South African entertainment was an "insulated" affair during the 1970s and 1980s. Television was only introduced in 1976, and the radio broadcast network therefore provided the main form of entertainment for many South Africans during this era. In particular, for our National Servicemen, the main form of entertainment consisted of radio, and cassette tapes. A National Serviceman's daily pay was very limited at that time, and hence most NSM simply listened to radio broadcasts when these were within range. An NSM would have had access to the following limited forms of entertainment during his two-year stint in the SADF:
To elaborate further, NSMs were generally in base camp in SA either during basics or when returning to/from the border. Such times were always periods of extreme busyness and hence entertainment time was limited to say the least. Most troops would head off to the pub or canteen in the evening and return to their bungalow a short while later to attend to tasks in preparation for the next day. With limited funds, and limitations as to how much one could drink, most troops were to be found in the bungalow preparing for the next morning's inspection, or else recovering from the sheer exhaustion of the day.
For many of the troops the affordability of a small radio resulted in a common form of entertainment and relaxation being the sound of a radio programme in the background while some of the troops worked on cleaning rifles, others wrote letters to family and friends, and others fell off to sleep. Obviously choice of station was limited as not all radio stations had good signals to all parts of SA. What must be noted was that many of these base camps eg. 3 SAI, 7 SAI, SAMS Training Centre, etc. were located far from the main cities, and so the variety of broadcasts was in essence limited to a regional station and one or two national broadcasters. While the Southern Cross Fund and other donors provided at least one television set to many of the bases, most troops found that free-time was an issue. Television was also only introduced in SA much later than many other parts of the world. Hence while some of the bases were equipped with a television set in the canteen or entertainment area for the troops, this was not conveniently located in bungalows. As most bases had a lights-out policy of 10.00PM daily, many troops found this a particularly inconvenient entertainment medium. Free-time was limited, and there were always many tasks to do before lights-out.
Most troops had an intensive training period in the bush before being sent up to the border. In the bush a small radio would survive the rigours of living in a tent with no electricity. This medium of entertainment was still available in limited areas of SA, depending on whether a broadcast signal was available. Batteries were a common element of a troop's parcel from home, or were a regular purchase when the troops were taken into town once a month to do banking and shopping for personal items.
The routine on the border was similar, although SABC television and SA radio stations were not broadcast to the northern part of SWA. The SADF did send videos up to the border from time to time for the entertainment of the troops. One could also receive limited broadcasts of SWABC radio and if in a larger base e.g. Oshakati or Ondangwa, then one may have had access to SWABC television broadcasts. This was however the exception to the rule, and one usually spent time with fellow troops in the pub or catching up on well-needed sleep.
While in the bush on the border, one was officially on patrol "fighting the war". The truth of the situation was that there were particularly long periods of inactivity and boredom. During these periods troops looked for any form of entertainment possible. Whether it was swimming in the shonas, playing soccer with the local children, or tuning the official radio network across to a radio station back in the "States", the perception was that no official entertainment occurred in the bush. As with any low-paid employee, the order of the day while on patrol was to do as little as possible, and yet remain sane and alive. Returning to the activity of listening to radio stations back in SA (the "States") one could tune the larger B25 radios onto most frequencies in SA. While the reception was generally better at night or just after it had rained, the sound of "home" always lifted the spirit of the troops, even if one could only listen for a short while before the radio's batteries went flat ! The Comms radio operators in base probably wondered why the radio link to troops in the field was often dead, but then they did have the ability to listen to the same broadcasts in base with the luxury of generator power 24/7.
This page has been created to provide you with the opportunity to listen to extracts from some of the radio broadcasts transmitted on SABC radio during the 1970s and 1980s. In order to set the mood we have recreated a typical environment in a National Serviceman's day to provide you with the opportunity to "live the moment" of the particular broadcast as it would have been experienced during national service.
