South African Army - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/South_African_Army#Structure

South African Army

The South African Army is the army of South Africa,
South African Army
first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in
1910. The South African military evolved within the
tradition of frontier warfare fought by Boer Commando
(militia) forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical
distrust of large standing armies.[2] It then fought as part of
the wider British effort in World War II, but afterwards was
cut off from its long-standing Commonwealth ties with the
ascension to power of the National Party in South Africa in
1948. The army was involved in a long and bitter counter-
Flag of the South African Army
insurgency campaign in Namibia from 1966 to 1990. It also
played a key role in controlling sectarian political violence Founded 1912[a]
inside South Africa during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Country South Africa

The role of the Army was fundamentally changed by the Type Army
upheavals of the early 1990s and after 1994 the Army Size 40,121 (active)[1]
became part of the new South African National Defence 12,300 (reserve)
Force. It is now becoming increasingly involved in
peacekeeping efforts in southern Africa, often as part of Part of South African National Defence Force
wider African Union operations. The Army is composed of Headquarters Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
roughly 40,100 regular uniformed personnel, augmented
Engagements World War I
by 12,300 reserve force personnel. The rank/age structure
of the army, which deteriorated desperately during the World War II
1990s, is greatly improving through the Military Skills Border War
Development (MSDS) voluntary national service system.
Lesotho intervention (OPS Boleas)
Through this system, young healthy members are being
inducted into the regular and reserve forces every year. Central African Republic conflict
Force Intervention Brigade
Commanders
Contents Minister of Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula
History Defence and
World War I Veteran
Interwar period Affairs

World War II Chief of the Lt. Gen. Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha

Postwar period Army
"Border War" (1966–1989) Deputy Maj. Gen. Mannetjies de Goede
Post-1994 CARMY
Peacekeeping and Operations Sergeant Senior Chief Warrant Officer Ncebakele
Major of the Mtshatsheni
Structure
Army
Directorates
Formations and units Insignia
Bases Seal
Eastern Cape
Free State
Gauteng
Western Cape
Northern Cape
North-West
KwaZulu-Natal
Mpumalanga
Limpopo

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Budget
Equipment
Gallery
See also
Notes
References
Further reading
External links

History
After the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, General Jan Smuts, the Union's first Minister of Defence, placed
a high priority on creating a unified military out of the separate armies of the union's four provinces. The Defence
Act (No. 13) of 1912 established a Union Defence Force (UDF) that included a Permanent Force (or standing army)
of career soldiers, an Active Citizen Force of temporary conscripts and volunteers as well as a Cadet organisation.[3]
The 1912 law also obligated all white males between seventeen and sixty years of age to serve in the military, but this
was not strictly enforced as there were a large number of volunteers. Instead, half of the white males aged from 17 to
25 were drafted by lots into the ACF. For training purposes, the Union was divided into 15 military districts.[4]:2

Initially, the Permanent Force consisted of five regiments of the South African Mounted Riflemen (SAMR), each
with a battery of artillery attached. Dorning says that '..the SAMR was in reality a military constabulary similar to the
Cape Mounted Riflemen, tasked primarily with police work in their respective geographical areas.'[4]:3 In 1913 and
1914, the new 23,400-member Citizen Force was called on to suppress several industrial strikes on the
Witwatersrand.

In accordance with the 1912 Defence Act, the Active Citizen Force was established under Brig. Gen. C.F. Beyers on 1
July 1913.[5] The authorised strength of the ACF and Coast Garrison Force was 25,155 and by 31 December actual
strength stood at 23,462.

World War I

When World War I broke out in 1914, the South African government chose to join the
war on the side of the Allies. General Louis Botha, the then prime minister, faced
widespread Afrikaner opposition to fighting alongside Great Britain so soon after the
Second Boer War and had to put down a revolt by some of the more militant elements
before he could send an expeditionary force of some 67,000 troops to invade German
South West Africa (now Namibia). The German troops stationed there eventually
surrendered to the South African forces in July 1915. (In 1920 South Africa received a BL 5.4 inch Howitzer and
League of Nations mandate to govern the former German colony and to prepare it for crew, East Africa, 1916 or
independence within a few years.) 1917. Photo courtesy of
SANDF Archives, from
Later, an infantry brigade and various other supporting units were shipped to France in Nöthling, C J (ed), "Ultima
order to fight on the Western Front as the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force. Ratio Regum: Artillery
The 1st South African Brigade consisted of four infantry battalions, representing men History of South Africa"
from all four provinces of the Union of South Africa as well as Rhodesia: the 1st 1987
Regiment was from the Cape Province, the 2nd Regiment was from Natal and the
Orange Free State and the 3rd Regiment was from Transvaal and Rhodesia. The 4th
Regiment was called the South African Scottish and was raised from members of the Transvaal
Scottish and the Cape Town Highlanders; they wore the Atholl Murray tartan.

