In the late 1970s the designer of the South African 1970 pattern webbing, MJ Du Toit, moved to SAPHI and started work on designing an updated set of webbing for the South African Army. This set would be the 1980 pattern as explained by the man himself:

After Armscor, I joined SAPHI (South African Pith Helmet Industries.) and while there, designed Pattern 80 webbing. Pattern 80 was never an official military requirement but an initiative on my part to offer Parachute Battalion and Recce Commando something different. Only about 100 sets were ever made and filtered into service but it died a natural death because the military were not interested as they still had Pattern 70 in stock and in use.

As can be deduced then, the 1980 pattern webbing set is very rare and so to find any component from the set is unusual. Last year I was lucky enough to pick up a mixed batch of SADF equipment from a fellow collector and amongst the items was this 1980 pattern R4 ammo pouch:

The pouch is made of nylon with a top flap to secure the contents, with a distinctive curved shape to it:

Note the cotton tape edge binding to prevent the nylon from fraying and the single press stud used to secure the flap. Opening this gives access to the pouch which is sized for a single magazine:

The design lineage of the pouch can be seen on the rear, where the same webbing belt loops and single female press stud to attach to a belt as used on the 1970 pattern equipment are provided:

Information on this set is virtually unobtainable, and beyond the quote above I have found no other references to the set of photographs. If you do have some pictures or information that can help tell the story of this forgotten set of webbing, please comment below.