Over the past six months the strengthening of the apartheid regime's armed forces, both conventional forces and civil defence, has remained a major priority of government policy. Announcements concerning the planned conscription of white male immigrants, and Coloured and Indian men into the South African Defence Force (SADF) coincided with further steps in the process of mobilisation.
At present all white South African males must do two years' national service and further duties for 720 days over a period of 12 years. Under the South African Citizenship Act, however, male immigrants under the age of 23 may remain resident in South Africa without doing national service even after they are required to become naturalised citizens.
A new policy on immigrants, embodied in a new draft Bill, is in line with the drive to expand numbers in military service. It follows the extension of compulsory service to all white South African males up to the age of 55 under the Defence Amendment Act of 1982.
Under the new Bill, announced in December 1983, all male immigrants aged between 15 and 25 would, after five years' residence in the country, face the alternative of South African citizenship and hence participation in national service, or loss of residence rights. Lack of skilled white labour has been a major reason up till now for the government's present lenient policy.
In a further development, following the acceptance by the white population of the government's constitutional proposals in November 1983, the Prime Minister announced that the incorporation of the Coloured and Indian population into central government would lead to their gradual incorporation in the defence force on a compulsory basis. At present Coloured and Indian people may serve voluntarily, and they are estimated to represent 15 per cent of the Permanent Force. However, most of the Indian and Coloured men responding to surveys recently conducted in the Durban and Cape areas were strongly opposed to conscription.
In addition to increasing the numbers eligible for national service, the government is building up other forces on a local basis as part of a policy of 'area defence'. This has become a central priority of military strategy, accounting for one-third of the 1983/4 military budget. Designed to counter both rural and urban guerilla activity and other forms of resistance, the aim is to create a 'first line of defence' throughout the country. White men in nine districts in Northern Natal and the Northern and Eastern Transvaal were called up during 1983 for training for future incorporation as a part-time militia in rural commando units. The units consist of two forces: an area protection force composed mainly of local farm owners, to protect white farms and gather information about possible guerilla activity; and a reaction force, mainly townspeople, to support the police in any action.
The commandos were originally volunteer forces, but in the last decade the increasing risks involved in military service due to the persistent guerilla war being waged by the ANC, have led to fewer volunteering. By 1982 the commandos were on average 37 per cent understrength. The districts now being involved in call-up are in areas where a largescale exodus of white farmers has further weakened the line of defence. All districts in the country will be called up in the next five years.
Large areas in the northern part of the country are covered by bantustans. Their military forces, set up by the central government, continue to receive training and other aid. They have proved useful to the regime as an early warning network, and in action in concert with the SADF against ANC combatants. In September the President of the Venda bantustan, Patrick Mphephu, presented his entire defence force to the SADF for operational duties.
The military establishment is also playing a major role in urban areas. The continued expansion in numbers and strength of the industrial commandos protecting 'key points' - installations essential to the maintenance of the local economic and social infrastructure - was reported last July. These units are composed of employees of the organisations concerned as well as men who have applied to perform those duties after completing their national service. Their tasks, like the rural commandos, include intelligence gathering.
Increasing attention has been paid recently to the role of the State Security Council (SSC) within government. At a press conference given by members of the SSC, it was revealed that the SSC's 15 Interdepartmental Committees concerned themselves with a number of areas of government, including constitutional, economic and cultural affairs and community services, as well as military, police and civil defence matters. The SSC is chaired by the Prime Minister himself and includes senior ministers and senior military, police and intelligence figures.
The place of the SSC in central government represents an alliance of cabinet members and civilian and military officials concerned not only with countering the alleged threat from neighbouring states, but also with the suppression of internal opposition. This has already been borne out by the use of military force on several occasions to deal with unrest in urban areas. In preparing for the future, attempts are being made to mobilise all sections of society.
In white schools the long established paramilitary cadet system is becoming organised as part of the 'area defence' system, with officers from the local commandos being involved. University Military Units are being set up at white universities to guard university buildings and installations at times of 'civil unrest'. On English-language campuses, however, student opposition has prevented the establishment of the units.
The number of women recruited by the SADF has trebled in the past decade. Women's Army Organisations have been set up throughout the country by wives of MPs and SADF officers. Arrangements to incorporate African people into the 'civil defence' system were reported in progress last year: on the one hand, under the control of the relevant administration boards over the country; and on the other, by the establishment of parallel systems in the so-called 'independent' bantustans. The system of civil defence is organised by the National Civil Defence Committee, under the State Security Council.
