Paratus was the official magazine of the South African Defence Force (SADF) between 1970 and 1994.

 

In this exhibition, at the height of the Border War between 1975 to 1985, in which South African troops were being sent into combat and were mainly stationed at the Angolan-Namibian Border. The focus is on imagery between 1975 and 1985, and how the magazine created an ‘idealized’ expectation of white South African society.

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Each gallery follows a different theme present within the magazine. Each of these themes played an intricate role in the construction of the SADF’s military culture and reveals how Paratus sought to motivate readers to support South African national interests to do their part for the SADF.

These themes are: Religion, as evident in the portrayal of the military chaplaincy services in the SADF; Nationalism, that is imagery that communicated the ideals of the state and the military during the period; and finally, the Dynamics of Gender and Masculinities which include three sections of imagery, that each link the SADF’s portrayal of gender roles and responsibilities for men and women in white South African society, and male soldiers in the SADF.