Operation Protea was a military operation during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War in which South African Defence Forces (SADF) destroyed a number of South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) bases in Angola. During the operation, which took place from 23 August to 4 September 1981, up to 5,000 SADF soldiers occupied Cunene province, Angola.
Planning Operation Protea was launched on 23 August 1981. Its objectives were to destroy the SWAPO command and training centre at Xangongo and its logistic bases at Xangongo and Ongiva.
Xangongo, located at was the headquarters of SWAPO's "north-western front" from where it directed SWAPO units operating primarily in the Kaokoland and in western and central Ovamboland. There were also other SWAPO bases, which were used as supply depots and training bases for SWAPO recruits, sited to the south and southeast of the town.
Ongiva, a town located less than fifty kilometres north of the Angola-South West Africa border at , was an important SWAPO logistical and personnel centre which supported operations in central and eastern Ovamboland and in the Kavangoland.
Both Xangongo and Ongiva were key bases in supporting SWAPO's war effort in South West Africa, because of their location close to its border. Their destruction would undermine SWAPO's ability to conduct operations in their "north-western front" and also have a psychological impact by reinforcing the message of Operation Reindeer to SWAPO that it no longer had the luxury of sanctuaries in southern Angola.
Order of Battle Sources:61 Mechanised Battalion Veterans Group http://www.61mech.org.za/operations/7-operation-protea
South African forces Brigadier Rudolf Badenhorst – Overall Commander
Task Force Alpha Colonel Joep Joubert – TF Commander
Battle Group 10 – Commandant Roland de Vries one Mechanised infantry company – 61 Mechanised Battalion one Parachute company one Armoured car squadron one Mortar platoon one 140mm artillery troop one combat engineer troop
Battle Group 20 – Commandant Johan Dippenaar one mechanised infantry company two motorised infantry companies one armoured car squadron – two Ratel-90 troops and two Eland-90 troops one medium artillery troop one 81 mm mortar platoon one field engineer troop one assault pioneer platoon two Protection platoons
Battle Group 30 – Commandant Chris Serfontein three motorised infantry companies – National service units one armoured car squadron – Eland-90 120 mm mortar battery – 43 Light Battery 81 mm mortar platoon Field engineer troop two protection platoons
Battle Group 40 – Commandant Deon Ferreira three motorised infantry companies – 32 Battalion one armoured car squadron – Eland-90 120 mm mortar battery – 41 Light Battery four anti-tank teams two protection platoons – 1 Platoon from B company of 202 Battalion and 1 other platoon
Combat Team Mamba (Mobile Reserve) – Commandant Johnny Coetzer one mechanised company – 61 Mechanised one anti-tank platoon – Ratel-90 – 61 Mechanised two Ratel 60 sections 140mm G-2 artillery troop – 1 Medium Battery (4 Field Regiment)
Task Force Bravo Colonel Vos Benade – TF Commander
Battle Group 50 – Commandant Frans Botes four motorised companies – 201 Battalion 81mm Mortar platoon
Battle Group 60 – Commandant James Hills three motorised infantry companies – 32 Battalion one 81mm Mortar platoon
Mobile Reserve – Commandant Johnnie Coetzer 1 Parachute Battalion – two companies and one pathfinder platoon 52 Reconnaissance Regiment – one special forces team
Battle Group 30 detached from TF Alpha
Battle Group 40 detached from TF Alpha
Angolan forces 11 Brigade based at Ongiva and is the district headquarters two infantry battalions two anti-aircraft battalions – 23mm guns one tank company – T-34 one armoured-car company – BTR-23 one artillery battery – 82mm and 76mm guns
19 Brigade based at Xangongo with elements at Humbe and Peu Peu two infantry companies one tank company – T-34 one armoured car squadron – BTR-23 one artillery battery three 122mm rocket launchers seven anti-aircraft guns
21 Brigade based at Cahama
Soviet military advisors based at Xangongo and Ongiva
SWAPO forces Xangongo – 500 SWAPO regulars and 500 semi-regulars Between Cahama and Humbe – one SWAPO battalion Ongiva – SWAPO headquarters
Battles – Task Force Alpha On 23 August, the SADF units left the bases and headed towards the Angolan border. On the night of 23 August, Battle Group 10 would cross at Ruacana while Battle Groups 20, 30 and 40 would cross at Ombalantu. A South African special forces team was placed in position to begin monitoring the Cahama/Xangongo highway for any enemy reinforcements. The same day the SADF left their bases, the South African Air Force (SAAF) launched a strike with various aircraft against air-defence targets in Angola at Cahama and Chibemba. This was called Operation Konyn.
