Original Border War South West African Territorial Force (SWATF) South West African Police (SWAPOL) Koevoet Camouflage Bush Cap featuring a embroidered SWAPOL insignia, a neck flap for sun protection, and a orange inner top used for signaling while out in the Bush.
Initially, the South West Africa Police (SWAPOL) Koevoet unit utilized both types of South African Police camouflage since the unit did not have its own supplies at its inception. However, in 1980, the unit began replacing its stock of camouflage with a combination of plain olive green and the distinctive SWAPOL design, rendering its use with the unit relatively brief.
Size is approximately a 7.
Koevoet, or "crowbar" in Afrikaans, was the counterinsurgency branch of SWAPOL, the South West African Police force. The unit was comprised of both white South African police officers and black volunteers from Ovamboland, many of whom were seconded from the South African Security Branch or Special Task Force. Mirroring the success of the multiracial Selous Scouts in Rhodesia, Koevoet specialized in counter-insurgency operations and was named after the metaphor of "prying" insurgents from the civilian population.
Koevoet played a major part in the South African Border War, despite only being active for 10 years from 1979 to 1989, they conducted numerous search and destroy operations against the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN). This unit was notorious for its methods and faced accusations of committing numerous atrocities against civilians. Over the course of the conflict, it was responsible for the death or capture of 3,225 insurgents and took part in 1,615 individual engagements. However, in 1989, Koevoet was dissolved as part of the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 435, marking the end of the South African Border War and the emergence of Namibia as an independent nation.
