Days of the Generals

The untold story of South Africa’s apartheid-era military generals

What really happened during South Africa’s military involvement in Angola? Did the military leaders always see eye to eye with the politicians – and with each other? Was South Africa responsible for the death of Mozambican President Samora Machel? What was the extent of South Africa’s nuclear programme? How did South Africa’s military machine deal with the end of apartheid? Based on interviews with the former generals of the South African Defence Force, Days of the Generals addresses these and many other fascinating questions. The book looks in detail at South Africa’s intervention in Angola, Namibia and Mozambique. It examines the armed struggle of the ANC and the state’s war against the liberation movements. It investigates chemical and biological warfare, the ‘third force’ and other top-secret issues. For the first time, the generals – Magnus Malan, Constand Viljoen, Jannie Geldenhuys, Georg Meiring, Hein du Toit and Chris Thirion – have opened up and given their account of events in southern Africa from the 1970s to the present. Theirs is an explosive story, giving behind-the-scenes information about covert operations, secret meetings, strategic alliances and full-scale war. This is essential reading for anyone interested in southern African politics and military history. The author, Hilton Hamann, entered the South African Defence Force as a conscript in 1975, and was stationed in Angola. He subsequently became the Sunday Times’s military correspondent and wrote for a number of well-known international magazines and newspapers, such as Soldier of Fortune. In this role he travelled extensively with the SADF, often accompanying them into battle. He currently runs a news syndication company.