeel in die opleidingsmodules) beloop $99 per maand. Hulle het ook “doen dit met jou” formate en selfs “doen dit vir jou” (waar hulle tegnici jou webblad en bemarking tregters vir jou skep en opstel) wat van ‘n duisend na tienduisend dollar kos. Hulle aanvaar dus dat hulle studente geld het, en daarom kies hulle om te fokus op die maklik vinnige promosie model van jou wat betaalde advertensies plaas, met hulle opleiding wat veel al sentreer rondom hoe om sulke stelsels te bedryf.

LY se onderrig-filosofie is ook “leer deur te doen”, met die bemarking van LY se eie produkte wat as praktiese “oefen leer laboratorium” en ook geleentheid vir “earn as you learn” gebruik word. Wanneer mens betrokke raak by hulle klas groepe, besef mens dan ook baie vinnig dat hulle studente amper deur die bank dan in effek net maar filiaal-bemarkers van LY self word (wat lonend kan wees vir dié wat wel ‘n sukses daarvan maak, a.g.v. LY se hoë eenheidspryse en die baie hoë kommissies wat hulle betaal in geval van party lok aas produkte, so hoog soos 100%, maar meer dikwels tussen 25% en 50%).

Die meeste van die “studente as LY-bemarkers” bly dan vasgevang binne die voortgesette LY subskripsie model, want om so ‘n LY filiaal “ambassadeur” te wees, moet mens aan LY ‘n addisionele maandelikse subskripsie van $29 betaal.

Daar is dus heelwat kritiek teen LY dat hulle besigheidsmodel in die praktyk vir die meerderheid van hulle studente kan uitloop op ‘n tipe MLM-skema (“multi-level marketing”, wat wettig is, maar in effek baie naby skuur aan ‘n piramiede skema oftewel “Ponzi scheme”: lg. synde, ‘n skema waar latere inkomeling se inbetalings gebruik word om ouer hande ryk te maak wat natuurlik onwettig is). As prokureur, kan ek onomwonde sê dat LY se model NIE onwettig is nie, want daar is ‘n definitiewe en potensieel waardevolle produk wat hulle hulle bes doen om met hulle studente te deel. Maar mens moet ook nie naïef mens se oë sluit vir die werklikheid dat net ‘n klein persentasie van die studente werklik sukses gaan smaak met LY se duur produkte self bemark nie (m.a.w., wat betref ‘n saakmakende eie inkomste genereer met deelname aan hierdie LY model), en dat baie ander vroeër of later sal tou opgooi met LY bemark, a.g.v. die ongetwyfeld hoë opleidingskoste, die onvermydelike koste aan betaalde advertensies plaas, sowel dan die koste van die addisionele dienste en sagteware wat aangeskaf moet word.

LY besef uiteraard dat hulle produkte se hoë prys etiket vir meeste potensiële studente sal afskrik. Daarom maak hulle mildelik gebruik van wat in bemarkingsterme “down-selling” en “upselling” genoem word (“down selling”, synde die gebruik van ‘n baie goeie intree produk teen ‘n doelbewus-lae prys om die vis mee te haak, dan gevolg deur die promoveer van die duurder aanbiedinge as opgraderings deur daaropvolgende “up selling”, wanneer en hoe meer vas die vis aan die hoek voorkom). LY het in Junie 2022 begin om so ‘n doelbewus onder pryste nuwe toetree-produk vry te stel, wat ‘n werklik uitstekende basiese oriëntasie aan prospektiewe AMbemarkers bied, teen ‘n eenmalige prys wat kan wissel tussen slegs maar $7 en $37 (afhangende van die prys punt wat LY aan die toets is, op die moment dat u hierdie spesifieke kursus wil aankoop).

