Staff Writer
IdeaCandy has released the official trailer for Unspoken War, a Showmax Original documentary series that premieres on Showmax and M-Net on Wednesday, 12 November 2025. The five-part series looks at South Africa’s covert war between 1966 and 1989, fought across Angola, Namibia, and within South Africa. The conflict, known as the South African Border War, the Angolan Bush War, or the Namibian War of Independence, was never formally declared. Soldiers were ordered to remain silent, and families were left in the dark about what their loved ones experienced.
Using rare archival footage and personal testimonies, Unspoken War features voices from across the divide: South African Defence Force conscripts, voluntary servicemen, Special Battalion commanders, SWAPO fighters, spies, conscientious objectors, and the wives and daughters who lived with the aftermath. Historians and journalists provide context, connecting the events to the broader Cold War and the global fight against communism.
The Showmax Original is produced by IdeaCandy, the company behind Steinheist and School Ties, which was recently nominated for an International Emmy. The series is directed by Nikki Comninos, a 2024 SAFTA nominee for Convict Conman and the director of Tracking Thabo Bester, Showmax’s true-crime record-breaker.
The project was inspired by the IdeaCandy team and shaped by junior producer Minette van der Walt, whose father served in the elite 32 Battalion but never spoke about his experiences. After finding his written account of the war, Minette began a personal journey to understand him. Working with director Nikki Comninos, journalist Pieter Steyn, and producers Elle Oosthuizen and Wim Steyn, she helped bring Unspoken War to life.
The series also explores what happened after the war, when SADF soldiers were reassigned from Angola and Namibia to South African townships during the state of emergency in the late 1980s. Many were now expected to fight their countrymen instead of foreign enemies. Some later became mercenaries across Africa.
At the premiere of Unspoken War during this year’s Silwerskerm, audience members stayed long after the screening to discuss the first episode and share their own suppressed stories. “The more I met people who helped me understand the war, the more I realised that when I’m in conversation with them, it helps both of us,” said Minette. “There is power in talking.”
“This is a national trauma, and almost everyone has an experience connected to these conflicts,” said Comninos. She noted that many veterans are now more willing to talk. “Research suggests that after 30–40 years, many veterans are more comfortable talking openly and honestly. But there’s also an urgency; many who were involved are reaching the end of their lives. We have a responsibility to capture these stories now, so those impacted can finally make sense of this past.”
Unspoken War arrives at a time when global conflicts are on the rise. In 2024, there were 61 state-based wars across 36 countries — the highest number since World War II. The series serves as a reminder of the cost of silence and the importance of remembering.
Caption
Director Nikki Comninos led the Showmax Original documentary series Unspoken War.
