I operated inside Namibia fully armed from 1978 to 1983, as a PLAN fighter ever ready to engage enemy forces. In October 1984, however, I entered Namibia unarmed for a special assignment – a clandestine mission. I left the PLAN provincial headquarters in Lubango by road up to somewhere between Zamba and Ondongo settlement.
Accompanying me on that long journey were about 20 PLAN fighters, led by Kayambu Amupolo, who was the Regional Chief of Air Defence at the Northern Regional Headquarters. The trucks dropped us off to undertake a journey that covered over 150 kilometres to the Regional Headquarters, which was situated about 25 kilometres south of Cuvelayi area in the Cunene Province. Cuvelayi is about 40 kilometres south of Tjamutete, a mining town, while Tjamutete is about 25 kilometres south of Cassinga settlement.
We left the PLAN Provincial Headquarters on board two military trucks on our way to the Northern Region. The journey to the Regional Headquarters was amid intensification of military operations by the South African security forces in the southern province of Angola. In fact, we arrived at the Regional Headquarters at a time when the racist colonial security forces had occupied part of the Cunene Province of Angola. Our journey from Ondongo was punctuated by sporadic rain, and thick jungles and bush, which were teeming with UNITA bandits and South African false guerrillas deployed to operate behind PLAN rear bases.
We had also carried heavy loads of armaments and other supplies for the region. Once we arrived at the Regional Headquarters, I was taken to a special post outside the Regional Headquarters.
I stayed there for about two weeks before I finally embarked on an equally long journey to Namibia.
According to the security briefing I got from the Post Commander, whose name I cannot remember, I was to be taken into Namibia by three PLAN special reconnaissance fighters. The three would show me the way into Namibia, introduce me to a few contacts and show me where to pass and where not to pass, as the areas were infested with enemy agents and collaborators. We left the Regional Headquarters in the third week of December 1984, crossing the border at Odibo yee Ngulu village.
It took us a week to get to Ehafo and Oshipumbushomugongo villages, south of Oshakati. At Ehafo, I was introduced to Mr Kaspir Amutse and Ms Enghono Justine, both of whom were teachers at Ehafo Primary School. At Oshipumbu sho Mugongo, I was introduced to Mr Simon Daniel and his wife meme Ailly.
These individuals played key roles in facilitating my operations in that area and beyond. Other key people that I was introduced to included the late Cde Jacob Shifula and his wife, the late meme Maria, and the Senior Headman of Elyambala, Tate Kayupa Mwatotele. The latter played a crucial role in facilitating the acquisition of my national identity card at the Civic Affairs Office at Ondangwa and facilitated my safe passage to Windhoek to execute my underground assignment.
I was initially operating under the alias Philipus Matheus, in the areas north of Oshakati and Oshivelo tarred road, while I was known as Frans Amutenya south of the same road. These were false names I used to cover my real identity among the general population, including enemy security agents across the country. However, later after I obtained the South West Africa national identity card and other documents, I started using the name, which appeared on my identity card: Philipus Matheus.
After a week in Namibia, I went back to Angola, though I did not reach the Regional Headquarters, as I had to return to Namibia as early as possible to continue with my clandestine assignment.
As agreed earlier on between Cde John Mupupa and myself, our meeting was arranged in Oyihole village to arrange for future communication. I found Cde Mupupa already waiting for me.
We spent the night at Oyihole across the border in Angola where we strategized on the best communication to employ. We agreed that we employ secret communication such as dead letter box (DLB) for emergency contact.
Secondly, we agreed to meet after three months or so physically for a detailed briefing on a variety of issues related to the assignments. The biggest challenge faced during my operation then was how I would acquire the South West Africa national identity card and other necessary documents.
We were fully aware that all those working in the Civic Office at Ondangwa were agents of the South African secret services: hence, it was risky for me to obtain the necessary national documents at that office. The risk of being arrested while obtaining these documents was very high. However, the mitigation of the perceived risk would also depend on how I employed my tradecraft. These were crucial documents without which I could not be able to travel beyond Oshivelo.
However, I knew that somehow, I had the necessary expertise to work out a strategy to obtain these documents no matter how long it took. I left Cde Mupupa at Oyihole village and returned to Namibia. Since I was not allowed to carry an AK-47, I took a Makarov pistol with me. I was only allowed to carry a pistol under certain circumstances for defence purposes. I crossed the border in the afternoon and spent the night at Onengali village.
I spent December 1984 and January 1985 expanding my network of facility agents and supporting networks around the northern part of the country. Most importantly, I spent those months strategizing how I could obtain the necessary national documents that would enable me to operate across the country.
• The book is available at the Book Den near Polytechnic of Namibia in Windhoek, Etunda filling station in Otavi, Omuthiya filling station, Okapana filling station in Ondangwa, Highway filling station (Selector) Ongwediva, Spar Shop Ongwediva, Book of Namibia in Ondangwa, Oshakati and Outapi, Hosea Kutako International Airport and at Bush War Publication in Durban South Africa.