The December 2025 Faculty of Military Science graduation saw 140 students rewarded for their academic diligence at various levels in line with other Stellenbosch University year-end graduation ceremonies.
Topping the list were Louis Bester and Hendrik Snyders honoured with Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees – seen as the pinnacle of academic achievement following the core requirement of producing significant, original research in thesis/dissertation form.
Bester’s topic was the evolution of the South African Special Forces over the 35 years from 1989 to 2024 with Snyders going back to the Boer War, specifically Commandant Dolf de la Rey, for his doctoral research.
A summary of Bester’s doctoral submission has it his study “provides a historical and descriptive analysis of the evolution of the South African Special Forces (SASF) since the end of the Border War in 1989. It concludes that, despite institutional and structural changes because of political necessity and financial constraints, the training and standards are still comparable with those of Special Forces in the rest of the world. The research highlights the persistent lack of conceptual clarity on the Special Forces function and poor understanding of the tasks of the SASFs in deployment. This often leads to mixed results in employing the SASFs in operations”.
Similarly, a summary of Snyders’ research reads: “Adolph Johannes (Dolf) de la Rey remains overlooked, despite a notable military and political career, and is largely overshadowed in history by famous relatives such as General Koos de la Rey. After serving in the Second Anglo-Boer War and the First World War, he became a United Party politician and a fierce opponent of the Nationalists. Critically, as a national leader in the 1950s War Veterans’ Action Committee (Torch Commando), he campaigned against the disenfranchisement of the coloured population. While he is historically marginalised as the ‘other De la Rey’, this study reclaims his significant role in South African history”.
Fourteen Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) in Defence Studies were presented along with eight (two cum laude) Master of Military Science (MMS) degree and 29 Bachelor of Military Science Honours (BMil Hons) degrees, eight of which earned cum laude distinctions.
Post graduate diplomas in defence studies went to 28 students, three of which earned cum laude distinctions, with 28 – three cum laude – Bachelor of Military Science (BMil) and eight Bachelor of Military Science (Defence Intelligence) presented as well as 19 Higher Certificates in Military Studies.