The supporting units included five batteries of heavy artillery, a field ambulance unit, a Royal
Engineers signals company and a military hospital.[6]

The most costly action that the South African forces on the Western Front fought in was the
Battle of Delville Wood in 1916 – of the 3,000 men from the brigade who entered the wood, Cap badge of 1st
only 768 emerged unscathed. Another tragic loss of life for the South African forces during the SA Infantry Brigade
war was the Mendi sinking on 21 February 1917, when the troopship Mendi – while
transporting 607 members of the South African Native Labour Corps from Britain to France –

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was struck and cut almost in half by another ship.

In addition, the war against the German and Askari forces in German East Africa
also involved more than 20,000 South African troops; they fought under
General Jan Smuts's command when he directed the British campaign against
there in 1915. (During the war, the army was led by General Smuts, who had
rejoined the army from his position as Minister of Defence on the outbreak of
the war.)

South Africans also saw action with the Cape Corps in Palestine. South Africans and Rhodesians fight
the Germans hand-to-hand in
More than 146,000 whites, 83,000 blacks and 2,500 people of mixed race Delville Wood
("Coloureds") and Asians served in South African military units during the war,
including 43,000 in German South-West Africa and 30,000 on the Western
Front. An estimated 3,000 South Africans also joined the Royal Flying Corps.

The total South African casualties during the war was about 18,600 with over 12,452 killed – more than 4,600 in the
European theater alone.

Interwar period

Wartime casualties and postwar demobilisation weakened the UDF. New legislation in 1922 re-established
conscription for white males[7] over the age of 21 for four years of military training and service and re-constituted the
Permanent Force. UDF troops assumed internal security tasks in South Africa and quelled several revolts against
South African domination in South-West Africa. South Africans suffered high casualties, especially in 1922, when an
independent group of Khoikhoi – known as the Bondelswart-Herero for the black bands that they wore into battle –
led one of numerous revolts; in 1925, when a mixed-race population – the Basters – demanded cultural autonomy
and political independence; and in 1932, when the Ovambo (Ambo) population along the border with Angola
demanded an end to South African domination. During the Rand strike of 1922, 14,000 members of the ACF and
certain A class reservists were called up.[8]

Expenditure cuts saw the UDF as a whole reduced. The last remaining regiment of the South Africa Mounted
Riflemen was disbanded on 31 March 1926 and the number of military districts was reduced from 16 to six on 1 April
1926. The Brigade HQ of the SA Field Artillery was also disbanded.[8] In 1933 the six military districts were
redesignated Commands.[4]:9 As a result of its conscription policies, the UDF increased its active-duty forces to
56,000 by the late 1930s; 100,000 men also belonged to the National Riflemen's Reserve, which provided weapons
training and practice.

World War II

During World War II, the South African Army fought in the East African, North
African and Italian campaigns. In 1939, the army at home in South Africa was
divided between a number of regional commands.[9] These included Cape
Command (with its headquarters at the Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town), Orange
Free State Command, Natal Command, Witwatersrand Command (5th and 9th
Brigades plus the Transvaal Horse Artillery), Robert's Heights and Transvaal
Command (HQ Robert's Heights) and Eastern Province Command at East London.

With the declaration of war in September 1939, the South African Army numbered
only 5,353 regulars,[10] with an additional 14,631 men of the Active Citizen Force A South African Marmon-
(ACF) which gave peace time training to volunteers and in time of war would form Herrington Armoured Car
the main body of the army. Pre-war plans did not anticipate that the army would conducting reconnaissance in
fight outside southern Africa and it was trained and equipped only for bush North Africa.
warfare.

One of the problems to continuously face South Africa during the war was the shortage of available men. Due to its
racial policies it would only consider arming men of European descent which limited the available pool of men aged
between 20 and 40 to around 320,000. In addition the declaration of war on Germany had the support of only a
narrow majority in the South African parliament and was far from universally popular. Indeed, there was a
significant minority actively opposed to the war and under these conditions conscription was never an option. The
expansion of the army and its deployment overseas depended entirely on volunteers.

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The 1st South African Infantry Division took part in several actions in East Africa in 1940, North Africa in 1941 and
1942, including the Second Battle of El Alamein, before being withdrawn to South Africa.

The 2nd South African Infantry Division also took part in a number of actions in North Africa during 1942, but on 21
June 1942 two complete infantry brigades of the division as well as most of the supporting units were captured at the
fall of Tobruk.

The 3rd South African Infantry Division never took an active part in any battles but instead organised and trained
the South African home defence forces, performed garrison duties and supplied replacements for the South African
1st Infantry Division and the South African 2nd Infantry Division. However, one of this division's constituent
brigades – 7th South African Infantry Battalion in Phalaborwa – did take part in the invasion of Madagascar in 1942.

The 6th South African Armoured Division fought in numerous actions in Italy from 1944 to 1945.