Humbe Battle Group 10 crossed into Angola at Ruacana just before midnight on 23 August and headed northwards through dense bush to their forming point which was 12 km north-west of Humbe. They arrived at their form-up point on time despite encountering obstacles not shown on their maps. At this point they found that H-Hour had been moved back one hour to 11h30 due to the eastern battle groups of Task Force Alpha encountering navigation problems on their march to Xangongo. Commandant de Vries divided his force into two combat teams, one of Ratel-20s, Ratel-90s and 81 mm mortars in the attack group and the second team as a mobile reserve of Buffels and Eland-90's, with the 140 mm artillery in the rear. As Battle Group 10 followed the road south-east to Humbe, the SAAF began to bomb the town of Xangongo. The group's artillery began firing 140 mm artillery rounds at Humbe but was informed by their aerial spotter plane that the trenches close to the town seem abandoned and nor was there any enemy to the battle group's rear in the direction of Cahama. The artillery fire was ceased and their alternative target at Techiulo, that was closer, was then taken without incident as FAPLA soldiers fled on seeing the battle group arrive, leaving behind a group of Irish Catholic nuns at the mission station in the village. By 12h30 the group was heading back towards Humbe passing by the empty trenches and sighting no fleeing enemy from Xangongo, entered the empty town of Humbe. They soon left the town and positioned themselves within 3 km of the bridge over the Cunene River and Xangongo. The two combat teams of Ratel-20's and paratroopers were then sent closer to the river and began to encounter contact with FAPLA troops fleeing Xangongo. By dusk the river plain was under the battle group's control and they laagered there overnight though sporadic fire could be heard overnight from Xangongo. Apart from being woken and called to arms when a FAPLA column attempted a break-out from Xangongo via the bridge, this was taken care of by the other battle groups and they were stood down and rest of the night was peaceful for Battle Group 10. On 25 August, after gathering up enemy equipment on the river plain, Battle Group 10 crossed the bridge over the Cunene river and by 09h00 they were in Xangongo. Their mission would be to hold the town, protect the task force from FAPLA to the north-west while the other battle groups pursued their objectives in the south-east.
Xangongo Battle Group 20, 30 and 40 crossed the border at Ombalantu into Angola just before midnight on 23 August and headed northwards through dense bush. Battle Group 40 led the way followed by 20 and 30 but was slower moving and the other groups who could not overtake to increase the pace towards the forming point. This was due to the fact the Buffel troop carriers were slower than the Ratels. By 09h15 on 24 August, these battle groups found themselves too far east due to a navigation error and lost time. After correcting their error, the air attack on Xangongo was pushed back by one hour to 12h00. The three battle groups would find their way to their forming-up point west of the town and waited for the air and artillery attack. The air attack on Xangongo began at 11h50 when four Buccaneers from 24 Squadron attacked installations and anti-aircraft sites with AS-30 missiles, one hitting a barracks while the other three failed to hit the targets due to malfunctions. At 11h54, five Canberra bombers (12 Squadron) dropped bombs, followed by dive bombing by three further waves of 8 Mirage F-1AZs (1 Squadron), 6 Mirage F-1CZs (3 Squadron) and 4 Mirage IIICZs (2 Squadron). The last wave of rocketing was carried out by eight Impalas finishing at 12h10. Then followed a twenty-minute artillery barrage of the town's defensive positions by G-2 guns and Valkiri multiple rocket launchers.
Battle Group 40 was tasked with taking the town of Xangongo, its defences and the bridge over the Cunene. The plan was to attack from two places, the north-east with Combat Team 41 and the south-east with Combat Team 42, and this began around 12h50. The teams began to assault the layers of trenches and bunkers that made up the town's defences. The fort and water tower, key targets in the town, were eventually reached and taken. The bridge was reached by the combat teams by 17h30 and was immediately prepared with demolition charges by the engineers. It was found later that FAPLA and PLAN officers and their Soviet advisors had hurriedly fled the town while FAPLA and SWAPO soldiers held their positions and fought furiously. Battle Group 40's task of mopping up in Xangongo was completed on 25 August and would now be attached to Task Force Bravo which was operating to the east against PLAN bases, setting out for the town of Evale after 26 August.
Battle Group 20 was tasked with the southern end of the town and its airfield to the west. The first trenches reached by the battle group around 13h25 were found to be empty but as they advanced further, they began to receive small arms fire and then more serious fire from 23mm anti-aircraft guns. Battle Group 20's attack on southern Xangongo was now held up by ZU-23-2 AA guns and the advance was halted as air strikes were called. Two attacks by Mirage aircraft an hour later failed to destroy the site and a third attack by artillery was not successful either. Captain Laubscher of 42 Squadron, flying an observation aircraft, had fired smoke rockets to narrow the Mirages' attack, but this failed so he decided to attempt a direct hit with smoke rockets to accurately mark the target for the Mirages. He dive bombed the target firing one smoke rocket directly into the gun position but by this time the Mirages were out of ordnance and fuel. It was later found that his smoke rocket had hit the operator of the gun. Laubscher was awarded the Honoris Crux decoration for bravery.Louw, Martin & Bouwer, Stefaan (1997). The South African Air Force at War. p. 179 Two and a half hours later the ground attack had resumed this time receiving limited enemy ZU-23-2 fire, attacking bunkers and trenches and eventually taking the airfield. By 18h00, Battle Group 20 was in control of its objectives, having destroyed at least four tanks and capturing vehicles, guns and ammunition. Battle Group 20's rest overnight was disturbed by an enemy truck column that advanced from the south into the group's positions and was destroyed by Ratel 90s. By the midday on 25 August, the battle group was in control of all positions south of the town but lost one soldier in the process. Later, Battle Group 20 would attack a PLAN base to the south of Xangongo towards Cuamato but this was found to be abandoned except for equipment.