Swaziland

Kingdom of Swaziland

The Kingdom of Swaziland (Umbuso weSwatini) is a landlocked nation in Southern Africa, populated mostly by Bantu-speaking people whose ancestors migrated to the region in the 4th or 5th centuries CE. The nation is also called Ngwane in the local dialect. In 1881, the British government recognized the independence of the Swazi nation, but nevertheless negotiated mineral and land rights that placed administration of the region under South Africa. During the Boer Wars, Swaziland was often a refuge for Boer commando units and thus was indirectly involved in the war. Following South Africa's independence from Britain, Swaziland continued to be under administerial control of the UK until the 1960s, when the nation was encouraged to pursue self-governance. Following the ratification of its own constitution and the creation of a Legislative Council, elections were held in 1967 and official independence granted in 1968. The nation is presently an absolute monarchy, under King Mswati III.

Formed in 1973 by decree from His Majesty King Sobhuza II, the Royal Swaziland Defence Force was initially made up of veterans of the Second World War and members of the two traditional warriors regiments, or Umbutfo, and consisted of a small, permanent and professional cadre with the bulk of the force being part-time reservists. Initial training for the officers was conducted at the Kenyan Army Officer Training College. By 1977, a new directive established the Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF) comprised of the Army, Navy (presumbly a riverine force), and an Air Force. A security agreement with South Africa in 1984 launched a cooperative relationship with the South African Defence Force (SADF), which included agreements with South African manufacturing companies to supply uniforms and equipment to Swaziland. The armed forces of this nation are presently known as the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF), and comprise approximately 3,000 active duty personnel consisting of an Infantry Brigade and a small Air Wing, but no naval units. An elite security unit called the Royal Squadron reputedly provides ceremonial and protective details for the monarchy. Law enforcement in this small nation is the responsibility of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), which is responsible for internal security, border security, and customs constrol, in addition to standard domestic duties.

Camouflage of Swaziland

• The pattern below is believed to be an early one designed for the USDF and produced in South Africa in the mid-1980s. It bears some similarity to designs produced for the South African tribal homelands, as well as to the camouflage pattern later adopted by the Swaziland police from the 1990s onwards. Unfortunately very few photographs illustrate its use, and at present confirmation is only tentative. However, enough circumstantial evidence exists to make Swaziland the most likely recipient for uniforms of this "giraffe spot" type pattern.

• The Defence Force have worn variations of British DPM since the 1980s. An early version, seen below, was locally-made in a style similar to the British 1985 pattern uniform.

• A contract with the same company that produced uniforms for the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom also made uniforms for Swaziland in the late 1980s. These uniforms are essentially direct copies of the British issue uniforms, down to the specific cut and the use of cotton modal fabric.

• This unique "giraffe spot" camouflage design has been affiliated with the Swaziland Police since at least 1996 and photographs of its use can be found as far back as 2005. The design consists of large, irregular spots in dark brown and ochre-yellow on a pale blue background. Often seen worn by members of the elite Operational Support Service Unit (OSSU), a platoon-sized element of the REPS specializing in riot control and suppression of trafficking, it is believed use of this camouflage pattern is also extended to other police personnel, dependent on duty and function.

• Later versions of the UEDF DPM pattern feature much brighter colors and more durable fabrics, being produced in Asia specifically for use by the Swaziland Defence Force.

• Dating to the 1980s, the Royal Squadron (sometimes referred to as the King's Bodyguard) were reputedly issued a brilliantly-colored blue/purple DPM pattern camouflage uniform for ceremonial appearances. The surviving examples of these uniforms indicate they were made in South Africa by the same factories that produced uniforms for the SADF. Unfortunately, extant photographs of this uniform in use have yet to emerge; yet the surviving uniforms are labeled as such and unlikely to be purely fantasy items. It is not known for how long this unique camouflage design was worn, but it is speculated to have been short-lived, or perhaps never even fielded at all. This remains one of those mystery items that emerged out of Southern Africa during the Border Wars period that has yet to be fully documented or explained.