“This monograph firstly records the histories of both guerrilla armies that
fought for the liberation of South Africa in two distinct phases of South African history, the Boer Commandos during the Anglo-Boer war and MK during the Anti-apartheid liberation struggle. It does so by analysis of both the political contexts of these struggles and the military strategies and doctrines employed. A key contribution of this monograph is its argument that a number of practical steps can be initiated to ensure that any future doctrinal revision
attempts to integrate the diverse experiences of guerrilla armies into its
discourse, for instance, the tradition of civilian-based defence(CBD) which provided the bedrock of South African mass resistance against apartheid, could be incorporated as an element of South African national defence
strategy. Essentially CBD is a non-violent strategy of resistance that seeks to deny an occupying power the resources (the people and products) and legitimacy (the consent) required to govern.The monograph concludes that South Africa will in time develop a military historical tradition that is more fully reflective of its diverse military past.”
