A new feature length audio podcast, Stripped, is coming to listeners in September and is based on the contentious and heart-breaking history of the Angolan Bush Wars.
Stripped, to be launched on streaming platforms on September 24, is based on the life of Thomas Budge, who in the 1970s was young man who defied conscription into the apartheid military due to his religious convictions. It is directed and produced by Hendrik Baird with the assistance of Budge himself.
The story recaps Budge’s experience in prison for his convictions, which is an aspect of the legacy of the bush wars that is often underrepresented.
His anti-war stance led to imprisonment, where he spent most of his sentence in solitary confinement.
“Stripped is a story that I must tell, not only to expose the world to these doctrines but to provide encouragement to the many victims of marginalisation, victimisation, and expulsion from society because they had no say over their difference from what some consider the norm.
“This is not relevant for everyone who was persecuted and deprived of their basic human rights,” Budge said.
The bush wars continued for 23 years, making it one of the longest conflicts on the African continent, whose presence was felt across the country including here, where 71,000 soldiers from East London were conscripted or volunteered, with many of them deployed to Namibia and Angola.
Moths EL district dugout adjutant Robin Fourie said there remained unexplored conversations around the lasting impact that this war had on the soldiers, their families and those who opposed conscription.
Fourie said in addition to those who were jailed for their defiance against conscription, the soldiers who served continue to live with issues such as PTSD.
There has also been a reluctance for many of them to even share their stories.
“We can share many experiences about life on the ‘Border’ and what we all had to endure, but when it come to the actual skirmishes, that will never come to the fore,” he said.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, resistance to conscription grew, evolving into political dissent. Legislation had increased national service from one to two years and broadened the conscription base to include immigrants, with severe penalties for refusal.
Organisations such as the Committee on SA War Resistance provided support and intelligence to anti-apartheid movements, aiding political exiles and gathering information on the SA military.
Key figures such as Billy Paddock and Pete Hathorn faced imprisonment.
The End Conscription Campaign (ECC), formed in 1983, became a significant force against conscription, gaining momentum by advocating for alternative service and opposing the government’s military policies.
The ECC’s efforts peaked between 1984 and 1986, organising rallies and campaigns that attracted widespread support and drew attention to the issue. Despite government attempts to suppress them, the ECC persisted, ultimately contributing to the reduction and phasing out of conscription by 1993.
The ECC’s activism not only pressured the conscription system but also played a crucial role in challenging apartheid.
For more information, visit the Stripped — An Audio Drama page on Facebook.
