SA Police COIN Unit Veterans League

30 August 1971.
Sgt G.P. van Zyl:-

Sgt G.P. van Zyl of the SA Police COIN (Counter Insurgency) Unit was killed on active service. He drowned serving in the Caprivi, SWA.

The name of Cst G.P. van Zyl appears on the SA Police Counter Insurgency Unit Memorial wall in Pretoria.

26 Augustus 2026.
Vandag is die 60ste herdenking van die SA Grensoorlog:- 1966 tot 1989.

GESKIEDENIS VAN DIE SA POLISIE TEENINSURGENSIE (TIN) EENHEID.

Gedurende Maart 1966 is inligting ontvang dat daar ‘n SWAPO / PLAN terroriste opleidings basis iewers in die noorde van Suidwes-Afrika, in die weste van Ovamboland met die naam Ongulumbashe op die been gebring is met die uitsluitlike doel van terroriste insypeling. En so begin Operasie “BLOUWILDEBEES”

Honderd-en-vyftig uitgesoekte polisiemanne word uit verskeie eenhede getrek en na ‘n strawwe Teeninsurgensie (TIN) opleiding het slegs 35 polisiemanne gekwalifiseer om deel te wees van die aanvalsmag te wees saam met 11 lede van die SA Weermag se Valskermbataljon, met die hulp van ses Alouette helikopters en hulle bemanning van die SA Lugmag.

Dit is interessant om te weet dat lede verbonde aan die Valskermbataljon en die lugmag personeel vir daardie dag as Polisiemanne ingesweer was.

Eers op 23 Augustus 1966 is hulle ingelig oor presies waarheen hulle op pad is en wat hulle gaan doen.
Op 25 Augustus vlieg die aanvalsmag onder die bevel van Kol Pat Dillon van die SA Polisie na Ruacana. Op 26 Augustus 1966 (Vandag presies 60 jaar gelede), kort na sonsopkoms, styg die eerste helikopter vanaf Ruacana op en hulle vlieg in die rigting van die Ongulumbashe basis. Nie lank daarna nie klap die eerste skote bokant die basis toe die terroriste besluit het om op die helikopters te vuur. Met hierdie skermutseling is twee terroriste gedood, een gewond en agt gearresteer.

Dit is amptelik in geskiedenis aangeteken dat hierdie die begin van die Suid- Afrikaanse Grensoorlog (Bos Oorlog) was wat 23 jaar tot aan die einde van 1989 sou duur.

Die SAP TIN Eenheid is ‘n paar maande later in 1967 gestig en Polisie beamptes is van Polisiestasies landswyd opgeroep en intensief in Teeninsurgensie
opgelei wat kortliks bestaan het uit:-
** Hantering van aanvalswapens en handgranate en later ook mortiere en geweer granate
** Opstel van hinderlae en teenhinderlaag tegnieke
** Gevegsvernuf
** Patrollie tegnieke
** Kaart- en kompas lees
** Radiospraak prosedure ** Oorlewingstegnieke
** helikopter dril
en dan afgedeel aan die SAP TIN Eenheid op grense ontplooi is.
Hulle sou ‘n VOLLE GEVEGSROL vertolk regdeur die oorlog tot aan die einde van 1989 en sou opereer aan die Angola grens, die Caprivi strook, die volle lengte van die RSA grens tot teen Mosambiek en binne in Rhodesië.

Die eerste lid van die SAP TIN Eenheid om op aktiewe diens te sterf was Sers. JA Nel op 7 Maart 1967 wat verdrink het tydens Grensdiens in die Kavango.
Die eerste persoon in die Grensoorlog wat in aksie gedood was, was Konst. D Du Toit op 18 Julie 1968, wat in Rhodesië tydens ‘n kontak met terroriste.
Die eerste dier wat in die Grensoorlog gedood was, was 'n polisiehond "LEEU", 'n Duitse Herdershond wat saam met sy hanteerder, Sers TJ (Tjaart) Riekert op 30 Maart 1972 in 'n landmyn ontploffing in die Oos Caprivi gedood is.
*Al 3 hierdie sterftes van die SAP TIN Eenheid was die eerste in die SA Grensoorlog 1966 tot 1889.

26 August 2026.
Today is the 60th anniversary of the SA Border War:- 1966 to 1989.

HISTORY OF THE SA POLICE COUNTER-INSURGENCY (COIN) UNIT.

During March 1966, information was received that a SWAPO / PLAN terrorist training base had been established somewhere in the north of South West Africa, in the west of Ovamboland, called Ongulumbashe, for the sole purpose of terrorist infiltration. And so Operation “BLOU WILDEBEES” began

One hundred and fifty selected policemen were drawn from various units and after rigorous Counter-Insurgency (COIN) training, only 35 policemen qualified to be part of the attack force along with 11 members of the SA Defence Force’s Parachute Battalion, with the help of six Alouette helicopters and their crews from the SA Air Force.

It is interesting to know that members of the Parachute Battalion and the air force personnel were sworn in as Policemen for that day.

It was not until 23 August 1966 that they were informed exactly where they were going and what they were going to do.