Of the 334,000 men volunteered for full time service in the South African Army during the war (including some
211,000 whites, 77,000 blacks and 46,000 Cape Coloureds and Asians), about 9,000 were killed in action, though
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has records of 11,023 known South African war dead during World
War II.[11]

Postwar period

Wartime expansion was again followed by rapid demobilisation after World War II. By
then, a century of Anglo-Boer clashes followed by decades of growing British influence
in South Africa had fuelled Afrikaner resentment. Resurgent Afrikaner nationalism was
an important factor in the growth of the National Party (NP) as the 1948 elections
approached. After the narrow election victory by the NP in 1948, the government began General Mark W. Clark
the steady Afrikanerisation of the military; it expanded military service obligations and (15th Army Group) takes
enforced conscription laws more strictly. Most UDF conscripts underwent three the salute from M-10 tank
months of Citizen Force training in their first year of service, and an additional three destroyers of the 11th
weeks of training each year for four years after that. Armoured Brigade of the
6th South African Armoured
In 1948, the new Minister of Defence, Frans Erasmus, aimed ' to level the playing-fields' Division at the
within the Union Defence Force, which was strongly British-oriented in usages, commemoration parade
structures, uniforms and nomenclature.[12] This developed from an attempt at marking the end of
affirmative action into a 'politically tinged purge'. hostilities in Italy. Monza
Race Circuit: 14 July 1945
The various Commando units, previously 'Skietverenigings', were later classified as
Type A, B or C independent Commandos and continued as single-battalion or small
independent units. As part of the post-war reorganisation, the Defence Rifle Associations were disbanded in 1948
and replaced by a new Commando organisation with a strength of 90,000 men.[13] At the same time, the Afrikaans-
oriented single-battalion regiments founded in 1934 underwent at least one change of name and sometimes more.
An early victim was the renowned Middellandse Regiment, which became Regiment Gideon Scheepers in 1954.

It was also decided to establish and maintain two complete army divisions in the UDF: namely 1 SA Infantry
Division and 6 SA Armoured Division, consisting of 1, 2, 3, 12, and 13 (CF) Infantry Brigades and the (PF) 11th
Armoured Brigade. The divisions were formally established with effect from 1 July 1948, but with the exception of 11
Brigade they were disbanded on 1 November 1949, mainly as a result of difficulties in obtaining volunteer recruits to
man the Citizen Force brigades. The 11th Armoured Brigade was itself disbanded on 1 October 1953. In the early
1950s the Union undertook, however, to provide one armoured division for active service in the Middle East in the
event of war in the region. To this end some 200 Centurion tanks were ordered, and the first were delivered in July
1952. During Exercise Oranje, conducted in 1956, the Army trialled its Centurions for the first time in a simulated
nuclear war situation.

The Defence Act (No. 44) of 1957 renamed the UDF the South African Defence Force (SADF) and established within
it some quick-reaction units, or Commandos, to respond to localised threats. The SADF, numbering about 20,000 in
1958, would grow to almost 80,000 in the next two decades.

In 1960 there was another wave of regimental name-changing.[12] Regiment Gideon Scheepers became Regiment
Groot Karoo, and three regiments named after famous Boer generals Regiment De La Rey (given its 13 World War 2
battle honours, the most celebrated of the 1934 battalions), Regiment Louw Wepener and Regiment De Wet were
inexplicably renamed Regiment Wes-Transvaal, Regiment Oos-Vrystaat and Regiment Noord-Vrystaat. After
strenuous efforts, Regiment Wes-Transvaal, Regiment Oos-Vrystaat and Regiment Noord-Vrystaat regained their
honoured names.

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Following the declaration of the Republic of South Africa in 1961, the "Royal" title was dropped from the names of
army regiments like the Natal Carbineers and the Durban Light Infantry, and the Crown removed from regimental
badges.

"Border War" (1966–1989)

In the early 1960s, the military threat by the South-West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) and its Communist
backers in South West Africa prompted the South African government to increase military service obligations and to
extend periods of active duty. The Defence Act (No. 12) of 1961 authorised the minister of defence to deploy Citizen
Force troops and Commandos for "riot" control, often to quell anti-apartheid demonstrations, especially when it
deteriorated into mob riots with loss of life. The Defence Act (No. 85) of 1967 also expanded military obligations,
requiring white male citizens to perform national service, including an initial period of training, a period of active
duty, and several years in reserve status, subject to immediate call-up.

From 1966 to 1989 the SADF, with its South West African Territorial Force auxiliary,
fought the counter-insurgency South African Border War against SWAPO rebels in
South-West Africa (Namibia). These operations included the raising of special units
such as the South African 32 Battalion. They also carried out operations in support of
UNITA rebels in Angola and against the Cuban troops that supported the Angolan
government.

As far as conventional formations were concerned, 7 SA Division and 17, 18 and 19 SADF Commemorate
Brigades were established on 1 April 1965.[4] Difficulties with manning levels saw the "Erected in sacred memory
disestablishment of 7 SA Division on 1 November 1967 and its replacement by the Army of all members of the South
Task Force (HQ) and 16 Brigade. African Defence Force who
gave their lives in the
Also during the 1970s, the SADF began accepting "non-whites" and women into the service of The Republic of
military as career soldiers, not only as temporary volunteers or reservists; however, the South Africa" at Fort
former served mostly, if not exclusively, in segregated units while the latter were not Klapperkop.
assigned to combat roles. By the end of the 1970s, the South African military was
increasingly called upon to confront external threats and internal unrest which started
escalating to armed confrontation between the South African state and the liberation forces. Principal among these
armed groups was that of the ANC's Umkhonto we Sizwe, the AZAPO's Azanian People's Liberation Army and the
PAC's Poqo.

