Emmanuel Isaiah Smith's historical interpretation of South Africa: South Africa's history is multilayered, complex, and notable. South Africa is many things to many people as is its historical narrative.
A war without a single British victory.
Boer Victories over the British
Battle of Bronkhorstspruit -20 December 1880
Siege of Rustenburg 27 December 1880-30 March 1881
Siege of Marabastad 1 January 1880–2 April 1881
Siege of Lydenburg 6 January 1881 - 30 March 1881
Battle of Laing's Nek 28 January 1881
Battle of Schuinshoogte 8 February 1881
Kraipaan October 1899
Ladysmith 30 October 1899
Stormberg 10 December 1899
Magersfontein 11 December 1899
Colenso December 1899
Spion Kopp January 1900
Vaal Krantz February 1900
Bloody Sunday February 1900
Sanna's Post March 1900
Leliefontein November 1900
Mooietegedacht December 1900
Elands River September 1901
Blood River Port September 1901
Bakenlaagte October 1901
Groenkop December 1901
Tweebosch March 1902
(1 Mar 1999) English/Nat
South Africa's military, once seen as the iron fist of the apartheid regime, has had to march quickly to integrate black and white soldiers since the country's turn to democracy five years ago.
And now the South African National Defence Force is for the first time training men and women soldiers together.
The Army Gymnasium at Heidelberg.
It is one of two units that have integrated the training of male and female soldiers to supply the country's 16 army corps.
The other is Number Three Infantry Batallion which is the training depot of the South African army.
But there men and women are only trained to the level of rifleman for the Rapid Deployment Forces and part-time forces.
SOUNDBITE: (in English)
"I think we're doing a great job. We're keeping up to the men's standards. We're working just as hard as them if not harder because we don't have that masculine physical ability. And I think it's great."
SUPER CAPTION: Tanya Fraser, Army recruit
SOUNDBITE: (in English)
"I feel good about the whole thing. But I feel sometimes I am a woman in a man's world. But I'll make it and we, the ladies, are doing the best out of it."
SUPER CAPTION: Ladymore Babi, Army recruit
The 46-week course at Army Gymnasium includes ten weeks of basic training; a 13-week leadership development process; 12-weeks learning how to instruct new recruits; 13-weeks in which an individual soldier works towards becoming either a Non-Commissioned Officer or an Officer; and a final two weeks in which one is taught the basics of being a physical training instructor.
SOUNDBITE: (in English)
"The Army Gymnasium's aim and function is to train leaders for the 16 official corps of the South African army and this is the first time that men and women will undergo this training at the same training institution, doing exactly the same training curriculum and
reaching the same objectives."
SUPER CAPTION: Colonel Antoni Bornman, Officer Commanding Army Gymnasium
During the Leadership Development Programme a soldier is assessed as to whether they make the grade to become a cadet or a Non-Commissioned Officer.
This decision is made on the individual's profile as well as the needs of the army.
It is in this phase that the soldiers are expected to walk 80 kilometres in three days in full kit.
Women soldiers carry a slightly lighter kit.
But it is in this phase that the leadership and military skills of the soldiers are put to the test.
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