Conflict |
South Africa and allies |
Opponents |
Results |
Prime Minister (1912–94) President (1994–) |
Losses |
World War I (1914–1918 A.D.) |
France
United Kingdom
Russia
Italy
United States
Serbia
Montenegro
Belgium
Japan
China
Romania
Portugal
Brazil
Hejaz
Greece
Armenia
Nejd and Hasa
Siam
|
Germany
Austria-Hungary
Ottoman Empire
Bulgaria
Transvaal |
Victory
|
|
|
Maritz Rebellion (1914–1915) |
South Africa |
South African Republic |
Government victory
|
Russian Civil War[2] (1918–1920) |
White Movement
United Kingdom
United States
France
Japan
Italy
China
Canada
Australia
India
South Africa
Czechoslovakia
Poland
Greece
Romania
Yugoslavia
Estonia |
Russian SFSR
Far Eastern Republic
Latvian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
Commune of Estonia
Mongolian Communists |
Defeat (limited involvement)[2]
- Allied withdrawal from Russia
- Defeat of the White Movement
|
Unknown |
Rand Rebellion (1921–1922) |
South Africa |
CPSA |
Government victory
|
|
|
Bondelswarts Rebellion (1922) |
South Africa
|
Bondelswarts |
Government victory
|
100 dead, 468 wounded (Bondelswarts) |
World War II (1939–1945) |
Soviet Union
United States
United Kingdom
China
France
Poland
Yugoslavia
Greece
Netherlands
Belgium
Luxembourg
Denmark
Norway
Czechoslovakia
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
India
South Africa
Philippines
Ethiopia
Brazil
Mexico
Mongolia |
Germany
Japan
Italy
Romania
Hungary
Bulgaria
Slovakia
Croatia
Finland
Thailand
Iraq |
Victory
|
6,840 dead 1,841 missing 14,589 prisoners |
Greek Civil War (1944–1945)[4] |
Cairo Government
United Kingdom
South Africa |
ELAS |
Victory
|
None |
Korean War (1950–1953) |
South Korea
United States
United Kingdom
Canada
Turkey
Australia
Ethiopia
Philippines
New Zealand
Thailand
Greece
France
Colombia
Belgium
South Africa
Netherlands
Luxembourg |
North Korea
China
Soviet Union |
Stalemate
|
|
|
Rhodesian Bush War (1965–1979) |
Rhodesia
South Africa |
ZANU
FRELIMO
ZAPU
ANC |
Stalemate
|
|
Unknown |
Mozambican Civil War (1979–1985)[6] |
RENAMO
Zimbabwe Rhodesia
South Africa |
FRELIMO
ANC |
Stalemate (limited involvement)
|
|
Unknown |
South African Border War (1966–1989)[7] |
South Africa
Portugal
UNITA
FNLA |
SWAPO
SWANU MPLA
Cuba
ANC
Zambia |
Stalemate
- Withdrawal of foreign forces from Angola
- Namibian independence from South African rule
|
|
Natal Civil War (1987–1994)[9] |
IFP |
ANC |
Stalemate[9]
|
Unknown |
Operation Boleas (1998) |
South Africa
Botswana |
LDF rebels |
Victory
- Suspected coup d'état in Lesotho quelled
|
|
|
Battle of Bangui (2013) |
South Africa
Central African Republic |
Séléka |
Disputed[11]
- François Bozizé successfully escorted to safety,Rebel advance towards South African base repelled
|
|
|
M23 Rebellion (2013) |
DR Congo
South Africa
Tanzania
Malawi |
M23 |
Victory
- M23 rebels surrender, disarm and demobilize
|
None |
ADF Insurgency (2014–present) |
DR Congo
Uganda
South Africa
Tanzania
Malawi |
ADF |
Ongoing
|
1 dead |
Insurgency in Cabo Delgado (2017–present) |
SADC
South Africa
Mozambique
Tanzania
Angola
Botswana
Rwanda
Malawi
Lesotho
|
Ansar al-Sunna
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant |
Ongoing
- involvement of South African Special forces from July 2021
|
|
|