In 1973 two new infantry units were established: 7 South African Infantry Battalion (Bourke's Luck) and 8 SA
Infantry Battalion (Upington), as well as 11 Commando (Kimberley), which to a great extent took over the functions
of the Danie Theron Combat School's training wing. In 1973 the SADF also took over responsibility for the defence of
South West Africa (today Namibia) from the South African Police. During the succeeding months the Army became
involved in combat operations for the first time since the Second World War, clashing with groups of SWAPO
infiltrating into South West Africa.

From 1 September 1972 Army Task Force Headquarters

was redesignated HQ 7 South African Infantry 7th and 8th Divisions, early 1980s[14]
Division.[4] Two years later, it was decided to organise 7 SA Division (HQ 8 SA Armoured Division
the Army's conventional force into two divisions under Johannesburg) (Durban)
a corps headquarters. Both were primarily reserve
71 Motorised Brigade 81 Armoured Brigade
(Citizen Force) formations, though the division and
(Cape Town) (Pretoria)
brigade HQs were Permanent Force. The headquarters
of the two divisions were established on 1 August 1974, Cape Town Pretoria Regiment
and 8th Armoured Division was active at its Highlanders (armoured)
Cape Town Rifles (Pretoria)
headquarters at Lord's Grounds, Durban, until at least
Western Province Pretoria
27 September 1992.[15] 1 SA Corps itself was Highlanders
Regiment
established in August 1974 and was active until 30
72 Motorised Brigade Regiment Boland
January 1977.[16] It appears from Colonel Lionel
(Johannesburg) 82 Mechanized Brigade
Crook's book on 71 Brigade[17] that four of the six (Potchefstroom)
brigades were redesignations of 16th, 17th, 18th, and Johannesburg
19th Brigades. 71 Motorised Brigade was the former 17 Regiment Regiment de la Rey
Brigade, 72 Brigade was the former 18 Brigade, 73 1 Transvaal Regiment de Wet
Scottish Witwatersrand
Brigade was a new formation, 81 Brigade was the
former 16 Brigade, 82 Brigade was the former 19 2 Transvaal Regiment
Scottish (Germiston)
Brigade, and 84 Brigade was new.[17]:2
73 Motorised Brigade 84 Motorised Brigade

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In the early 1980s, the Army was restructured in order (once at Kensington?) (Durban)
to counter all forms of insurgency while at the same Rand Light Infantry 1 Durban Light
time maintaining a credible conventional force. To Infantry (Durban)
Regiment Louw
meet these requirements, the Army was subdivided Wepner 2 Durban Light
into conventional and counterinsurgency forces. The (Ladybrand?) Infantry
counterinsurgency forces were further divided into Kimberley Prince Alfred's
nine territorial commands, each of which was Regiment Guard
responsible to the Chief of the Army. This force (Kimberley) Division Troops
consisted of members of the Permanent Force, Division Troops
Umvoti Mounted
Commandos, and a few selected Citizens Force units. Light Horse Rifles (Armoured
The Citizen Force, through the 7th and 8th Divisions, Regiment Cars)
provided the conventional defence force. By July 1987 (Johannesburg) Transvaalse
the number of territorial commands was expanded to Cape Field Artillery Staatsartillerie
ten, and the Walvis Bay military area was often counted 7th Light Anti- Transvaal Horse
as an eleventh.[18] The commands were the Western Aircraft Regiment Artillery
Province Command (HQ Cape Town, 1959-1998); 14th Field Artillery
Eastern Province Command (HQ Port Elizabeth, (Potchefstroom)
1959-1998); Northern Cape Command (HQ
Kimberley); Orange Free State Command (HQ
Bloemfontein, 1959-1998); Northern Transvaal
Command (HQ Pretoria); Witwatersrand Command John Keegan, World Armies, p.639
(HQ Johannesburg, subject of a bombing in 1987); [19]
Northwestern Command (HQ Potchefstroom); Eastern
Transvaal Command (HQ Nelspruit); Natal Command (Durban), and Far North Command (HQ Pietersburg, which
in late 1993 and early 1994 included Regiment Hillcrest which was then part of 73 Motorised Brigade, and 73
Brigade itself). The part-time force also operated in the military area of Walvis Bay.

During this same period, the Engineers and Signals were grouped into the first of the 'type' formations, the South
African Army Engineer Formation (in 1982) and the South African Army Signals Formation (in 1984). Both these
formations were made directly responsible to Chief of Army.

