From Paratus to SA Soldier : a reflection on the primary magazine of the SA military 1990-2010

Date
2017-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: The nature of media has changed and evolved over the years with rapidly increasing changes observed after the Cold War period. The nature of media, both civilian and military in South Africa, was no exception. Within the military environment, four distinctive periods can be identified between 1912 and 2010. During the World Wars, the Nonkay magazine existed for security forces. During the middle 1950’s the Kommando magazine came into existence. During the time of the Cold War Paratus was the magazine for the South African military. Salut magazine came into existence during 1994 after the end of the Cold War and, in South Africa, the transition from apartheid state to a democratic state. In order to reflect the agenda of the new incumbent government and the changed interests of stakeholders, the magazine changed in 2001 from Salut to the SA Soldier. The changes included content, layout and the messages conveyed. These changes were undertaken in order to adapt to the changed economic, political and military environments or settings in which South Africa found itself. The study that I undertook entailed qualitative descriptive research; an exploration into the evolving world of the military media between 1990 and 2010 and a slice of life from the military media over two decades. A content analysis of the Paratus, Salut and the SA Soldier magazine was undertaken, followed by a literature review that explored this field and confirmed that little or no prior studies existed relating to South African military magazines. An in-depth study of the content of the magazines revealed several dominant themes. This study examines those themes and provides reasons how these themes were identified, selected and analysed. Reasons for their inclusion is elaborated upon and discussed in each chapter. The last chapter provides an overall view of the chapters, mentioning the overall findings of the study and effectively brings the study to an end by suggesting a number of research gaps in need of future exploration.
AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Die natuur en aard van geskrewe media het ‘n metamorfose na die Koue Oorlog beleef. Die media – beide siviel en militêr – in Suid-Afrika is geen uitsondering nie. Tussen 1912 en 2010 kan vier kenmerkende periodes geidentifiseer word. Gedurende die Wêreldoorloë, was die Nonkay Tydskrif beskikbaar vir veiligheidsmagte, gedurende middel 1950 was dit vervang met die Kommando tydskrif. Gedurende die Koue oorlog het die Suid-Afrikaanse weermag die Paratus as tydskrif gestig en dit is vervang aan die einde van die oorgangsfase van apartheid na demokrasie na die Salut in 1994. Ten einde die nuwe demokratiese agenda en gepaargaande transformasie van in die militêre omgewing te bevorder, is die Salut verander na die SA Soldier gedurende 2001. Grootskaalse veranderinge nie net in terme van die naam en doel nie, maar ook in terme van inhoud, uitleg en beriggewing het gevolg. Die veranderinge moes in pas kom met die nuwe ekonomiese, politiese en militêre arenas wat Suid- Afrika hom in bevind het. Die studie teen die bree agtergrond van die funksionalistiese raamwerk is onderneem as kwalitatiewe beskrywende navorsing. ‘n Verkenningstog na die evolusie van militêre media tussen die tydperk 1990 en 2010 is onderneem. ‘n Inhoudsanalise is gedoen op die Paratus, Salut en SA Soldier tydskrifte. Dit is gevolg deur ‘n literatuuroorsig wat bevestig het dat geen sodanige studie voorheen onderneem in Suid-Afrika is nie. Nadat die navorser homself aan die leeswerk toegewy het, het sekere dominante temas gemanifesteer. Hierdie studie se fokus was die ondersoek van hierdie gemanifesteerde temas asook analise daarvan. In elke hoofstuk is hierdie temas en die konteks daarvan in meer detail bespreek. Die slothoofstuk gee ‘n oorsig van die voorafgaande hoofstukke, en bied ‘n slotsom tot die studie sowel as identifiseer navorsingsgapings wat toekomstige ondersoek benodig.
Description
Thesis (MMil)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.
Keywords
Salut magazine, UCTD, Paratus magazine, SA Soldier magazine, Military journalism -- South Africa -- 1990-2010, South Africa -- Armed forces -- History
Citation