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Reintegration – 1996

The SANDF became a transformed and reformed organization. “Of the approximately 28,000 originally registered Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) and 6,000 Azanian People’s Liberation Army (Apla) members, about 16,000 reported for integration and, of these, almost 4 000 chose to demobilise. Of those that integrated, almost 1,700 were appointed as officers – a remarkably high percentage – of which 150 are women. Of these officers, comprising about 10% of all regular force SANDF officers, 11 became generals, including the country’s first black woman general. This group, together with the 500 officers from the former homelands’ forces, is the strategic base from which to develop broad representivity of black officers at all levels of command.”¹

Approximately 18,000 former MK and APLA members reported to the SANDF force during the 18-month reintegration process, which ended in November 1996.²

1. “South Africa; Army marches into the future,” Africa News, November 8, 1996.
2. “SOUTH AFRICA; Nearly 18,000 former guerrillas integrated into army in 18 months,” BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, December 10, 1995.