Command
A Soldier’s Journey in the African Battlespace
Let’s Talk 2026 · Panel discussion · 2 September 2026 · Online
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The debut publication of Brigadier General (Rtd) (Dr) Peter Sereko, with Antonio Garcia — the first military biography by an African officer who served in both the SADF and the SANDF. The 2026 Let’s Talk event of Scientia Militaria Watch the recording Let’s Talk on YouTube Date: Wednesday 2 September 2026 |
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About the discussion
This is the 2026 Let’s Talk event of Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies — the journal’s conversation series on military affairs. Recordings from the series are published on the Scientia Militaria YouTube channel. The recording is available to watch now.
Command: A Soldier’s Journey in the African Battlespace details Sereko’s military career over almost forty years. This panel turned the book into a conversation on command in African operations — from the Border War to United Nations service in the Congo.
During the event, various aspects of Sereko’s military career received attention, including his experiences during South Africa’s Bush War in Northern Namibia, the transition to the SANDF, and his extensive deployment history in South Africa’s contribution to United Nations missions to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It concludes with Sereko’s appointment as a Brigadier General in command of various senior units within the SANDF.
What was discussed
- The Bush War. Experiences during South Africa’s Bush War in northern Namibia, told from the vantage of an African officer who served in the SADF.
- Transition to the SANDF. The institutional and personal passage from the South African Defence Force to the South African National Defence Force.
- United Nations missions. South Africa’s contribution to UN operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — deployments, training of DRC government forces, and command in theatre.
- Command at every level. From platoon to brigade, and appointment as Brigadier General in command of senior units, including founding GOC of the Light Modern Brigade.
Speakers
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Author Brigadier General (Rtd) (Dr) Peter Sereko Founding General Officer Commanding of the Light Modern Brigade. Recently retired after a distinguished career in the SADF and the SANDF, including service in the Border War. He commanded at platoon, company, battalion, and brigade level, served in several peacekeeping missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, trained DRC government forces, and was the first Black former SADF Commandant of the South African National Defence College. |
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Co-author Research Fellow (Dr) Antonio Garcia Served as an Army officer in the South African National Defence Force and is now a research fellow at Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Military Science, Department of Military History; a part-time lecturer with the Open University; and a Visiting Professor at Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University. His research focuses on military history, biography and strategy. |
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Panel expert Lt Col (Dr) Jean-Pierre Scherman Academic, author and military officer with more than thirty years of service in the SANDF. His career has involved numerous external military deployments to both southern and central Africa. He joined the South African Military Academy in 2020, completing a PhD in Military Science (Military History) at Stellenbosch University, and is a senior lecturer in the Department of Military History, Faculty of Military Science. |
Watch the recording
The sitting of 2 September 2026 is available to watch on YouTube. Earlier Let’s Talk events are at youtube.com/@ScientiaMilitaria.
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Watch the recording Let’s Talk 2026 is now on YouTube. Watch the recording of the sitting. |
Let’s Talk on YouTube Earlier Let’s Talk events are also on the Scientia Militaria channel. |
Enquiries: scientiamilitaria@sun.ac.za
“A remarkable contribution to South African military literature and leadership studies.”
— Sam Tshehla, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of the Free State