We would like to thank the PumaMouse web-site for the clips and other information made available to create this particular page. Furthermore, we would like to thank them for having the dedication to collect and preserve a part of South African broadcast history when so many others regard this as irrelevant and not worth the effort. Considering that the PumaMouse web-site is hosted outside of SA, this shows us that many non-South Africans do indeed dedicate much effort to the preservation of our history, even if we as South Africans do not generally do so. What must be said, however, is that there are some dedicated South Africans who do make an effort to do their part in collecting and storing our national heritage. In particular, we would like to mention Mr Frans Erasmus. Frans is based in Johannesburg, and is one of the team who have gone to great lengths to locate and convert old recordings into a format that can be used and listened to by visitors to the PumaMouse web-site.
We recommend that you visit the PumaMouse web-site as it contains so much material that we could not possibly do justice to describe the variety of content here.
The clips below are a collection of sound recordings from the following radio stations:
If you do not have a Sound player, please feel free to download RealPlayer here.
Springbok Radio - AM Opening with Danie Smuts on Tuesday 14 September 1982. Clip 1
The sound of an alarm clock has broken the peaceful sleep, and everyone is about to awaken in the bungalow. It is cold outside and we can feel the wind as it blows under the door. The sun has not even risen yet and we can hear the Corporal shouting in the distance. Someone puts his hand out from the warmth of the blanket which is draped over his bed at the far end of the bungalow and turns on the radio. It is Springbok Radio, and the presenter says it is 2 minutes past five. How we all wish the rank would just oversleep for five minutes this morning, and we could get a few more minutes rest. We are all exhausted from yesterday's training and could do with the day off, but there is no chance of that. We all surface in the next few minutes as we need to shower, shave and dress before rushing off for breakfast at 5.45AM. Not much time to get all this done, and then we have 30 minutes for breakfast before coming back to polish boots again, put pegs under the mattresses so the beds look level, and do a final sweep out of the bungalow. Then it's roll-call and inspection to commence a long day of hard training, drill, PT and night training...
Dagbreek Deuntjie. Clip 3
"Hey, it's Saturday morning, why did the alarm clock go off ? *&~#*. " The radio is playing Dagbreek Deuntjies and we can hear it echoing faintly through the bungalow. Someone forgot to set the alarm for one hour later, so we have been woken an hour earlier than required. More complaints come from around the room as everyone starts to surface. The owner of the alarm clock gets offered a number of expletives which he ignores. "Paraat Piet" is off to the ablution block, while the rest of us crawl out of bed. Saturday morning inspection is going to happen a little later than usual, and the music filtering out of the radio does not help to lift the spirits at this time of the morning.
Radio SA - English Service AM Opening, 1977. Clip 4
Sombre Sunday - now this is the day that we can lie in bed for an extra hour. Skip breakfast and head straight for Church at 8.00AM. The radio broadcaster pipes out "This is Radio South Africa ..." in military style. Wonder who changed the station. The formality of the tune sounds like the Officer Commanding phoned the radio station and demanded that they play this tune to spite us. Never fear we will demand that the station be changed as soon as we are all up and about ...
Once we are all awake there is no chance of falling asleep again, and we can now hear the birds outside on the trees. They seem so cheery in such a dreary place.
Springbok Radio - Afrikaans Jingle from 1977 to 1985. Clip 5
After Church we return to the bungalows as the rank head out of the base to enjoy their afternoon. We have the rest of the day to enjoy the base in peace and quiet. Nobody to shout orders or chase us around the base. It is now time to do washing. No washing machine or laundromat. It must be done with cold-water - by hand. Always the worst in Winter, with cracked hands. Ingrams must have made a fortune selling their products to our fellow troopies over the years. Lets hope it does not rain later as there is the ironing to be done once the clothing is dry and it is always terrible trying to iron clothes dry. A queue exists at the wash troughs, and eventually the washing is finished. Amazing how heavy wet washing is when you have to walk all that way back to the bungalow. Let's hope no one tries to steal the washing off the line today.
