<P> In 1989, conscription was reduced from two years to one year, and during the negotiations to end apartheid from 1990 to 1994, it was less rigorously enforced . A Kairos campaign against conscription was the 1989 Campaign focussing on the End Conscription Campaign with participation of Alistair Teeling Smith, Rob Watson and Mandy Tailor . Saul Batzofin, 27, a member of the End Conscription Campaign, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment in 1989 for refusing to serve in the South African Defence Force . After he had completed his sentence he later told the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that he wanted to apply for amnesty to clear his criminal record . Although he was proud to have been a conscientious objector, the record caused difficulties with visa applications for foreign countries . </P> <P> During September 1989, thirty Stellenbosch conscientious objectors joined more than 700 listed COs nationwide by publicly refusing to do military service . The National Registry of Conscientious Objectors was also launched . </P> <P> On 24 August 1993 Minister of Defence Kobie Coetsee announced the end of conscription . In 1994 there would be no more call - ups for the one - year initial training . But although conscription was suspended it was not entirely abandoned . Indeed, in January 1994 for the first time there was no call - up for initial training, but at the same time conscripts who had already undergone training could be subject to "camp" call - ups, as they were technically subject to military law rather than civilian law . Actually "camp" call - ups reached record proportions over the period of the April 1994 elections, and for the first time in history the ECC called on conscripts to consider these call - ups to be different from previous call - ups . </P> <Ul> <Li> (However, as of 2015: An ANC - led alliance has reportedly begun pushing for the return of military conscription to the country, in a bid to contain youth unemployment and also instill discipline, patriotism and volunteerism into young people from the ages of 18 . ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe has stated he would support the reintroduction of conscription, saying the country moved away from the system "too soon". Although reintroducing conscription may go against the spirit of the Constitution, Mantashe said "the country must do what it needs to do for the country to work". The draft plan still needs to be approved, but if so, young South Africans may be forced to attend a compulsory military programme as soon as 2016 .) </Li> </Ul>

When was compulsory military service stopped in south africa