Best Desmond Latham Podcasts (2023)

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 137 - The Vlugkommando of April 1838 and a hard rain continues to fall 24:50

4d ago24:50

24:50

It’s been a harrowing few months in southern Africa back in 1838. All manner of change has rolled in across the veld, there are worlds colliding, roiling, like thunderclouds, seething and churning. And almost allegorical, because lightning from real storms had already killed Boer horses and Zulu warriors in separate incidents as they fought each ot…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 136 - The place of weeping earns its name and the“Grand Army of Natal” marches off 27:04

11d ago27:04

27:04

This is episode 136 — the Zulu army has fallen on the Voortrekkers along the Bloukrans and Bushman’s rivers, close to where Escourt and Ladysmith are to be found today, but right now it’s February 17th 1838. The tributaries of these rivers were renamed Groot and Klein Moordspruit because of the bloody events of that time. By the morning of the 17th…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 135 - The Zulu army overruns the Voortrekkers along the Bloukrans and Bushman’s River 27:59

19d ago27:59

27:59

As you heard, Piet Retief and 100 Boers and Khoesan agterryes had been killed by Dingana on the 6th February 1838. Missionary Owen watched the killings through his telescope until he couldn’t take it any more and collapsed in shock. The Zulu king was not done, he’d ordered his amabutho warriors to seek and destroy the Voortrekkers who’d camped alon…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 134 - Lightning kills 12 Boer horses then the wizards die 31:54

25d ago31:54

31:54

This is episode 134 - and its going to be a massacre. It is also crucial as you’ve heard that we dig deep into the events because today there’s a huge debate about what I’m going to explain next, what documents still exist about what happened, and who owns what when it comes to land in South Africa. Specifically, land in KwaZulu Natal. What exactly…

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Plane Crash Diaries

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Episode 36 - The 1971 Aeroflot Antonov twin crashes and the ATR-72’s achilles boot 27:16

27d ago27:16

27:16

This is episode 36 and its icy cold out there - it’s time to check out the incidents involving icing - starting with a short list and general description of the causes, then focusing on the two Aeroflot Atonovs accidents in 1971 and a design fault in the ATR-72. There’s an unfortunately long list of commercial airliners lost due to icing, more than…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 133 - Umkhandlu long thumb nails and tales of ill-gotten grain 26:47

1M ago26:47

26:47

It’s a hot day in northern Zululand, in the Mfolozi River valley, where Dingane’s capital emGungungudlovu was situated. When Piet Retief first met the Zulu king, he failed the grasp the extent to which this man’s authority was was based in what historian John Laband calls a combination of mystical ritual and naked power politics. That Dingane was a…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 132 - Piet Retief rides into Natal and land is on the agenda 23:53

1M ago23:53

23:53

Just a quick thank you to AJL, as well as Jacque and Nkosinathi for your kind comments and emails - this series is nothing without my wonderful audience. Gangans — which is Khoesan for thank you. Voortrekker leader Piet Retief knew that he had to negotiate for any land in Natal with the Zulu king Dingane. So with that in mind, he left his family on…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 131 - Sharpened horns at the battle of eGabeni and the story of the Liebenberg girls 25:47

2M ago25:47

25:47

Mzilikazi Khumalo was trying to piece together his shattered amaNdebele after the attack on Mosega in early 1837 by the Boers and their allies the Griqua and Rolong. Then in midyear, he’d been attacked again by Dingana’s impis — he’d managed to survive that invasion but things were looking very bad as he hunkered down in his imizi of eGabeni in the…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 130 - Piet Uys’ 1820 Settler Bible and the Qadi cut poles 18:29

2M ago18:29

18:29

This is episode 130 and the Voortrekkers are moving inexorably towards Natal, where the Zulu king Dingana awaits. At about the same time and as you’ll hear next episode, a large Voortrekker commando of more than 360 Boers, Griqua and the Rolong warriors were going to gather with the intent of finishing off Mzilikazi Khumalo. The amaNdebele king had…

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History of South Africa podcast

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EPISODE 129 - Lindley blesses the Boers, a sweep of 1837 and Stockenström’s bitter end 23:04

