The tracking of SWAPO insurgents was an important part of bush patrol

2 members of 32 Battalion Recce Wing in 1981 — founder of PMC Executive Outcomes, Eeben Barlow, on the right

Ystervark crew from 32 Battalion with a MiG-23ML's external 800-liter fuel drop tank which they shot down

In the 80s, a group of former Rhodesian Army soldiers joined the SADF - many of them recruited by Col. Jan Breytenbach to serve under 44 Parachute Regiment as Pathfinders. Among them were British and American troops too. They were at that time humorously referred to as 'The Philistines' because they were foreigners.

On 4 Sep 1981:

- Operation Protea ended with 438 SWAPO/FAPLA killed, including the four Russians, and 46 captured. The SADF lost 14 men and 61 wounded.

Back in the day, the SADF were used to tackle unrest in African townships and bantustans