Hierdie nuwe oriëntasie-kursus van LY, bedoel vir beginners wat wil leer waaroor internet bemarking nou eintlik gaan, bestaan uit sewe modules met ‘n puik inleidende webinar, video lesings en teks materiaal, sowel as ‘n gratis e Boek van 180 bladsye, wat die hele terrein duidelik en deeglik dek. Die mini kursus kan in sewe dae deurgewerk word, en sal aan die student ‘n werklik uitstekende oorskou en begrip gee van al die saakmakende aspekte van internet bemarking. Dit is dus baie goeie waarde vir geld, as aanvanklike oriëntasie.

‘n Oordeelkundige student wat die konsep van geaffilieerde bemarking en die verskillende opsies daaromheen eers behoorlik wil verken en verstaan voor hy/sy verbind tot ‘n bepaalde pakket, sal goed doen deur aanvanklik al die gratis en/of “down selling” aanbiedinge soos hierdie te benut. Ons sal daarna terugkom aan die einde van hierdie artikel, wanneer ek my eie ervaringgebaseerde aanbevelings met u sal deel (met nog meer detail en die nodige skakels in ons komende gratis e Boek).

1.5 Essensiële aanvullende opleiding

Die drie opleiding pakkette wat ons hierbo bekend gestel het, verduidelik basies wat geaffilieerde bemarking is, en lei vervolgens dan die student deur die proses van ‘n eie gesaghebbende (“authority”) webblad en bemarking tregters daarstel. Dit is hulle hoof fokus die kursusse gee

wel basiese oriëntering oor die gebruik van ander platforms, soos YouTube en Facebook, maar nie stap vir stap, detail opleiding daaromtrent binne hulle leerplanne self nie.

Vanweë die kardinale belang van veral hierdie twee platforms vir sukses, is dit m.i. nodig vir enige aspirant AM bemarker, om meer in diepte opleiding oor spesifiek hierdie twee platforms se werking (in bemarkingsterme gesien) te bekom.

1.5.1 YouTube

Statistiek bewys dat al meer mense verkies om video te kyk, eerder as om te lees. Nie net is YouTube in eie reg die wêreld se 2e grootste soek enjin nie, maar dis ook by verre die belangrikste platform waarmee video gratis gepubliseer kan word. Vir enigeen wat op die internet bemark (hetsy dit nou geaffilieerde bemarking teen kommissie is, of e handel bedryf, of jou eie produkte of dienste wil verkoop) is ‘n eie teenwoordigheid op YouTube dus ‘n absolute moet

Gewoonlik word sulke video’s geskiet in eie persoon, met beeld materiaal van jouself as die “pratende kop”. Indien mens egter nie self op beeld wil wees nie, is dit egter maklik moontlik om tekenprent video’s te maak met sagteware soos Doodly. Daar is ook AI (artifisiële intelligensie) sagteware soos Speechelo, wat outomaties die stem kan verskaf wat die teks wat mens geskryf het, kan artikuleer in 23 tale, met ‘n manlike of vroulike stem en verskillende modulerings, soos ernstig, opgewek ens. Hierdie tekenprent en AI stem opsies is veral nuttig vir die voorberei van kursusse wat mens wil verkoop op die internet.

YouTube het sekere eiesoortighede as dit kom by SEO en sleutelwoord soek, en die hele proses van video’s maak met genoegsame professionalisme (sodat dit as gesaghebbend gereken sal word en kykers sal lok), is dus ‘n studieveld op sy eie. Daarby kan mens ook met YouTube self ‘n eie ekstra inkomste aanlyn verdien; enersyds deurdat YouTube per kyker betalings doen aan eienaars van video-kanale wat heelwat kykers na hulle wat YouTube is, se platform bring (na ‘n sekere minimum aantal inskrywers oftewel “subscribers” na jou kanaal, en ‘n minimum aantal kyk-ure behaal is). Andersyds, kan eienaars van sulke suksesvolle kanale ook advertensie-fooie verdien, wanneer YouTube met advertensies vir ander produkte inbreek in daardie suksesvolle kanale se video’s u het sekerlik self al vele sulke advertensie breke op YouTube gesien, vir welke gebruik die vervaardiger van die oorspronklike video waarin die advertensie ingesny word, uiteraard betaal word.

