OPS PROTEA AND OPS DAISY   

The aim of Ops Protea was to eliminate PLAN's (Peoples Liberation Army of Namibia) headquarters at "Target Charlie" (Xangongo, formerly Vila Rocades) and Ongiva (Pereira d'Eca). It also had to eliminate any heavy weaponry and/or conventional weapons which were at Ongiva, a mere stones throw away from the border. As the conflict between Unita/FNLA/MPLA escalated so the the Angolan army had become more sophisticated with the aid of the Soviets and the Cubans. Anti aircraft missiles and radar could spell disaster for any air cover which the SADF would need for any future operations or cross border raids.
The preamble to Protea started before 24 August 1981 with a series of foot and mobile operations east of Ongiva which wreaked havoc amongst PLAN's infrastructure. One of these operations, codenamed Carnation was on the go when Ops Protea started. The first strike commenced on 23 August when a flight of bombers took out the radar installations at Cahama, 130 km's inside Angola and north west of Ongiva. A mechanised force then crossed the Kunene river near Ruacana and they dug in at Humbe to block the escape of any PLAN elements or prevent any re-inforcements from getting through to Xangongo.
Another mechanised force had crossed the border north of Ondangwa and arrived at Xangongo on 24 August. Elements of this force were tasked to prevent any FAPLA intervention from Peu Peu and to destroy any satellite basis near Xangongo. The main force then attacked a combined Plan-Fapla force which was entrenched in the suburbs of Xangongo.
With Xangongo cleared, the mechanised force then moved onto Ongiva, surviving an ambush by artillery and mechanised forces which Fapla threw at it by Mongua. Following a 2 day battle against a Fapla army comprising tanks, infantry and artillery they take Ongiva. The South Africans left a garrison at Ongiva while they withdrew back over the border, taking over 2000 tons of vehicles, ammunition and equipment. 10 SADF members were killed while Plan and Fapla lost more than 1000 of its men.

Ops Daisy commenced on 1 November 1981, when a mechanised force crossed the border, forming a temporary tactical HQ at Londe, about 120 kilo's inside of Angola. The force then continued northward to their objective, the Headquarters of Plan at Bambi and Cheraquera. After the targets were softened by the air force, the troops moved in, killing over 70 insurgents for the loss of only 3 men. The forces then pulled back on 20 November.

Mech Ops Balkie

These operations resulted in a number of Honoris Crux decorations for bravery. It is difficult to know the extent of deaths on both sides, and I must rely on unofficial figures. In 1980 the SADF lost 100 of its members as opposed 1447 accredited to the enemy. While in 1981 the SADF losses were 56 against +/- 2500 enemy forces.

captured weaponry on display (from an SADF postcard)

Photocopies from a booklet published after Ops Protea. (Images open in a new window and some pages are in Afrikaans)

Cover	Brigadier Badenhorst address	The success of Ops Protea	Ops Protea in restrospect
A Good Haul	Newspaper report	Troop handout	The Air Force went in first

Websites to consult:
Wikipedia - South African Border War
Wikipedia - Operation Protea
Wikipedia - Operation Daisy
Wikipedia - 61 Mechanised Battalion Group

Recommeded reading:
Borderstrike: Willem Steenkamp
South Africa's Border War 1966-1989: Willem Steenkamp. Published by Ashanti Publishers. 1990.
Cross of Honour: Ian Uys. Published by Uys Publishers. 1992