Conscription in South Africa was established in 1967[1] and abolished in 1994 via a constitutional amendment. At its peak, conscription in South Africa consisted of two years of mandatory military service, followed by camps at intervals. Under apartheid, the call-up applied to all white men after completing their schooling or further studies. The End Conscription Campaign began in 1983 in opposition to the requirement. In the same year the National Party government announced plans to extend conscription to white immigrants in the country.[2] The policy was defended by Magnus Malan, Minister of Defence in the cabinet of President P. W. Botha in 1988: "One of the biggest advances in South Africa is National Service", he added that relatives were "prepared to sacrifice the husband or the child for their country because they consider it an honour to die for their country!"[3]
In popular culture
edit- Moffie, a 2019 film by Oliver Hermanus based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by André Carl van der Merwe. The film depicts mandatory conscription into the South African Defence Force (SADF) during apartheid through the eyes of a young closeted character Nicholas van der Swart. The film also includes archival footage of General Malan talking about the SADF.
- Kanarie, a 2018 coming of age Afrikaans film by Christiaan Olwagen about homosexuality in the context of mandatory military service in the mid-1980s[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Military service becomes compulsory for White South African men, South African History Online
- ^ SOUTH AFRICA MOVING TO WIDEN CONSCRIPTION The New York Times. 28 December 1983
- ^ Allan, Jani. "The Superhawk – on duty or out hunting, our Supreme Warlord believes in turning challenges into opportunities". The Sunday Times (South Africa). 12 June 1988
- ^ ‘Kanarie’: Film Review | Outfest 2018 The Hollywood Reporter. 22 July 2018
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