In 1984 Northern Transvaal Command was subdivided and Eastern Transvaal Command (Nelspruit) and Far North
Command (Pietersburg) formed. The two new Commands were regarded as theatres and as such also had
responsibility for conventional operations (and units) within their areas.[20] For example, Far North Command had
73 Motorised Brigade within its area. Southern Cape Command may have been disbanded, and Northern Cape
Command established, in 1986.[21] In 1989 the RLI became the conventional reserve for Far North Command. The
area of responsibility of each commands followed the boundaries of the Economic Development Regions.[22] Before
the dissolution of the territorial commands General Derrick Mgwebi is also reported to have headed Mpumalanga
Command.

During the 1980s, the legal requirements for national service were to register for service at age sixteen and to report
for duty when called up, which usually occurred at some time after a man's eighteenth birthday or on leaving
school.[3] National service obligations could be fulfilled by active-duty military service for two years and by serving
in the reserves, generally for ten or twelve years. Reservists generally underwent fifty days per year of active duty or
training, after their initial period of service. The system was for the most part that the National Service requirement
was for 720 days (two years) and subsequent reserve duty was a further 720 days. The reserve duty was broken up
depending on the needs of the units and of the individual concerned. This generally worked out as a ninety-day
"operational" commitment one year, followed the next year by a thirty-day commitment in addition to any courses,
parades or admin evenings that might be required. Members of the Reserve were able to volunteer for further duty in
addition to that mandated. This additional, voluntary, service was recognised with the award of the Emblem for
Voluntary Service (EVS) (now the Badge for Reserve Voluntary Service (BRVS)) for five years of voluntary service
over and above the mandated commitment. The requirements for national service changed several times during the
1980s and the early 1990s in response to national security needs, and they were suspended in 1993.

Post-1994

From the early 1990s (after 1992) to 1 April 1997, the SA Army maintained three 'small' divisions, the 7th (HQ
Johannesburg), 8th (HQ Durban) and 9th (HQ Cape Town).[23] They consisted of a reconnaissance battalion, two
anti-aircraft defence battalions (AA guns), two battalions of artillery (G-5s and G-6s), a battalion of 127 mm MRLs,
an engineer battalion, two battalions of Olifant MBTs, two battalions mounted in Ratel ICVs, and finally two
battalions mounted in Buffel APCs. They were all amalgamated into the 7th South African Division on 1 April 1997,
and became the 73rd, 74th and 75th Brigades respectively.[24]

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On 1 April 1997 Regiment Louw Wepener (Bethlehem), Regiment De Wet

(Kroonstad) and Regiment Dan Pienaar (Bloemfontein) were absorbed
into Regiment Bloemspruit.

7th Division was disbanded on 1 April 1999 and all army battalions were
assigned to 'type' formations, in accordance with the recommendations of
the South African Defence Review 1998.[25] The 'type' formation force
structure was implemented in accordance with the recommendations of
auditing firm Deloitte and Touche, who were contracted to draw up a
plan to make the SA Army more economically efficient. The Deloitte and
Touche plan had the army separate its combat forces into 'silo' style South African troops in Sake, 10 km from
formations for armour, infantry, artillery, and engineers. Deane-Peter Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Baker of the South African Institute for Security Studies said that the
D&T plan, while alleviating, to an extent, the mistrust of the new South
African leadership of the remaining apartheid-era South African Defence
Force personnel in middle management positions, reduced the combat
effectiveness of the Army, and was seen by 2011 as a mistake.[26] Another
mistaken decision was the decision to limit the force design of the
SANDF to rely on short logistic lines for highly mechanised mobile forces
in defence of national territory, as it causes many supply issues during
modern foreign deployments. This is one of the major problems of the
army and various solutions are being considered by the government to
better equip forces deployed in out-of-area force projection
operations.[27]
Ratel IFVs of the Cape Town Highlanders
Though non-white personnel did serve as unarmed labourers with the Regiment during a mechanised training
army in both World Wars, a number of non-whites were employed in exercise.
segregated units during the Border War, and a number of units were
completely desegregated, it was not until 1994 – when South Africa
achieved full democracy – that the army as a whole was made open to all
races. Today the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has
racial quotas to make sure that White, Black, Coloured, and Indian South
Africans are proportionately represented in the armed forces.

During 2006 the Army released its ARMY VISION 2020 guidelines
document, in a fresh attempt to reassess the 1998 structures which had
proved wanting. The army planned a return to a division based structure,
from the previous structure where units are simply provided as needed to An Olifant Mk2 tank of the South African
the two active brigades. In many respects the plan was an attempt to Armoured Corps during the Africa
undo the effects of the Deloitte and Touche-inspired force design that Aerospace Expo 2014.
came into effect in 2001.[26] The new plan was to create two divisions and
a special operations brigade to conduct mountain, jungle, airborne and
amphibious operations. Specialised training would have had to be carried out, as and
when funds become available. A works regiment was also to have been created, to help
with the maintenance of army and Defence Force buildings and infrastructure.
However the plan was not implemented, and appeared to stall until the issue of the
2014 South African Defence Review. With the release of that review in mid-2014 it
appears possible that the 2006 planning may be reinvigorated.
South African soldier
Concerns have been raised as to the operational capabilities of the army given the high
serving as part of the
proportion of the army's budget spent on salaries (around 80%) and low amounts
United Nations Force
budgeted for capital (5%) and operational (15%) capacity.[28] In addition to the large Intervention Brigade in the
ratio of officers to soldiers, critical skills shortages, high average age of service Democratic Republic of the
personnel (48 years), and low proportion that are medically fit enough to be readily Congo.
deployable (about 10% of personnel).[28]

