SADF replace police on South West Africa’s northern border

Date: 15 Jun 1974
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

SADF replace police on South West Africa’s northern border

In a dramatic move, Minister of Defence P. W. Botha announced the replacement of South African police by the South African Defence Force on the northern borders of South West Africa (now Namibia). Botha believed that the military forces would be able to resist the pressure exerted by SWAPO.

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01Kalley, J.A.; Schoeman, E. & Andor, L.E. (eds)(1999). Southern African Political History: a chronology of key political events from independence to mid-1997, Westport: Greenwood.

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). SADF replace police on South West Africa’s northern border. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012210

South African History Online (2011) 'SADF replace police on South West Africa’s northern border', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012210 (Accessed: 2 October 2026).

South African History Online, SADF replace police on South West Africa’s northern border [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012210, (accessed 2 October 2026).

"SADF replace police on South West Africa’s northern border." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012210. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "SADF replace police on South West Africa’s northern border." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012210.