UNIDADE DE AMIZADE
Thirty years after intense battles raged around Cuito Cuanavale, a little town on the banks of the Lomba river in Angola a historic engagement of an entirely different nature took place in this town during May 2018. Former enemies met to commemorate their dead, to share their experiences with each other, to make peace, and to assist each other to find peace and closure. The former enemies met under the banner of “Unidade De Amizade” – Uniting in Friendship. It was an almost unthinkable step for former enemies, who were involved in brutal battles in which thousands of men died, to reach out to each other. It is a story of generosity of spirit, of hope. After visiting Cuito a tour of the former battle fields continued.
This came about when during 2015, Johan Booysen, a former National Serviceman, an ordinary soldier at 61 Mech, visited Cuito Cuanavala. He met and struck up a friendship with the military officer in charge of that region, General Fernando Mateus. They came to the idea of bringing together the former enemies at Cuito Cuanavale to commemorate the fallen and to help combatants find peace and closure. This friendship led to the introduction of Genl. Mateus to other members of the 61 Mech Veterans Association.
Kobus Rudolph travelled along to capture this history in the making for the radio station GrootFM. 13 programmes covering the tour were broadcasted. You can now also follow the story of this tour on our website with all these programme made available in podcast format.”
October 31, 2018
EPISODE 13 – Muller Meiring se Ratel
The Vistenkers travelling in 2 Overlanders, named Afkop Hoenders and Miskruiers, leave Xangongo early to search and find the wreck of the Ratel 90
October 10, 2018
EPISODE 12 – Mike Bond and the emotions with a first contact
Mike Bond served at 61 Mech Battalion Group in 1980 as the gunner in commandant Dippies Dippenaar’s Ratel, the battle group commander’s command Ratel.
October 03, 2018
EPISODE 11 – Heinrich Janzen, Dr Daan Eksteen and Roelf Schoeman
Heinrich Janzen, chairperson of the Armour Association, dr Daan Eksteen, world traveller and Roelf Schoeman, author of “Weermagstories” share their impressions of the tour.
September 26, 2018
EPISODE 10 – Stories around the campfire
Tonight the men sit around the camp fire somewhere in Angola
September 12, 2018
EPISODE 9 – Tanks locked in battle and a former foe becomes a friend
Sarel Coetzee tells about his first experiences in battle during Operation Modular as a gunner in an Olifant tank.
August 22, 2018
EPISODE 8 – Xangongo, Humbe and Techipa
We depart from Xangongo for a quick stop at Humbe
August 15, 2018
EPISODE 7 – The cross and the church at Mupa
A small cross was removed by a member of the SADF from the Roman Catholic Church at Mupa in Angola during 1983
August 08, 2018
EPISODE 6 – The 3 SADF tanks and the ceremony on the old bridge
While visiting the 3 SADF Olifant tanks on display on the eastern side of the Cuito bridge
August 01, 2019
EPISODE 5 – Cuito Cuanavale
The visit to Cuito Cuanavale was an emotional event
July 04, 2018
EPISODE 4 – Conversations with Steph Rossouw, Len Robberts, Jao Montanja Fila and Henry Tromp
We talk to Steph Rossouw and Len Robberts, who served in 1987 during Operation Modular with 61 Mech Battalion Group.
June 27, 2018
EPISODE 3 - Savate
Frans Dimbo, an inhabitant of Angola, surprises all of us with his mastery of the Afrikaans language.
May 30, 2018
EPISODE 1 – The Moths in Windhoek waited in ambush for the Vistenkers
About 20 veterans chose Overlanders as mode of transport for the 61 Mech Angolan expedition.