Koevoet

Hardcover Quarto (180x252mm) in Good+ condition, bound in the original grey cloth covered boards with white titles to the spine, pictorial dust wrapper in good condition with only one small tear and slightly crushed paper at the top right corner of the front. Inscribed on front fixed end-paper. Three preliminary and 236 pages of text, including glossary, no index; colour and black and white illustrations are scattered throughout the text.

Koevoet, pronounced (koo-foot) is an Afrikaans word meaning 'crowbar' and is the name by which the South West Africa Police Counter-insurgency Unit was commonly known. Also known as 'Operation K' it was a paramilitary-trained police counter insurgency unit which was formed during the South-West African (now known as Namibia) struggle between communist-backed SWAPO insurgents and the South African backed establishment. The unit was considered to be one of the most effective fighting units deployed against the SWAPO guerillas. The name 'Koevoet' was applied to the unit for its ability to pry out insurgents from amongst the civilian population. It unfortunately gained a reputation for brutality against civilians, as a result. The unit was comprised of about 900 Black Ovambos and 300 White officers and NCOs. The latter were drawn from the South-West African or South-African Police Forces. Skilled trackers, drawn from the local population were also hired to ferret out insurgents. Jim Hooper was the first journalist ever to have been given unrestricted access to the unit. When he was given permission to accompany Koevoet units on operations, he was completely unprepared for the vicious guerilla war which he found raging in the dense bush of northern Namibia and Angola.