2003 IMTA Proceedings - International Military Testing Association

694
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF DEPLOYMENTS FOR THE MEMBERS OF
THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE (S. A. N. D. F.)
MAJOR CHARLES KENNY M. MAKGATI
RESEARCH PSYCHOLOGIST, MILITARY PSYCHOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, SANDF,
SOUTH AFRICA.
Kennymakgati@hotmail.com
Introduction
The African continent has been emerging for some time now. This process came along with
issues which involve poverty, spilling of blood, migration, refugees and sometimes, death. At the
same time, the democratisation of South Africa, implied that the South African government
assumed a different role in terms of involving the South African National Defence Force in
international missions. This came with a different focus from which these forces used to operate.
Traditionally, the SANDF primarily focused on aspects such as border control, crime prevention
and peace enforcement on a national level. However, the integration of all military forces (South
African Defence Force, non-statutory forces such as Umkhunto we Sizwe and the African
Peoples Liberation Army), the removal of sanctions and changes in international relations,
implied greater political involvement by the South African government in Southern Africa. As a
result, the principles, roles and practices of the SANDF had to change accordingly. Clearly, these
changes could not proceed without some difficulty.
This paper focuses mainly on the involvement of the South African National Defence Force
through the deployment of soldiers into the African continent. Specific attention is laid on the
question of how our South African troops cope with international deployments which at times
include the United Nations. In an attempt to address this, the researcher commences by providing
a brief background on the conflict in Africa and latter addresses the psychological implications
of these deployments.
The Conflict in Africa and the legacies of colonialism
Over the past decades there have been numerous attempts to resolve intra-state conflict in
Africa through mediation. Most of these efforts have failed, with one or more of the parties
spurning negotiations, being unwilling or unable to reach a settlement in the course of mediation,
or subsequently violating agreements that have been concluded. The factors that may account for
the lack of success in each case include the history, nature and causes of the conflict;
demographic, cultural and socio-economic conditions; the goals and conduct of disputant parties,
the role of external actors; and the style and methods of the mediator.
History postulates that colonialism stunted Africa’s political, economic, and social
development. It has been argued that it was during the nineteenth century’s scramble for Africa,
that the European powers partitioned the continent into arbitrary territorial units. The colonies
that emerged lacked internal cohesiveness, and differences and antagonisms among various
indigenous groups were frequently exploited and exacerbated. Africans were given virtually no
voice in political affairs. Designed to support the needs of the colonial powers, colonial
economies required largely unskilled labour and education was neglected. Generally, colonial
powers did not prepare African countries for statehood, which most achieved during the 1960's
45 th Annual Conference of the International Military Testing Association
Pensacola, Florida, 3-6 November 2003