2M ago23:04

23:04

We are trundling along late in 1837, and as you heard last week, Dingane was dabbling in cross border raids, or at least, cross Drakensburg raids, and had dealt Mzilikazi a penultimate blow. Coming soon towards the Ndebele, were the Boers intent on delivering a coup de grâce. Time to talk a bit aobut Daniel Lindley the American missionary who had b…

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History of South Africa podcast

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EPISODE 128 - Dingane smells blood and Retief leads the United Laagers 24:38

2M ago24:38

24:38

This is episode 128 and the bell is tolling for Mzilikazi Khumalo of the amaNdebele. We’ll also hear about the introduction of Maize by hunter-traders, and the relationship between Dingane and the Portuguese at Delagoa Bay. A compounding problem for Mzilikazi was how he’d treated the indigenous Sotho speaking people of the area north of the Vaal. H…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 127 - Predikant blues and Piet Retief’s manifesto 21:32

2M ago21:32

21:32

When I started this series off a couple of years ago, it was a dive into the deep end — although it was the sixth podcast series I’d launched — this was the biggest gamble. But the wonderful response I’ve received overall has been a big surprise, a motivator so thank you for your comments. I have a website www.desmondlatham.blog, which is stutterin…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 113 - More details about the fierce fighting when PLAN invaded Namibia in April 1989 24:27

3M ago24:27

24:27

This is episode 113, we’re wrapping up the series with the final days of South West Africa as the country became Namibia. I’ll talk about the SADF’s departure later in this episode. First we need to go over the events in early April 1989 that almost put paid to the peace agreement. As you heard last week, SWAPO leader Sam Nujoma had ordered his mil…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 126 - A Voortrekker commando takes revenge and the sedulous Susanna Smit 23:11

3M ago23:11

23:11

The Voortrekkers had survived the trauma of the Battle of Vegkop, they had narrowly survived and as they huddled together in Thaga ‘Nchu a form of unity was required. These different Voortrekker parties under various leaders, Trichardt, Van Rensburg, Cilliers, Potgieter, Maritz, focused their minds on the main threat to their further expansion in s…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 112 - SWAPO's Sam Nujoma pulls a fast one and UNTAG struggles to cope 23:07

3M ago23:07

23:07

So here we are, the sound of peace settled over Ovamboland, it was the end of 1988. The South Africans were actually in a much better position than it appeared. Yes, they were losing Namibia, and were going to also lose their vital strategic port of Walvis Bay. Still, UNITA was left out of the discussion, they would continue to fight against the An…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 125 - The Battle of Vegkop pits the Voortrekkers against the amaNdebele 31:18

3M ago31:18

31:18

Last episode, we heard how the battle of Kopjeskraal near Parys had ended, where Mzilikazi’s second in command Kaliphi and his force of 500 men had been repulsed in a close fought affair. This was an important clash, pitting Andries Potgieter’s second in command and brother in law, Piet Botha against Kaliphi, who was responsible for the entire sout…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 111 - Two Scorpions in a bottle and peace after 23 years 27:17

3M ago27:17

27:17

This is episode 111, in cricket the number is known as Nelson, it’s unlucky for the batting side, and players are expected to stand on one leg as the bowler launches his ball. It’s perhaps symbolic that we get to episode 111 at precisely the moment that the South Africans agree to peace after 23 years of fighting over South West Africa. Within a fe…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 124 - The difference between Trekboers and Voortrekkers and the battle of Kopjeskraal 23:55

3M ago23:55

23:55

Last episode we ended with Hendrick Potgieter and Sarel Cilliers riding to try and find a route to Delagoa Bay, and meeting up with Louis Trichardt. If you remember, Potgieter had warned his followers camped the Sand Rivier not to cross the Vaal River into Mzilikazi’s territory, or they’d be attacked. We’ll come back to what happened when a small g…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 110 - Cuban MiG-23s bomb Calueque Dam and 11 SADF troops pay the price 21:21