Dit is dus aan te beveel dat AM bemarkers ‘n goeie, stapsgewyse kursus spesifiek oor YouTube, wat hulle kan help om hulle YouTube kanaal optimaal te konfigureer en aantreklike video’s te maak, bekom – in ons gratis e-Boek sal ons met u skakels deel vir watter opleidingsmateriaal ons self hiervoor gekies het.

1.5.2 Facebook

Daar is in die geledere van internet bemarkers debat oor watse tipe benadering tot bemarking die beste resultate lewer: sg. omnikanaal-bemarking (m.a.w., om op al wat platform is, te probeer wees) of gefokusde spesialisasie. Persoonlik meen ek dat, as mens ‘n hele span het, dit sekerlik sin kan maak om mens se promosie materiaal met ‘n omni benadering so wyd moontlik te plaas. Vir die enkel operateur egter, hang sukses af van werklike kundigheid verwerf in die kern platforms se vereistes, en dus daarop te fokus. Benewens ‘n teenwoordigheid op die wêreld-wye web met mens se eie webblad en blog, plus dan teenwoordigheid in die wêreld van video op YouTube, is die ander verpligte teenwoordigheid, op sosiale media waar Facebook uitstaan.

Die moeder maatskappy van Facebook, Meta, bied uitstekende opleiding aan in bemarking op Facebook, via die aanlyn kursus aanbieder Coursera. Vervolgens sal ons nou die infrastruktuur behandel wat mens nodig het om as AM bemarker te kan presteer (in die vorm van die nodige hardeware, sagteware en dienste). Elk van die

verskaffers (handelsmerke) wat sulke ware en dienste aanbied, het self ook uitstekende opleidingsmateriaal en stap vir stap gebruikshandleidings beskikbaar vir die installeer en bedryf van hulle produk of diens, wat dus in eie reg ‘n belangrike bron van geteikende opleiding is, aanvullend tot die meer algemene opleiding hierbo genoem.

INFRASTRUKTUUR / TOERUSTING benodig vir internet bemarking In volgende maand se aflewering in hierdie reeks, sal ons verduidelik watter infrastruktuur (hardeware, sagteware en noodsaaklike dienste) en dus watter vlak van aanvangskapitaal u daarvoor gaan benodig – saam dus met die koste van opleiding, soos hierbo beskryf. Baie dankie vir u tyd, in die lees hiervan!

VAN DIE REDAKSIE

• OOGGETUIEVERSLAE VAN TERREURDADE GESOEK

Help asseblief: So baie van ons lede en lesers was ooggetuies van terreurdade gedurende die rewolusionêre oorlog. Ons is op soek na ooggetuieverslae van ons oudlede. En statistiek. Soos die ou Anglo Boere oorlog wat meer as 100 jaar gelede plaasgevind het, steeds interessant bly so het ons rewolusionêre oorlog van 16 Des 1961 tot 1994 geduur selfs na die bekende “2 Februarie 1990” toespraak van mnr FW de Klerk het die stryd eintlik feller voortgeduur veral tussen die ANC en Inkatha en tussen “Hostel dwellers” en “Residents”. Op die foto is majoor Dolf Odendaal nadat ‘n handgranaat na hom gegooi is.

• FOTO’S

Foto’s van veral ou polisiestasies gesoek. Mooi duidelike afskrifte (scans) van troep en kursusfoto’s is ook welkom. Algemene misdaad foto’s ook welkom bv van ernstige botsings en uitkenningsparades.

• OU HISTORIESE POLISIE-DOKUMENTE

Ons is op soek na afskrifte (scans) ou historiese polisie-dokumente met inbegrip van ou aanstellingsertifikate.

HUMOR IN UNIFORM …. DIE TANDE STOKKIE BREEK IN MY MOND

Brig Theo Kleynhans

Jare gelede toe die Polisie nog verskriklik vol nonsens was om ‘n speurder toe te laat om met ‘n voertuig na Kaapstad op ondersoek te gaan, moes jy maar per trein reis, al het dit feitlik 2 dae in beslag geneem om daar te kom en nog 2 dae om weer by jou standplaas terug te kom.