Peacekeeping and Operations

The post-1994 South African Army has been extensively involved in peacekeeping operations under United Nations
and African Union command in other African countries such as the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), the
United Nations Operation in Burundi(ONUB) and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), and is doing well with these challenges, despite some pitfalls and

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budget cuts.

Other operations that the Army was tasked with by government include: Operation Boleas (Lesotho), Operation
Fibre (Burundi), Operation Triton (five times in the Comoros), Operation Amphibian (Rwanda), Operation Montego
(Liberia), Operation Espresso (Ethiopia) , Operation Cordite (Sudan), Operation Teutonic and Operation Bulisa
(both in the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Operation Pristine (Ivory Coast), Operation Vimbezela (Central
African Republic) and Operation Bongane (Uganda).[29]

The most notable UN deployments since 1994 have been Operation Vimbezela (Central African Republic) and
Operation Mistral, the South African contribution to the United Nations mission to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo. The Central African deployment developed rapidly into a combat mission and led to the loss of 15 soldiers
from 1 Parachute Battalion in Bangui. The contribution to Ops Mistral, while starting in 2009, became a completely
different tasking with the contingent sent in 2013 to the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade, a ~3000-strong
intervention brigade that was authorised by the United Nations Security Council on 28 March 2013 through United
Nations Security Council Resolution 2098. It is the first United Nations peacekeeping unit that has been specifically
tasked to carry out offensive operations against armed rebel groups operating in the Eastern Democratic Republic of
the Congo, specifically those that threaten the State authority and civilian security. They can also carry out their
mandate without the help of the Congolese Army. The brigade is made up of troops from Tanzania, South Africa and
Malawi and has had several successes against rebel groups such as M23 militia.[29]

All Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, including South Africa, are working on
establishing the SADC Standby Brigade as an element of the African Standby Force. Working towards the creation
and strengthening of these regional brigades should contribute to the peace and security of the region.[27] The major
challenges that the Army face today is to readdress its current force design, to balance its budget, to integrate new
equipment to replace several ageing systems, and to prepare forces for the African Standby Force and African
Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises.[27]

Structure
Since the Defence Act of 1912, the South African Army has been comprised, in general terms, of three groupings. The
first is the standing army, also known since the 1970s as the Permanent Force. A military reserve force was also
established by the terms of the 1912 Act and initially designated the Active Citizen Force. The force was established
on 1 July 1913.[8] Other designations through the years have included Active Reserve Force, Citizen Force,
Conventional Reserve and Territorial Reserve. The Deloitte and Touche plan, as well as various policies over the
years have referred to a 'One Force Concept' where reservists and reserve units are supposed to be treated on an
equal footing with the permanent force counterparts. This is often not the case.

Due to the restructuring of the Reserves, the exact number of reserves is difficult to ascertain. However the 2011/12
planning target was 12,400 reserves.[30]

The third grouping was initially the Defence Rifle Associations, which later became the Commandos, a rural self-
defence force. There were several thousand other members in the Commandos. Each Commando was responsible for
the safeguarding and protection of a specific community (both rural or urban). However, this system was phased out
between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and
Security Charles Nqakula.[31] The last commando unit, that at Harrismith in the Free State, was disbanded in March
2008.

South African military ranks are derived from that of the British Armed Forces, with Army ranks derived from the
British Army.

The SA Army command structure is as follows:[32]

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Directorates
Chief of the SA Army Force Structure - To structure the SA Army in order to provide the SA Army component of
the Landward Defence Capability.[33]
Chief of the SA Army Force Preparation - Responsible for directing, orchestrating and controlling the combat
readiness of SA Army Forces
Chief of the SA Army Corporate Services - Directing corporate resources, services and advice directed towards
operationalising the SA Army strategy.
Inspector General - Provides an internal audit service within the Army strategy.
Chief of the SA Army Reserves - To give specialist advice to Chief of the SA Army and his staff in all Reserves
related issues
Sergeant Major of the Army - To enhance discipline in the SA Army and enforce standards of discipline.

Formations and units

OrBat operational units of the South African Army (click to enlarge)

The two standing army brigades are Headquarters 43 South African Brigade and Headquarters 46 South African
Brigade.[32] Each of these two headquarters are organised to provide four headquarters groups. Two of these units
should be available for deployment at any one time whilst the other two are on leave and in training.

