South Africa has indicated its willingness to the five Western governments involved in negotiations for Namibia's independence, to make some reduction in the number of troops stationed in the territory. Developments inside Namibia, however, suggest that this may be little more than a negotiating stance. As previously reported in FOCUS there is evidence that the South African military presence in Namibia has been expanded while the talks with the Western powers have been in progress. According to SWAPO, who received confidential information from a source within the South African Defence Force, large numbers of tanks and quantities of ammunition have been transported to Namibia, and strategic roads on the Namibia/Angola border have been mined, in preparation for a "big push" planned for mid-1978. 3,000 troops were reported in January to be waiting in Bloemfontein to be flown to Namibia. Those already on the border have been warned by the acting head of the Defence Force Lt. Gen. Constantd Viljoen that 1978 will be their toughest year yet.
Civil construction companies in Windhoek have confirmed that much money is being spent by the South African government on the expansion of military bases and airstrips in the north of Namibia. In Windhoek itself, one of the most modern office complexes in the city, Enke Haus, has been purchased by the SA government to serve as a new headquarters for the SWA Command of the SA Defence Force, the old Eros HQ at the suburban airport having become too limited. A further 40 houses are reported to have been bought in Windhoek for senior military personnel, while a large tract of land four miles south of the city has been allocated by the Windhoek municipality to accommodate a new army headquarters.
It is clear that one of the factors underlying the annexation of Walvis Bay in August 1977 was South Africa's intention to expand the enclave as a strategically located military base. In addition to the 2 SA1 Battalion Group house at Rookop, south of the town of Walvis Bay, defence headquarters in Pretoria announced in October 1977 that members of the Citizen Force (S.A. Navy) would leave for Walvis Bay from 1 November to activate the dormant Naval Command and control facilities in the enclave.