Die van u wat nou al met ‘n trein Kaap toe gereis het sal weet. ‘n Mens kan ook net vir solank by die venster uit kyk en niks langer nie. Die belangrikste ding waarmee jy jouself kon besig hou, was maar om te drink.

Of in jou kompartement of in die “Dining Car” - maar drink moes jy om die tyd om te kry.

So het ek en my nuutgevonde vriende maar die tyd verwyl, in ons kompartement. Geld vir drink in die “Dining Car” was skaars en ons het darem die nodige voorsorg getref deur ons eie proviand saam te bring. Brandewyn en Coke of Polisie koffie soos dit in die volksmond bekend staan.

Teen aandete was ons al so medium gaar en ons het toe maar in die eetsaal gaan eet. Ja, wie sal ooit die lekker etes op die treine van weleer kan vergeet. Nie die Hamburgers en Hot Dogs wat vandag vir ete voorgesit word nie.

Nadat ons lekker aan die skaapboud weggelê het, het daar ‘n stuk vleis tussen my tande vasgesit en ek begin toe met ‘n tandestokkie die ding uitboor.

Maar in my semi-gesuipte toestand breek ek die ding in my mond af. Wel wat anders sou jy verwag, ek vat nog ‘n tandestokkie en nou wil ek die afgebreekte een uitboor.

Om ‘n lang storie kort te maak, ek kon dit nie regkry nie en toe ons die volgende dag in die Kaap aankom was my mond lekker opgewel en seer van die abses wat gevorm het.

Nou ja wie van julle het al probeer om ‘n afspraak by ‘n tandarts in ‘n wild vreemde stad te kry. Net julle sal weet waarvan ek praat. Vergeet dit, dit is die gouste.

Einde ten laaste en in ‘n absolute wanhoopspoging toe ek na twee dae nie meer die pyn kon verduur nie, vra ek toe van my kollegas wat in die Kaap gesetel is of een van hulle my nie na tandarts kan verwys wat bereid sou wees om darem na my te kyk nie.

Een antwoord toe dat hy ‘n swaer het wat ‘n tandarts is en ons moes hom bel. Hy maak toe so en die ontvangsdame sê ek moes 2 uur die middag by sy spreekkamer wees.

Nadat die afspraak gereël was en die nodige verwysings aan my gegee was oor hoe om by die spreekkamer uit te kom, het die lang gewag begin.

Jy moet meer as 100Kg weeg om bang te wees vir ‘n tandarts. Nou ja ek weeg meer as 100Kg en ek is baie bang vir een.

Terwyl ons so wag vra die kollega wie se swaer die tandarts is: “Weet jy hoekom vat die ou jou eers 2-uur die middag?”

“Ja” sê ek “Hy is seker vol bespreek voor die tyd.”

“Nee” antwoord hy. “Hy is dronk voor die tyd en begin eers pasiënte om 2 uur sien.”

Ek kon sommer voel hoe my ou hart vinniger begin klop.

“Vertel hom van die keer wat hy die spuitnaald in die pasiënt se mond afgebreek het” kom ‘n ander kollega tussenbeide.

Teen die tyd kon ek my bevuil van bangheid en wou net die afspraak kanselleer en probeer om ‘n afspraak by ‘n ander tandarts te kry, toe die pyn in my mond my aanspoor om dit nie te doen nie en maar “die music te face.”

Hoewel die afspraak vir 11 uur was, was ek reeds net na 10 uur by sy spreekkamer. Wag moes ek en na die boorgeluide moes ek luister.

Daar was nog twee ander tandartse werksaam by dieselfde perseel en my poging om te vra of ‘n ander een nie maar in die tussentyd na my kan omsien nie, was begroet met: “Nee jammer meneer, hulle is vol bespreek.”

So het 11-uur gekom en ek is die spreekkamer ingelei deur ‘n pragtige assistent.

