Jump to content

Operation Skerwe

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Operation Skerwe
Location
Mozambique

Operation Skerwe is located in Mozambique
Maputo
Maputo
Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit
Operation Skerwe (Mozambique)
ObjectiveDestruction of ANC planning, training and bomb making facilities
Date23 May 1983

Operation Skerwe (English: Operation Shards) was a military operation conducted by the South African Air Force (SAAF) against African National Congress (ANC) facilities based in the Matola suburb of Maputo city.

Background

[edit]

On 20 May 1983, a car bomb exploded in the late afternoon in Church Street, Pretoria. The target was the South African Air Force Headquarters timed to catch the staff leaving the building for home.[1]: Chp8  The bomb had been set by the ANC based in Mozambique.[2] The car bomb killed 19 and wounded between 188 and more than 200 people.[2][3]

Operation

[edit]

Planning for the operation begun on 21 May, a day after the bombing when Commandant Steyn Venter was directed to take four Impala strike aircraft with rocket pods to the airbase at Hoedspruit.[1]: Chp8  There he was joined by eight other Impala's from 4 Squadron and 8 Squadron.[1]: Chp8  One Canberra bomber, from the Waterkloof airbase flown by Major Des Barker, would also take part in the operation.[1]: Chp8  As the aircrew planned their mission based on reconnaissance photographs, video and models of the targets, ground crews readied the aircraft for the mission the following day.[1]: Chp8 [4] The plan called for a low level approach down the river into Maputo then climbing for the attack on the street in Matola in pairs, in line astern positions, attack only if the targets were visible, before climbing left and the returning to a low level formation back to South Africa.[1]: Chp8  The mission for Sunday 22 May, after initial issues with the aircraft and low cloud, was called off after taxiing to the runway.[1]: Chp8  On Monday 23 May, the aircraft took off at 06h40 for Maputo. The Canberra bomber contacted the Maputo control tower informing them of the raid and not to interfere.[1]: Chp8 [4] The Impala strike aircraft then lined up for the attack with most firing their rockets at the target houses in the street.[1]: Chp8  The South African Impala aircraft arrived back safely at the airbase at Hoedspruit with little fuel to spare while the Canberra bomber returned to Waterkloof outside Pretoria.[1]: Chp8 

Aftermath

[edit]

The casualty figures are conflicting with the Mozambique government claiming that 6 people died including 2 children and 26 people wounded. The South African military claiming 64 people killed, 41 being ANC operatives, 17 Mozambican soldiers and 6 civilians while other sources claimed 8 civilians died.[1]: Chp8 [5]

Western diplomats and journalists were given a three-hour guided tour of Matola by the Mozambican Information Ministry officials.[5] They were shown minimal rocket damage to building's and a juice and jam factory with little to show that the ANC lived in the street with residents claiming the ANC residents had moved out three months earlier.[5] The South African military claimed that the site had been sanitized before the visit and that they had attacked the planning offices of the ANC unit responsible for the Pretoria bombings.[1]: Chp8  The South Africans also claimed they had neutralized an antiaircraft missile site.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Lord, Dick (2012). From Fledgling to Eagle. The South African Airforce during the Border War. Solihull, England: Helion & Company. ISBN 9781908916624.
  2. ^ a b c "South Africa jets bomb Mozambique". New York Times. 23 May 1983. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  3. ^ "ANC Mastermind Campaign justifies Pretoria Church Street blast". South African Press Association. 6 May 1998. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  4. ^ a b Lelyveld, Joseph (23 May 1983). "South Africa Jets Raid Mozambique in reply to Rebels". New York Times. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  5. ^ a b c Cowell, Alan (25 May 1983). "Damage in Mozambique raid looks surprisingly light". New York Times. Retrieved 29 September 2014.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Lord, Dick (2012). From Fledgling to Eagle. The South African Airforce during the Border War(e-book). Solihull, England: Helion & Company. ISBN 9781908916624.