On 25 August, the attack force flew to Ruacana under the command of Col Pat Dillon of the SA Police. On 26 August 1966 (exactly 60 years ago today), shortly after sunrise, the first helicopter took off from Ruacana and flew towards the Ongulumbashe base. Not long after, the first shots rang out above the base when the terrorists decided to fire on the helicopters. In this skirmish, two terrorists were killed, one wounded and eight arrested.

It is officially recorded in history that this was the beginning of the South African Border War (Bush War) which would last 23 years until the end of 1989.

The SAP COIN Unit was established a few months later in 1967 and Police officers were called up from Police Stations nationwide and intensively trained in Counter-Insurgency
which briefly consisted of:-
** Handling of assault weapons and hand grenades and later also mortars and rifle grenades
** Setting up ambushes and counter-ambush techniques
** Combat skills
** Patrol techniques
** Map and compass reading
** Radio speech procedure ** Survival techniques
** Helicopter drill
and then detached to the SAP COIN Unit deployed on borders.
They would play a FULL COMBAT ROLE throughout the war until the end of 1989 and would operate on the Angola border, the Caprivi Strip, the full length of the RSA border up to Mozambique and in Rhodesia.

The first member of the SAP COIN Unit to die on active service was Sgt. JA Nel on 7 March 1967 who drowned during Border duty in the Kavango.
The first person in the Border War to be killed in action was Const. D Du Toit on 18 July 1968, who was killed in Rhodesia during a contact with terrorists.
The first animal to be killed in the Border War was a police dog "LEEU", a German Shepherd who was killed with his handler, Sgt TJ (Tjaart) Riekert on 30 March 1972 in a landmine explosion in the East Caprivi.
*All 3 of these deaths of the SAP COIN Unit were the first in the SA Border War 1966 to 1989.

23 August 1971
Sgt F. Van Noordwyk:-

Sgt F. Van Noordwyk of the SA Police COIN (Counter Insurgency) Unit was killed on active service. He died in a motor vehicle accident serving in the Kavango, South West Africa. He was 27.

The grave of Sgt van Noordwyk is situated in the Welkom Cemetery, Free State.

18 August 1971
Sgt J.H.G Maritz:-

Sgt J.H.G. Marits of the SA Police COIN (Counter Insurgency) Unit was killed on active service. He died in a motor vehicle accident serving in Rhodesia. He was 24.

The grave of Sgt Maritz is situated in Kuruman new Cemetery, Northern Cape.

12 August 1970.
Sgt J.P. Bosch:-

Sgt Bosch of the SA Police COIN (Counter Insurgency) Unit was killed on active service. He drowned in the Zambezi river downstream of the Chirundu Bridge serving in Rhodesia. He was washing in the river and it was presumed that he was taken by a crocodile. His body was never found.

The name of Sgt J.P. Bosch appears on the SA Police Counter insurgency Unit memorial wall in Pretoria.

09 August 1985.
Const J.R. du Plessis:-

There is no information available on the death of Const J.R. du Plessis. He died performing active service as member of the SA Police COIN (Counter Insurgency) Unit.

The name of Const J.R. du Plessis appears on the the SA Police Counter Insurgency Unit memorial wall in Pretoria.

8 August 1972.
Sgt Z Melapi:-

Sgt Z Melapi of the SA Police COIN (Counter Insurgency) Unit was killed on active Service serving in the Caprivi, South West Africa.

There is no information available on the location of his grave.
The name of Sgt Z Melapi appears on the the SA Police Counter Insurgency Unit memorial wall in Pretoria.

8 August 1988
Cst N.C. Claassen:-

Sgt N.C. Claassen was killed In action. The member was a Tracker and following a spoor on the Northern Border of RSA close to Swartwater. He was ambushed by terrorists and he was shot in the neck with a PKM firearm. The insurgents escaped into Botswana. He was 23.

The grave of Cst N.C. Claassen is situated in the Ellisras old Cemetery in the Limpopo province.

4 August 1974.
Cst CL van der Merwe:-

Cst C.L. van der Merwe was killed in action serving in Rhodesia.
On the evening of 27 July 1974, at 22:30, the SA Police COIN (Counter Insurgency) Unit base at Kandaya was attacked. Cst van der Merwe was wounded during the attack and was a casavac for medical attention. He sadly succumbed to his injuries on 4 August 1974.
He was 18.

The grave of Cst C.L. van der Merwe is situated in the Potchefstroom Cemetery in the North West Province.

24 July 1982.
Cst G.S. Lourens:-

Cst G.S. Lourens of the SA Police COIN (Counter Insurgency) Unit was killed on active service serving in Ovamboland, South West Africa. He was 24.

The remains of Cst Lourens is situated in the Stellawood Crematorium in Durban, KZN.

18 July 1968.
Const D Du Toit:-

Cst Daniël Du Toit was the first member of the South African Police COIN (Counter Insurgency) Unit to be Killed in Action in the SA Border War that started on 26 August 1966.
He was killed during a contact with ZIPRA insurgents in a well defended position in the Rawamombe Range near Kariba, Rhodesia during Operation Griffin - a Joint operation in involving the RLI, RAR, SA Police and Rhodesian Air Force. He was part of the forward sweep and was engaged by the insurgents at very close range. One SAP officer and two other SAP Constables were wounded during this contact.
He was posthumously awarded the South African Police Star for Distinguished Service (SOO).
He was 21.

The grave of Const. D. Du Toit is situated in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Port Elizabeth.