Previous issues of FOCUS have covered evidence of direct South African involvement in Rhodesian raids into the front-line states. This pattern continued during the Lancaster House talks. In September, a South African Puma helicopter, piloted by a three-man South African crew, was shot down in Mozambique during an attack ostensibly carried out by Rhodesian forces. The South African authorities subsequently announced the deaths of the men" in the border area". In October the Zambian government announced that 600 South African troops had entered Zambia's Western province at the same time as Rhodesians were attacking targets in the south of the country. Both were repulsed after heavy fighting. In November, President Kaunda gave details to a press conference of a number of further attacks during October and November in which the Rhodesians had been supported by South African forces, including the destruction of eight road and rail bridges and an attack on the Zambian National Service camp at Chongwe, east of Lusaka.
Issue 26 · article
Border Raids
Report on South African involvement in Rhodesian border raids.
