ABSTRACT
The mercenaries recruited in South Africa and Rhodesia became known as 5-Commando, and their actions dominated much of South Africa’s involvement in Congo during the 1964–1965 period. Moise Tshombe’s unexpected premiership provided a new and more lucrative opportunity for mercenary recruitment in South Africa. The new recruitment drive was said to have received the blessing of the South African authorities, provided it was done properly and that the necessary funds were deposited beforehand in a South African bank. The South African Embassy in Madrid responded three times in the name of the prime minister, and only in one instance, in late February 1964, did Hendrik Verwoerd himself reply. The overt delivery of the goods by the South African military C-130 had attracted international criticism and had brought unwanted attention to Pretoria’s involvement. As a result, the South African government specified that the transportation of the remaining supplies would have to be organised by the Congolese government itself.