In accordance with the Deloitte and Touche structure plan, the army was reorganised into single-branch

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'formations':

South African Armoured Corps

South African Army Infantry Formation
South African Army Artillery Formation
South African Army Engineer Formation
South African Army Air Defence Artillery Formation
South African Army Training Formation

- Army Combat Training Centre (Lohatla)

South African Army Support Formation

Existing and former administrative corps and branches of the South African Army can be seen at South African
Army corps and branches.

Many Army units are routinely placed under the nine joint operational-tactical headquarters that the SANDF Chief
of Joint Operations supervises directly through Joint Operations Division (IISS 2013). Brigadier-General McGill
Alexander took over as General Officer Commanding RJTF South in 2002, but in 2003 he was tasked to close down
all the RJTFs.

Bases

The South African Army maintains large bases in all 9 provinces of the country, mostly in or around major cities and
towns:[34] The army has 10 general support bases, seemingly part of the South African Army Support Formation.

Eastern Cape
The Grahamstown army base houses the 6 South African Infantry Battalion (Air Assault) and the First City
Regiment (Air Assault).
Port Elizabeth is home to Prince Alfred's Guard (Air Assault).
The Mthatha army base is home to the 14 South African Infantry Battalion (Motorised Infantry).
Port Elizabeth is home to the Regiment Piet Retief (Light Infantry).
East London is home to the Buffalo Volunteer Rifles (Light Infantry).

Free State

One of the largest bases in the country[35] is Tempe Military Base

which is located in Bloemfontein and is home to 1 South African Tank
Regiment, 1 Special Service Battalion (Armoured Car Regiment), the
South African School of Armour (which offers decentralized training to
regular and reserve regiments), 44 Parachute Regiment and 1 South
African Infantry Battalion (Mechanized Infantry). The parachute
training wing is also located here. Bloemfontein is also home to the
Regiment Bloemspruit (Light Infantry), Vrystaatse Artillerie Regiment
(Artillery) and Regiment President Steyn (Tank Regiment) as well as
3 Military Hospital.
Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III of United
Kroonstad is home to the School of Engineers, and an Army Band.
States Army Africa visits the Bloemfontein
Bethlehem is home to 2 Field Engineer Regiment SAEC.[36][37] School of Armour at Tempe Base.

Gauteng
Army headquarters is located at Dequar Road, Pretoria, which also houses the Transvaalse Staatsartillerie
(Artillery) and the Pretoria Regiment (Tank Regiment).
Pretoria is home to a large joint services base called Thaba Tshwane, which is also home to the South African
Army College, the National Ceremonial Guard and Band, the Military Police School, 1 Military Hospital, 44
Parachute Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Air Defence Artillery), Tshwane Regiment (Motorised Infantry), and 18 Light
Regiment (airborne mortars). Just south of Thaba Tshwane and within a separate area is Technical Base
Complex Centurion, which is home to 2 Parachute Battalion, 44 Parachute Engineers, 1 Military Printing

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Regiment, 4 Survey and Map Regiment, and the Army Engineer Formation.[38] Reportedly it also houses the
Technical Service Training Centre, and units from the SAMHS and the SAAF. The base, whose TEK appellation
may be derived from "Tegnies Basis Werkswinkel", is located at Centurion, south of Pretoria. It has a housing
complex for active members.
Wallmannsthal is home to 43 SA Brigade Headquarters.
Centurion is home to 3 Parachute Battalion.
The Joint Support Base in Wonderboom houses the School of Signals, 1 Signal Regiment, 2 Signal Regiment, 3
Electronic Workshop, 4 Signal Regiment and 5 Signal Regiment.
Several army bases in Johannesburg house 21 South African Infantry Battalion, 46 South African Brigade
headquarters, 6th Field Engineers Regiment, 1 Construction Regiment, 35th Engineering Supply Regiment, the
Rand Light Infantry (Motorised Infantry), The Johannesburg Regiment (Motorised Infantry), the Transvaal
Scottish Regiment (Motorised Infantry), Regiment Oos Rand (Motorised Infantry), the South African Irish
Regiment (Motorised Infantry), Regiment President Kruger (Motorised Infantry), the Transvaal Horse Artillery
(Artillery) and the Light Horse Regiment (Armoured Car Regiment).
Benoni is home to Regiment Oos Transvaal (Air Defence Artillery).
Springs is home to 6 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Air Defence Artillery).
The Heidelberg Army Base is home to the SA Army Gymnasium.
Germiston is home to the Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment (Mechanized Infantry).
Vereeniging is home to Regiment Vaal Rivier (Air Defence Artillery).

Western Cape
Several army bases are located in Cape Town and are home to the
9th South African Infantry Battalion (Seaborne Infantry), The Army
Band, the Cape Town Highlanders Regiment (Mechanized Infantry),
Regiment Westelike Provinsie (Mechanized Infantry), the Cape Town
Rifles (Motorised Infantry), Cape Field Artillery (Artillery), Cape
Garrison Artillery (Air Defence Artillery), Regiment Oranjerivier
(Armoured Car Regiment) and 3 Field Engineer Regiment.[39]
The Oudtshoorn army base houses the South African Infantry School. The South African Army College in Pretoria.

