Sixteen months and more after its 'Operation Protea' invasion of August 1981, the South African regular army continues to occupy extensive areas of southern Angola, making it impossible for the Angolan government to establish any kind of administration in the region and rendering any form of social and economic reconstruction or development programme out of the question. In considerable contrast to the controversy that has been aroused over the issue of Cuban forces in Angola and the principle of 'linkage' however, South Africa's unauthorised and hostile presence in the country appears to have attracted little attention or discussion in the Contact Group's settlement negotiations.

Speaking in Tripoli, Libya, on 8 August, the President of the People's Republic of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos, confirmed that two brigades of the South African regular army — totalling 5,500 men — had been continuously stationed on Angolan territory since 23 August 1981, the start of Operation Protea. He said that South African battalions had been established in Kunene Province in the areas of Kalueke, Ngiva, Xangongo, Oncocua, Evale, Mupa and Kuamato. The South African arsenal gathered on Angolan territory comprised, according to information gathered by the Angolan army:

  • seventy-two 81mm mortars * fifty-four 60mm guns * twenty-four 78 and 98mm anti-tank guns * twelve 'Ental' anti-tank systems * two hundred and seventy 'Ratel' armoured troop carriers * seventy-two 'AML-90' armoured cars * eighteen 'AML-60' armoured cars (Angolan News Agency (ANGOP) bulletin, 12.8.82).

Confirming repeated warnings — from both the Angolan authorities and the South Africans themselves — of troop concentrations on the northern Namibian border and the danger of imminent attack (see Focus 40 p.10, 41 p.4, 42 p.11), the South African army launched a large-scale new incursion into Angola, commencing on 21 July. The towns of Cahama and Tchibemba were attacked from the air on that day, by a force of 11 bombers. A total of 22 Angolan civilians and soldiers were killed, and 42 wounded, during July, while four South African planes were shot down during the same period. Evale and londe, 120 km inside Angola, were attacked on 16 July according to the South Africans. South African troops already inside Angola began to advance from Xangongo and Ngiva on 19 July (Jornal de Angola 7.8.82: ANGOP statement 13.8.82; Washington Post 19.8.82).

The main invasion was launched on 2 August, involving a force of four South African regular brigades, one 'independent regiment', 34 battalions, 40 combat vehicles and 30 helicopters from the force concentrated on the Namibian-Angolan border. The Angolan Minister for Foreign Affairs, Paulo Jorge, stated that South Africa had a further 300 armoured cars and 50 planes in readiness to reinforce the invasion force (Jornal de Angola 7.8.82).

This new offensive was mounted by South Africa only a few days before a provisional ceasefire date of 15 August, supposedly agreed on in the course of the Namibian settlement negotiations. South Africa, as on many previous occasions, accused SWAPO of sabotaging the chances of peace by escalating hostilities, and on 11 August claimed that they had killed a total of 314 guerillas — later revised to 345. It had earlier been revealed that 12 soldiers of the Parachute Battalion of the SADF, and three crew members of a helicopter, had been killed when their aircraft was brought down in the 'operational area'. On 12 August, Johannesburg radio, quoting a U.S. State Department spokesman, cited the refusal of the Angolan government to accept the principle of the Cuban-Namibian 'linkage' in justification for the South African advance (Tel 12.8.82; FT/BBC 14.8.82).

By 13 August, South African ground troops had succeeded in penetrating more than 200km into Angola, reaching positions north of Cuvelai. The South African Air Force meanwhile continued to overfly the regions of Cuvelai, Mulondo, Tchamutete, Kassinga, Jamba and Dongo, and Chiang, and into Kuando Kubango Province (ANGOP 13/30.8.82).

On 16 August, a SWAPO announcement that seven South African helicopters and six Mirage fighters had been shot down in the past four days was reported. Major General Charles Lloyd, Commander of South African forces in Namibia confirmed at this time that South Africa was deploying Mirage F1 jet fighters over Angola allegedly to counter Angolan Mig 23s (GA 16.8.82 Washington Post 17.8.82).

On 25 August, a South African advance force of regular ground troops was apprehended north of the mining town of Kassinga, more than 200km inside Angola and the scene of the May 1978 massacre of Namibian refugees. The Angolan Ministry of Defence, judging by South African troop movements, predicted fresh incursions against positions defended by the Angolan army in the areas of Cuvelai, Cahama and Mulondo in Kunene Province, and a general drive to move northwards into Huila Province. The Angolans reported that UNITA members had been incorporated into the ranks of the South African forces occupying Ngiva and Xangongo, and charged the South Africans with poisoning water supplies and raping women as they advanced (WA 27.8.82; ANGOP 28.8.82).

Towards the end of September, fresh South African bombing raids against FAPLA (Angolan army) positions were reported from the Cahama-Mulondo-Cuvelai area. South Africa reconnaissance flights over Kunene and Huila Provinces had also increased (BBC 28.8.82: reporting Angolan Defence Ministry statement of 26.9.82).