Intelligence had indicated that SWAPO’s Far Eastern detachment was operating from a base at Chana Namaudi, but Still’s platoon found no sign of enemy presence there, despite spending the whole of 1 April in stopper group positions on the edge of the chana, while 32 Battalion Charlie Company’s second and third platoons swept down from the north. At Chana Onalumona, the only signs of SWAPO activity were at least a week old. For the next ten days the companies swept their entire area of responsibility, but apart from killing one suspected guerrilla in civilian clothes when he approached a temporary base on the night of 7 April, reported no enemy presence. The third phase of the operation produced equally disappointing results. Tracks were found and followed, ambushes laid and abandoned, but Alpha Company’s only contact was on 16 April east of Ongalongabe, when two enemy escaped by shedding their boots and pulling on civilian shoes before riding off on a bicycle commandeered from a group of local inhabitants. Charlie Company killed two enemy in a contact at Chana Tofima soon after entering Angola on 29 March, and by 25 April both companies were back at Buffalo.
Foxtrot Company had better hunting. Their patrols centred on the most northerly area around Chana Henombe and Chana Caumbonia, and after the first platoon’s commander was evacuated with malaria, the men joined forces with the second platoon, placing 51 troops under command of Second Lieutenant S O’Reilly.
As they prepared to leave their temporary base at Chana Umbi on the morning of 30 March, a group of 30 SWAPO was spotted approaching in extended line. A heavy five-minute firefight ensued, during which riflemen L Isequias, M Gomes and R Samba were wounded. As the enemy fled, O’Reilly called in the gunships and led the second platoon in hot pursuit through the dense bush. Moving in an L-shaped formation, they opened fire on a group of ten SWAPO sitting under a tree. The enemy fled, and as the platoon pursued them, a barrage of 82-mm mortar fire came out of nowhere, lightly wounding Corporal D Estima, Lance Corporal D Kapato and riflemen D Zua, P Ndima, F Braca and A José. Platoon sergeant BZ Gericke was seriously wounded when a mortar bomb detonated just a metre in front of him, and he later died. After the casualties had been evacuated by helicopter, the platoon swept the area, finding a two-night-old sleeping place for 90 people and a rudimentary headquarters, along with several mortar positions. Morale was low as a result of the casualties, but the platoon continued to Chana Mutuanjamba and linked up with Alpha and Charlie companies for a sweep before returning to Buffalo.
All nine platoon commanders reported having reached the same conclusions during Operation Loodvoet: SWAPO’s bases were further north than had been estimated, perhaps as far as 60 km inside Angola. Due to the number of hastily evacuated positions found, they also raised concerns about the security of radio communications on patrol.