3M ago21:21

21:21

When we left off last episode, the Cubans and Angolans were gearing up to face another invasion by 61 Mech and 4SAI, Operation Excite as it was to become known. But for once, the Cubans had decided that they’d seize the initiative and were about to launch a two pronged assault towards the South Africans from Xangongo. Just a quick recap, 61 Mech ha…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 123 - The Voortrekkers as Israelites and Mzilikazi is about to become Pharaoh 27:12

3M ago27:12

27:12

Just a quick thank you to the folks at East coast Radio, Diane and DW, for promoting this podcast with listeners to that station, I’m honoured to have cracked the nod and been selected to be part of their ECR podcast platform. Also a big thank you to all the listeners who’ve reviewed this podcast on iTunes and elsewhere, it’s pushed the series into…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 109 - A Bosbok survives a missile near miss as both the SADF and the Cubans gear up 21:02

4M ago21:02

21:02

We left off last week hearing that the Cuban 50th Division had been moved towards the SWA Border, a clear message to Pretoria that Fidel Castro was no longer going to tolerate the losses that he and FAPLA had endured in southern Angola. All this as the South Africans, Cubans, Angolans, Americans and Russians were negotiating the future of Namibia. …

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 122 - Lord Glenelg moulds a troublous history 21:24

4M ago21:24

21:24

Let’s take another look at the push factors driving the Voortrekkers away from their frontier farms. Most had lived on the margins of society for generations, part of the first group of Dutch who began spreading out from the Peninsular in the 17th Century, developing an ethos of independence and a culture of self-reliance. They were naturally anti-…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 108 - Cubans start heading towards Calueque Dam and another South African POW 20:05

4M ago20:05

20:05

This is episode 108, it’s the 23rd June 1988 and the south Africans, Cubans, Angolans, Americans and Russians had gathered in Cairo for negotiations over the future of Namibia and the Cubans were seething. American Secretary of State for African Affairs Chester Crocker opened up the meeting by presenting the Cubans and Angolans with Pretoria’s comp…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 121 - Lang Hans Janse Van Rensburg’s fatal ivory obsession and the peho slippery snake 20:09

4M ago20:09

20:09

Moshoeshoe’s elder sons were now at a site that was to be named Moriah, 24 miles south of Maseru, chosen by the two French missionaries Arbousset and Casalis for its beauty - and the fact that it was uninhabited. But before we return to what was going on there, we need to swing around southern Africa for a little update about what else was happenin…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 107 – Reagan, Gorbachev, Ulysses the Bull, Fidel Castro: Diplomacy Breaks Out 21:19

4M ago21:19

21:19

Operation Hooper had ended in failure for the SADF and back in Pretoria, it was time to reassess the political and military situation. What had been achieved after 23 years of war - fighting ostensibly to stop SWAPO from seizing control of Namibia but really a war to buffer the apartheid state from the sweeping post-colonial independence movements.…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 120 - Ploughs in the Platberg, the BaSotho, the MaBuru, MaNyesemane and the BaKhothu 22:09

4M ago22:09

22:09

We join Moshoeshoe just before the arrival of the trekkers, as he sought to build his political power once the Ngwane and other roving bands had been defeated. Mzilikazi was attacking the area which would become known as Lesotho, from his headquarters on the Apies River north of modern Pretoria. His regiments were praying on the Shona people across…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 106 – Operation Packer/Tumpo 3 and Castro’s obsession 20:48

4M ago20:48

20:48

More than two decades of conflict in Ovamboland and southern Angola had worn down South African military domination - tactical superiority was no longer certain. The initial approach which had been innovative and inspirational, fast, seat of the pants and smart, had slumped into attritional raging bull blow for blow brutality. It was March 1988, ti…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 119 - The saga of Moshoeshoe, how his grandfather was eaten, and mystical advisor Tsapi 20:09

4M ago20:09

20:09

The story of south Africa is incomplete without scrutinising the kingdom of Lesotho, not only because geographic location means the mountains are part of our tale, but also because the entire region is intertwined like lovers, or wrestlers, or snakes that are hell bent on eating each other. Sorry about the graphic description there, but by the time…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 105 – Citizen Force ou-manne train for the third Battle of Tumpo while Russians drink rice-vodka to forget 21:22