Toe kom hy in en vra: “Wat is die probleem?” Ek verduidelik en probeer kyk of hy onvas op sy voete is, is sy oë bloedbelope of sleep sy tong as hy praat.

Ek kom nêrens met my waarnemings nie want die man praat nie, hy luister net wat ek sê, sit hier op die stoeltjie langs my en die skerp lig in my oë verhinder dat ek in syne kan kyk.

Toe die assistent die spuit in sy hand plaas, dog ek, ek dooi. As hy die naald in my mond afbreek, moer ek hom.

Voor jy kom sê: “Jack Robinson” het hy die afgebreekte stokkie uit my mond uit, gee my ‘n voorskrif vir antibiotika om die abses heeltemal te genees.

Ek sê: “Baie dankie Dokter. Ek voel sommer eksieperfeksie.” Toe hy sê: “Jy moenie alkohol saam met die antibiotika neem nie”, dog ek jy is ‘n oulike ou om te praat.

Nadat ek regop gekom het, sien ek vir die eerste keer dat die dokter eintlik ‘n baie mooi jong man is wat geen tekens van “alcohol abuse” vertoon nie en vra hom of hy ‘n grap kan waardeer en hy antwoord: “Ag donder het my swaer jou ook die storie vertel van waarom jy eers 11 uur by my moet wees en van die naald wat ek kwansuis in die man se mond afgebreek het?”

“Ja” antwoord ek. Ons lag lekker saam en met ‘n “Ja maar hulle stuur elke week vir my nuwe pasiënte om my praktyk op die been te kry” is ek daar weg.

LETTERS | BRIEWE GEDENKUITGAWE: GENL JV VAN DER MERWE

Hennie Heymans

'n Spesiale Nongqai ter ere van Genl JV van der Merwe deur Sarie van Niekerk en Hennie Heymans. A special Nongqai published in honour of the late Gen JV van der Merwe - by Sarie van Niekerk and Hennie Heymans

ISSUU.COM

Nongqai Vol 13 No 9

25 Dana Kruger, Linda Fouché en 23 ander

Craig Williamson

Absolutely awesome publication.

Congratulations! You're a machine Hennie Heymans

Willie du Plessis

Ek het die voorreg gehad om hom te ontmoet het, hy is absoluut ‘n voorbeeld vir die mag gewees, ‘n besondere kommissaris wat ‘n baie moeilike posisie beklee het vir ‘n land soos die wat oorhandig was aan die huidige regering, wat pateties is en al die korrupsie en onbevoegdheid wat daar nou heers, daar sal tans nie iemand kan wees om sy plek te kan vul nie, dit is volgens my mening alreeds bewys wie hom opgevolg het in die nuwe demokratiese land waar ons, ons nou self bevind.

Ida Steyn

Oom Hennie wat ‘n hele mond vol..

• Pragtige huldeblyk oor Genl van der Merwe.

• Presies so sal ons hom onthou..

• Trou tot die dood

• Dana Kruger se stories..

• Die Skaapkop

• Moord as liefdes daad (Hennie van Deventer)

• Sondes van die Vaders ...Daar is net te veel om van die lees .. Nog besig maar Baie dankie Oom Hennie julle, dit is hartseer, opwindend om die Nongqai te lees..

Danie Marais

Welgedaan Hennie en Sarie! Hierdie man het alle moontlike lofprysing agv die wyse waarop hy sy werk gedoen het! Ek is so bly dat ek op 'n stadium in my loopbaan in Justisie hom ook leer ken het as die beste, topklas generaal wat die polisie bestuur het!

Hennie,

Veels geluk met hierdie uitgawe . Die spoed waarmee jy dit saamgestel het is verbasend. Groete.

Adamus P. Stemmet

Hennie

Ek het die vryheid geneem om hierdie puik Nongqai aan my vriend Genl Willie Willemse te stuur. Ek hoop nie jy gee om nie Groete

Adamus P. Stemmet

Ek wil almal betrokke by hierdie spesiale gedenkuitgawe van my pa, uit die diepte van my hart bedank vir die ongelooflike harde werk wat julle ingesit het om dit 'n spogblad te maak waarop ons almal trots is.

