The South African
Military History Society

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Die Suid-Afrikaanse Krygshistoriese Vereniging

Military History Journal
Vol 15 No 6 - December 2012

A CENTURY OF THE DEFENCE FORCE IN SOUTH AFRICA 1912-2012

• 1912 The Defence Act, No 13 of 1912, is passed.
• 1913 In July, the first Union Defence Force (UDF) commissions are awarded. The Defence Force is first called up to put down industrial action.
• 1914-18 The First World War. The UDF suppresses the local 1914 Rebellion and conquers German South West Africa. South Africans serve in many parts of the world, especially in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
• 1922 The UDF is deployed to suppress the 1922 Strike.
• 1923-29 The UDF is re-organised and downsized.
• 1933-34 The Defence Amendment Act is passed. Eight Afrikaans-medium regiments are formed.
• 1939-45 South African ground, air and naval forces take part in the Second World War, mainly in the East and North African, Madagascar and Italian campaigns.
• 1948-51 Under Nationalist rule, the Defence Force is 'sanitised' of 'foreign' influences. Midnight purge of war service officers.
• 1951-53 A South African squadron and small army detachment take part in the Korean War
• 1952 The Ballot clauses of the Defence Act are activated.
• 1957 The Union Defence Forces (UDF) become the South African Defence Force (SADF).
• 1961-62 First actions by Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and the Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA)
• 1966-89 SADF involvement in the Border War (Angola/South West Africa [Namibia])
• 1968 Universal conscription for white male citizens is introduced
• 1976 Formation of the Transkei Defence Force, the first Bantustan/Homeland defence force, soon followed by formation of the Bophutatswana Defence Force (1979), the Venda Defence Force (1979), and the Ciskei Defence Force (1981).
• 1994 South Africa's first democratic elections. Formation of the integrated South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Voluntary enlistment.
• 2001 SANDF's first peace-keeping mission to Burundi
• 2002 Defence Act No 42 of 2002, is passed.

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