Northern Cape
An Army base is located in Kimberley which is home to the Air Defence Artillery School, 10 Anti-Aircraft
Regiment (Air Defence Artillery), a basic training depot for 3 South African Infantry Battalion, the Kimberley
Regiment (Motorised Infantry) and 44 Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Air Defence Artillery).
The Lohatla training area and army base is home to the SA Army Combat Training Centre where large army field
exercises take place. It also houses the 101 Field Workshop and the 16 Maintenance Unit.
An Army base in Upington is home to 8 South African Infantry Battalion (Mechanized Infantry).

North-West
The Potchefstroom army base is home to the School of Artillery, 4 Artillery Regiment (Artillery), Artillery Mobile
Regiment (Artillery), the School of Tactical Intelligence, 1 Tactical Intelligence Regiment, Regiment de la Rey
(Mechanized Infantry), Regiment Potchefstroom Universiteit (Artillery) and Regiment Mooirivier (Armoured Car
Regiment).
The Mahikeng Army base is home to 10 South African Infantry Battalion (Motorised Infantry).
Orkney is home to Regiment Skoonspruit (Motorised Infantry).
The Zeerust Army Base is home to 2 South African Infantry Battalion (Motorised Infantry).[40]

KwaZulu-Natal
Durban is home to an Army Band, the Durban Light Infantry (Mechanized Infantry), Natal Field Artillery (Artillery),
Natal Mounted Rifles (Tank Regiment), Umvoti Mounted Rifles (Armoured Car Regiment), the Durban Regiment
(Motorised Infantry) and the 19 Field Engineer Regiment SAEC.
Pietermaritzburg is home to the Natal Carbineers (Motorised Infantry).
The Mtubatuba army base is home to 121 South African Infantry Battalion (Motorised Infantry).
The Ladysmith army base is home to 5 South African Infantry Battalion.[41]

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Mpumalanga

Middelburg Army base is home to 4 South African Infantry Battalion

(Motorised Infantry).
Barberton is home to Regiment Botha (Motorised Infantry).

Limpopo
The Polokwane army base is home to an Army Band and Regiment
Christiaan Beyers (Motorised Infantry).
The Phalaborwa army base is home to 7 South African Infantry 1 Special Service Battalion at Tempe Base.
Battalion (Motorised Infantry).
The Thohoyandou army base is home to 15 South African Infantry
Battalion (Motorised Infantry).

The main South African Army Headquarters are located in Salvokop, Pretoria in the Dequar Road Complex along
with 102 Field Workshop SAOSC, 17 Maintenance Unit and the South African Military Health Service Military
Health Department.

Budget

A budget of approximately Rand 9.98 billion was allocated for fiscal year 2010/2011. In December 2010, it was
reported that funding shortages were causing severe problems.[42]

The vast majority of army equipment is nearing the end of its service life, with some items (like the Olifant Main
Battle Tank) dating from decades ago.

The South African National Defence Force has however started to remedy the situation with the procurement of 238
Patria AMV infantry fighting vehicles under the Hoefyster programme. Other procurements are planned and should
follow in line with the guideline document – Army Vision 2020. The SANDF has launched a project called "African
Warrior" which is aimed in modernising the equipment and weapons of the SANDF. The project has been very
successful in recent years and the South African Army has now put in service a 21st-century R4 assault rifle.[43]

Equipment
The South African Army maintains a wide variety of military equipment.

Gallery

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See also
South African military ranks
List of South African military chiefs

Notes
a. From the law creating the Union Defence Force.

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South African Army - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Army#Structure

Further reading
Frankel, Philip (2000). Soldiers in a Storm: The Armed Forces in South Africa's Democratic Transition (http://ww
w.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=5085) (paper). Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press.
ISBN 978-0-8133-3747-0. LCCN 00032102 (https://lccn.loc.gov/00032102). OL 6782707M (https://openlibrary.or
g/books/OL6782707M).
Hamann, Hilton (23 July 2007). Days of the Generals: The Untold Story of South Africa's Apartheid-era Military
Generals (1st ed.). Struik Publishers. ISBN 978-1868723409.
H.D. Nelson, 'South Africa: A Country Study,' U.S. Department of the Army Pamphlet 550-93, 1981 (also
possibly is a 1971 edition)
Siegfried Stander, Like the Wind, The Story of the SA Army, Saayman & Weber, Cape Town, 1985.
Volker, WV. 2010. Army signals in South Africa: the story of the South African Corps of Signals and its
antecedents. Pretoria: Veritas Books.
Volker, WV. 2010. Signal units of the South African Corps of Signals and related signal services. Pretoria: Veritas
Books.
Vrdoljak, Mary Kathleen (1970). The history of South African regiments: A select bibliography. University of Cape
Town Libraries.
Wessels, André. "South Africa's Land Forces, 1912-2012." Journal for Contemporary History 38, no. 1 (2013):
229–254.

External links
Official South African Army Website (http://www.army.mil.za/)
This article incorporates public domain material from the Library of Congress Country Studies website
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/).

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