How compulsory was military draft before the end of apartheid in the early 1990s? Anyone with personal experiences (particularly of service outside South Africa proper) that would elaborate how society and life was affected by the NP government's military policies? Were Blacks ever conscripted for the SADF? This is not a homework assistance issue, I'm purely interested since I've read about this, and would like to learn more.
I am an English-speaking South African, and I served in the SADF in 1989 and 1990.
National Service was compulsory for every white citizen who had lived in the country for more than 5 years. No black, coloured or Indian citizens were conscripted, but due mainly to economic reasons joined the SADF.
The length of service changed over time as the need to commit more soldiers arose.
In the mid to late 70's service changed from 1 year to 2 years. The troops who were ready to leave the SADF suddenly had another year to serve and were understandably unhappy.
After your National Service was finished, one still had to report for "Camps" (which could last from 1 day to 1 month or 2) every year for a certain number of years.
Whilst I was in the army the length of service decreased to 1 year, so I ended up serving 18 months. The intake after me did 16 months, and thereafter 12 months.
The mood in the country at the time was that we ALL had to fight communism, that we stood alone against the Red Scourge. Those that resisted conscription were sentanced to prison for 2 to 4 years.
I did not wait for conscription, but volunteered to join up so I could choose a posting of my choice.
Once I joined up I was subjected to harassment by a few of the Afrikaans soldiers that made me realise I was fighting Communism and dumb-ass Afrikaaner nationalists who thought they were still fighting the Anglo-Boer War. It did not matter that my forefathers had fought against the British as well, I was English speaking, so I was the enemy to them.
National Service seriously affected the country economically as the war escalated. "Campers" were called away from their jobs, and while some companies continued to pay a soldier his salary while he served his 1 or 2 months each year, not all companies did. Students who had completed university courses had to serve 1 to 2 years in the SADF before they could begin paying back student loans. The amount of lost man-hours must be staggering. I recall reading a newspaper article that said the cost of the war was 1 billion Rand a day!
I am of the opinion that the cost of the war brought the National Party to the negotiating table rather than overseas opinion and sanctions.