Dis wonderlik om te weet dat ons kinders, kleinkinders en nageslagte só sal kan sien watter wonderlike mens en hoe geliefd Johan van der Merwe was. Dankie daarvoor! Groete

Zelda Cornelius (van der Merwe)

Dear Brigadier Heymans,

I write having read your superb Nongqai edition Vol. 13 No. 1F (Arthur Martin Leake VC). Published 21 Dec 2021.

My interest, other than the wonderful write up on Martin Leake VC, is in Major Frank Winder, who provided the forewords and afterwords for that writeup. Through this edition of the magazine, I have learned that Frank is the son of ‘Teddy’ Winder, a man I am presently researching.

I wonder if you might pass on my contact details to Frank I would be delighted if we could be in touch in respect of his father’s life and service.

By way of brief personal introduction, I am Capt. (ret’d) Owen J. Dobson B.E.M., a retired Royal Military Policeman. I joined the RMP in the ranks in 1979 and specialised in

Nongqai

Close Protection. I was commissioned from WO2 in 1986 and retired in 2001, as the Operations Officer for the RMP Close Protection Unit, when I joined the UK government’s Stabilisation Unit, serving mostly on secondment to the EU. I finished that role as Chief of Staff to the EU’s Policing and Rule of Law mission in Palestine (EUPOL COPPS) in 2015. Since then, I have picked up the hobby of medal collector (with an Africa focus) and associated (very amateur) military research (i.e., connected with the recipients of medals). We now live in Somerset, England.

With kind regards and my admiration for Nongqai, Owen Dobson

Our special thanks to Col Will Endley and Maj Frank Winder!

TANT MARIÉ SWEETNAM

Sy stuur die volgende storie:

7% Written by a 90 year old

This is something we should all read at least once a week!!!!! Make sure you read to the end!!!!!!

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio ..

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short enjoy it.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don't worry, God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative of dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you need

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Its estimated 93% won't forward this.

If you are one of the 7% who will, forward this with the title '7%'. I'm in the 7%. Friends are the family that we choose.

NAWOORD | AFTERWORD

Ons het aan die einde van hierdie uitgawe gekom. Die krag is twee-drie keer per etmaal “af”. Ek het gesukkel om hierdie uitgawe die lig te laat sien. Ek weet werklik nie hoe die industrie oorleef nie?

Met die skryf van die “NAWOORD” is my internet ook af seker moeg van al die aan en afgaan!

Indien u spelfoute kry, moet u net onthou ek het die hele tydskrif uitgevee toe dit amper voltooid was. Ek moes inderhaas die hele tydskrif oordoen en dit het maar haastig gegaan.

Twee van ons medewerkers is nou al vir ‘n geruime tyd “af siek” en ons wens hulle beterskap toe!

Deur Frans Bedford-Visser het Nongqai kennis gemaak met Kobus de Villiers hier kom ‘n paar interessante stories!! Baie dankie Frans en Dr Willem vir wat julle in die verband vermag het.

Sarie van Niekerk is die redakteur van ons dames uitgawe van die Nongqai en sy is fluks besig om nuus van die vrouepolisie in te samel en te boekstaaf.

Ons bly maar besig so tussen die krag wat “aan” en “af” is. Ons is al 13 jaar besig om die RSA se nasionale veiligheidsgeskiedenis te boekstaaf in die Nongqai Ons dankbaar vir al die ondersteuning wat ons kry deur mense wat vir ons stories en foto’s stuur.

Ek dink as ek 15 jaar bereik het, het ons genoeg inligting vir ons nageslag versamel en ek het genoeg geskryf; dan wil ek my skryfsels afsluit en twee ander dinge skryf:

(1) Die Geskiedenis van die Veiligheidstak

(2) My herinneringe ‘n Mooi Oktober maand word u toegewens!

Baie groete HBH