By early 1983 the South African forces had established unrestricted mobility in central Angola for at least 100 km on either side of the road from Cuvelai–Ongiva to Santa Clara. Ongiva became the general operational base, and 32 Battalion’s operations were controlled from a tactical headquarters there.
On 24 February, while deployed north of Mupa, Foxtrot Company ran into a minor skirmish with a group of SWAPO, and all patrols were alerted to the possibility that some kind of build-up was in progress. On 6 March, Foxtrot Company’s temporary base was attacked and one SWAPO killed. That evening, the first platoon also made contact with a group of SWAPO west of Mupa.
After these incidents, Bravo Company was deployed in the area of Bambi Post and Mulola, 40 km north-east of Cuvelai. Two days later they, too, made contact – but although enemy tracks were being picked up on a daily basis, no large concentration of SWAPO could be found.
On 12 March, Second Lieutenant Swart’s platoon killed four of the five SWAPO they had been tracking for about five kilometres, and the next day a platoon led by Lieutenant Bosch and Corporal JP Botha found vehicle tracks leading into the bush from the road between Cuvelai and Bambi. Ordered by Captain Tom Barron from tactical headquarters to follow the tracks, the platoon found that about three kilometres to the east the vehicle had returned to the road, a clear indication that something had either been picked up or offloaded on the way.
About 500 m further the platoon found a bag of maize meal, and shortly afterwards a SWAPO groundsheet. The platoon immediately moved from box formation to extended line, and was about ten metres from the perimeter of a SWAPO base when the enemy opened fire with small arms and 82-mm mortars. The platoon responded with 60-mm mortars and 40-mm grenade launchers, and after about ten minutes SWAPO withdrew, leaving ten of their dead behind in the base and another three on the outskirts. Low on ammunition the platoon left the area, and the next day a platoon from Charlie Company was sent to investigate whether or not SWAPO had returned.
While moving through the base, they heard someone call out. They found a wounded SWAPO, who had been overlooked the day before, in a trench. He was evacuated to Ongiva for medical treatment and interrogation.
At 19h10 on 3 April, Alpha Company’s first and fourth platoons were moving to lay an ambush on the road four kilometres north-east of Vinte Sete when they saw six SWAPO ahead. Before a single shot was fired, the enemy ran – only to turn and open fire from a more favourable position, pinning the platoon down for a good 15 minutes before withdrawing under cover of an 82-mm mortar bombardment. The third platoon, some distance behind the others, had moved up to assist, but despite the reinforcements Sergeant A Mande and Rifleman JD Kativa were killed, and 11 members of Alpha Company wounded, including the two platoon commanders, second lieutenants A du Plessis and GW Roos. Darkness had already fallen and only the wounded were evacuated that night.
At 10h30 the next day, while the entire Alpha Company was waiting for helicopters to pick up the bodies of the two dead men, a guard saw a group of SWAPO approaching. In the ensuing firefight, seven SWAPO were killed and another 13 members of Alpha wounded, including company commander Lieutenant BG Olivier and platoon commander Second Lieutenant M Lourens. Inspection of the battle ground showed it had been pounded by 80 mortar bombs.