5M ago21:22

21:22

The Third Battle of the Tumpo Triangle was about to begin - the date - 23rd March 1988. The weary 61 Mechanised battalion had withdrawn, the men exhausted after 4 months of shifting about and fighting FAPLA, while their equipment was in worse shape. By 13th March the tattered 20 Brigade of which 61 Mech was part had arrived back at Rundu across the…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 118 - Voortrekkers cross the Orange River carrying ancestral blood from the orient 25:01

5M ago25:01

25:01

Hark! What sound breaks the inscrutable silence of the immense African veld? Dozens of wagons, which would become hundreds. Trundling along at about 5 miles a day, the Voortrekkers were leaving the Cape for their promised lands - albeit yet unidentified. This was a case of being pushed out at least in their minds - culturally, ideologically, fundam…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 104 – The SAAF raids Lubango and a tired 61 Mech launches the Battle of Tumpo II 21:22

5M ago21:22

21:22

Last episode we heard about the failed first battle of the Tumpo Triangle, officially known as Tumpo one which took place on February 25th 1988. You know that things aren’t going well when battles are numbered, and there would be three attempts at overrunning FAPLA in its defensive positions east of the Cuito River, outside Cuito Cuanavale. Still, …

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 117 - The Sixth Frontier War ends in a draw and Trekboers like Louis Trichardt seek the promised land 21:15

5M ago21:15

21:15

There was a great exodus of some people, the movement of the people into the interior of South Africa - a moment that was going to reverberate all the way to the present. The Great Trek as its known had begun by mid-1835, and to be honest, was a medium sized Trek already. It had been a steady flow across the Orange River for decades, led by the tre…

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Plane Crash Diaries

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Episode 35 - The 1986 Aeromexico collision over L.A. that changed aviation 27:02

5M ago27:02

27:02

Episode 35 - The 1986 Aeromexico collision over L.A. that changed aviation by Desmond LathamBy Desmond Latham

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 103 – The First Battle of Tumpo Triangle where 61 Mech faced a fierce FAPLA bombardment 24:14

5M ago24:14

24:14

It was D-Day for the next attack across the open ground east of the Tumpo Triangle, just outside Cuito Cuanavale in southern Angola. The town was now regarded as a moral prerequisite rather than strategic necessity, Luanda’s position here was no surrender, while in Pretoria, the political leadership knew that they could not take the town. This woul…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 116 - A murder most foul and the British wilt as the guerrilla war weakens resolve 25:11

5M ago25:11

25:11

April 1835 is passing swiftly, and still no sign of the 75 000 head of cattle demanded by the British of the amaXhosa - Hintsa remains a hostage of Benjamin D’Urban, although it was Colonel Harry Smith who was looking after the king, as well as his son Sarhili and the king’s brother Bhuru. D’Urban had summarily annexed the troublesome region around…

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Plane Crash Diaries

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Episode 34 - The British Airship accident that was deadlier than The Hindenburg 25:56

5M ago25:56

25:56

The British government was focused on making dirigibles the transport of choice in the 1930s - competing with the Germans to produce the largest, most luxurious and most convenient way to travel across its empire. In the summer of 1930 two variants were created, one designed by a government team known ironically as "the socialist" airship as it was…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 102 – 32 Battalion strikes Menongue Airfield and a Mirage is shot down 22:29

5M ago22:29

22:29

The South Africans were attacking FAPLA’s 59 Brigade, but had run into an ambush - Cubans operating Soviet tanks had laid up waiting for 4SAI to cut across their hull down positions. These were the T55s of the 3rd Battalion — the commanders and the gunners were Cuban, while the drivers were Angolan. As the SADF had found out earlier on the 14th Feb…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 115 - Hintsa becomes a hostage and the Mfengu become British 23:42

5M ago23:42

23:42

It's early 1835 and Cape Governor Benjamin D’urban an his 2000 men were winding their way through the AMatola mountains, searching for Maqoma and Thyali’s warriors. The going was tough albeit the scenery sublime. These glorious mountains were going to lead to one of the more inglorious moments in British military history. By early April 1835 the Bo…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 101 – The Valentines Day assault on 59 Brigade and a Cuban tank ambush 22:37

