SADF takes over security of Northern Natal from the SAP to prevent infiltration into SA by Liberation Movements

The deteriorating state of security that marked the eighties convinced the Apartheid government that a revision of its approach to infiltration by the liberation movements was needed. Deploying the armed forces in a policing capacity was however not a new approach by the Apartheid government, as most of the policemen serving in Natal had been deployed to Rhodesia to help prop up the regime of Ian Smith. The South African Defence Force was deployed to Northern Natal because Natal shared a border with Mozabique. Mozambique had cast off the yoke of Portuguese colonialism and Pretoria feared that they might inspire and support similar efforts in South Africa. In deploying the armed forces, South Africa had a chance to place veteran soldiers from the Rhodesian bush war as well as the border wars at the forefront of its counter-insurgency efforts. Lastly by deploying specialists in the discipline of counter-insurgency, South Africa was hoping to formulate a more effective application of Botha's total onslaught theory. This eventually brought about the creation of a para-military that was nominally under the control of Pretoria.