From 1966 to 1989 an unknown war was fought far to the north of our beautiful country. It was fought by the sons of South African mothers and fathers, but the story has never truly been told...
Go and chat to any guy or gal who is younger than twenty-eight and the chances are very good that they will have no idea what you are talking about when you mention the Border War, a war that raged for twenty-three years. Mention to them that, in that period, four-hundred-and-thirty-thousand young men were conscripted, and they will just stare at you blankly.
We are people who want to tell your story. We want other people to know about what happened to you over there. We want to know why some of you get tears in your eyes when the subject of the 'grensoorlog' (border war) pops up in conversation. We want your stories, your thoughts, your lives. We want your hearts and minds concerning a relatively unknown war. We want it because we are so very interested to know the people that fought for a cause that has all but slipped out of mind. We want to know what you look like, what you do for a living, and if you are still alive...
We also want to collect your personal information and set up a full database where you can get back in touch with your long-lost ‘troepie’ (troopie) brother.
We are people who know other people like you. We know people who were there. We have in the past -and still do- listened to your stories. It brings to us yearnings and longings for more… more information, more legends; so that we can take this project further… so that we can build this project up from the ground with honesty and integrity because it is owed to the men who were there, and to the men who never came back.
We are starting this research movement in order to cut between the muscle and the bone. We want to tell a very personal story; that is why we need your stories. We want to get emotional about it with you, and we want to remember with you. In the end we want to give you something that you can give your children and which can be given, in turn, to your grandchildren; so that maybe, just maybe, the ones who are still there will not be forgotten.
Please write all of your stories; it doesn’t matter if they are long or short, funny or gruesome, on this blog in the “comments” box. We are interested in the tales surrounding you and your family under the blight of the war, as well as any military episodes that affected you personally. We are also very interested in your re-integration with society when your conscription ended. If you are loath to send your stories publicly, you are welcome to email me at the email address that is given at the bottom of this page.
We will be reading your stories attentively and then they will be judged. The content of all of the stories are equally important to us. The selected authors will then be approached in order to record film interviews, which will form part of our finished product, as a documentary.
So please remember to furnish us with your personal contact details, such as your name, email address and cell phone number when you post your story. This is of critical importance.
Veterans Research Fund
Veterans Research Fund
It is almost impossible to get funding for a project of this nature, thus our need to have some private investors.
K.R.O. Pictures has a separate banking facility which is administrated by an independent auditor (Merwitz & Malan of Waterkloof, Pretoria, 012 346 3044). These particulars have been given on the right hand side of this page for your convenience, should you wish to make a contribution, of which we are in need. Even just a hundred Rand…
We have established the K.R.O. Pictures ’40 Days’ research fund. This will allow us to proceed with establishing a co-production with an international partner.
Join us on this journey of discovery, which has been put off for far too long. We think it is more than worth it…