Springbok Radio - Springbok Rendezvous with Esme Euvrard. Saturday afternoon 2.00PM to 5.00PM, December 1977. Clip 6
On Saturday and Sunday afternoons we often listen to Esme Euvrard on Springbok Radio. She has a programme dedicated to broadcasting messages to us troopies doing our National Service. Some of the troopies call her Tannie Esme. We hear on the radio that she also receives post addressing her as "Bosmoedertjie." Sounds like she has often visited the border. Perhaps it is not that bad up there ! We can all remember her having done this program for so many years now she is like family. The question is - Will there be a message for me this afternoon ?
English Service - Forces Favourites. Clip 7
Walking back from the ablution block with the heavy load of wet washing, one can hear the Forces Favourites tune playing on a radio in the bungalow next to ours. This is another programme on the English Service dedicated to us troopies.
Springbok Radio - News Introductions. Clip 8
During the next few days the news broadcasts are heard regularly as we spend more time in base preparing for tests, and on a few of the days we have heavy rain downpours. We are forced to remain indoors much to the chagrin of the rank. Hear news from the outside world, and have the opportunity to write letters to friends and family. Also speak to the family on the tickey-box near the Snoepie. Queues aren't too bad as many of the other companies have left for the border.
Radio SA - English Service. PM Closing with Rodney Trudgeon, 1986. Followed by the National Anthem. Clip 88
Oor ons ewige gebergtes waar die kranse antwoord gee. Deur ons vèr verlate vlaktes met die kreun van osewa. Ruis die stem van ons geliefde, van ons land Suid-Afrika. Ons sal antwoord op jou roepstem, ons sal offer wat jy vra: Ons sal lewe, ons sal sterwe, ons vir jou, Suid-Afrika. In die merg van ons gebeente, in ons hart en siel en gees,
In die songloed van ons somer, in ons winternag se kou,
Op U Almag vas vertrouend het ons vadere gebou:
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Over everlasting mountains where the echoing crags resound; From our plains where creaking wagons cut their trails into the earth - Calls the spirit of our Country, Of the land that gave us birth. At thy call we shall not falter, Firm and steadfast we shall stand. At thy will to live or perish, O South Africa, dear land. In our body and our spirit, For our inmost heart held fast;
In the golden warmth of summer, In the chill of winter's air,
In thy power, Almighty, trusting, Did our fathers build of old;
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The words are imprinted in our minds. Even as English speakers we can sing the Afrikaans version better than the English one. We sing the National Anthem at Church and at parades. The words have such meaning for us, and reflect the hope and faith we have in our country ... It's late and we need to get some sleep. Tomorrow is the start of another week of marching, PT, night manoeuvres and training.
SABC - All Night Radio Service with Rocco Erasmus. Opening of Service. Clip 89
A few nights later ... Coming in from night guard duty ... the radio has been left on. It appears that everyone in the bungalow was extremely tired last night - no one got up to put it off. Listen for a few minutes more, and head over to turn it off after the introductions are done. The resultant silence is not so silent - the snoring soldiers break the silence. Oh well, my turn to get to bed early tonight when it is their turn to be on night guard duty !
Radio Orion - 9.30PM Opening with Ben Theunissen, 1986. Clip 90
A few nights later a few of us return from pass one night early - planes and busses are difficult to arrange. Get to bed early and lie in bed listened to the opening of the Orion night service. Mellow music puts one in slumberland pretty soon.
Radio Orion - Opening with Robin Alexander, 12.00AM Wednesday 24 August 1983. Clip 91
Robin Alexander had the voice that could keep you listening to the broadcast until the start of the day service broadcasts. Stayed up late as we go on pass today until Sunday. Needed to finish polishing boots, etc. and get ready for Pass Parade ... If we are not neat enough our Pass could be cancelled. The last of us head off to bed ... must be up early this morning.
Radio Orion - Opening with Robin Alexander, 12.00AM Thursday 1 May 1986. Clip 92
In base on the border - we tune the B25 radio to one of the SA frequencies and pick up Robin Alexander's voice. No May Day relaxation for us as it will be a normal working day consisting of guard duty, chicken parade, klaarstaan, and general base maintenance duties.
Should any of these clips bring back particular memories of your national service, or if you are able to provide information about the broadcast of these programmes, we would appreciate your contacting the WebMaster.
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