5M ago22:37

22:37

It’s the second week of January 1988 and FAPLAs 21st, 59th and 25th Brigades had taken up the front line in what was to be a three layered defenses ahead of the Tumpo Triangle, where two roads joined just north of the Tumpo River. That was aeast of Cuito Cuanavale. Behind these three Brigades, 16th and 66th hunkered down in expectation of an SADF f…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 114 - The British clamber up the slopes of the Amatolas chasing Xhosa ghosts and the mysterious Mfengu 25:14

6M ago25:14

25:14

We’re going to hear about a man called John Ayliff - a man who has gone down in the annals of South African history about as mixed as a box of smarties. His mission station at Butterworth across the Kei River had been a place of refuge for the Mfengu people - a mysterious group of refugees who had left northern Zululand during the times of Zwide - …

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 100 – FAPLA pushed from their positions along the Chambinga High Ground on Friday 13th 22:27

6M ago22:27

22:27

D-Day for the renewed attack on FAPLA’s 21 Brigade was reset from January 5th to January 13th 1988 - a Friday, for those who suffered from triskaidekaphobia - a fear of Friday the 13th, it merely served to increase their worries. 4 SAI was now being led by Commandant Jan Malan who replaced Leon Marais, 61 Mech was under temporary command of Koos Li…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 113 - Guerrilla warfare throws up a challenge while Jannie Hostage and Ou Blouberg plan their escape 21:35

6M ago21:35

21:35

It’s early 1835 and globally, quite a few fascinating things are going on. For one, America’s National Debt was Zero dollars - for the first and last time in it’s history. It’s president Andrew Jackson survived an assassination attempt in January of that year, also the first but not the last. Mauritius had banned slavery on the 1st February 1835 as…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 99 – The SAAF tests a top secret weapon while new recruits come to terms with giant moths and skulking MiGs 22:56

6M ago22:56

22:56

We’re approaching the date of Operation Hooper, but first a bit of bad news for the SADF regarding disease. The heavy rains through November and December of 1987 had created a perfect breeding ground for the flies and mosquitoes that carried hepatitis and malaria. This was impacting the morale let alone the operational capacity of the army. The rep…

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 112 - Hand-to-hand fighting along the Great Fish River 21:22

6M ago21:22

21:22

The Sixth frontier war was ablaze and now Harry Smith was in Grahamstown rearranging the military furniture. He wasn’t there for long. As a man of action he was determined to chase down the amaXhosa who had begun to retire back east across the Fish River by the end of the first week of January 1835, driving thousands of cattle, sheep and horses bef…

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 98 – Hougaard goes marauding and a Russian commander dies as an ammunition bunker explodes 20:56

6M ago20:56

20:56

When we left off last episode it was the end of Operation Moduler, and Cuban Leader Fidel Castro had begun to consider a negotiated solution to the Namibian and Angolan war. There was a side-show planned before the next major op in Angola. The SADF top brass had finally decided to try and cut off the logistics route west of Cuito Cuanavale through …

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History of South Africa podcast

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Episode 111 - Harry Smith arrives in panic-stricken Grahamstown in January 1835 and stiffens settler spines 23:33

6M ago23:33

23:33

ON December 21st 1834 at least ten thousand warriors under Maqoma and Thyali swept all before them as they raided deep into the Cape colony, across a wide front. Fort Beaufort and Fort Willshire were the main centre of British operations to the north of Grahamstown as the war began. Fort Beaufort was particularly strategic because of its proximity …

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South African Border Wars

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Episode 97 – Castro starts to talk peace but along the Cuito River all hell rains down 23:14

6M ago23:14

23:14

We’re wrapping up Operation Moduler this episode and throwing forward to the next assault on Cuito Cuanavale which was to fixate the South African political leadership at a time when the Cold War was melting away. This was to have a direct effect on the satellite wars such as those in Angola. Assessing this stage of the conflict it all appeared to …

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