The Job Masego Regiment (formerly Regiment Noord-Transvaal) is a reserve mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army.

History

Regiment Noord-Transvaal / Regiment Northern Transvaal () was a reserve unit formed in 1963 and came into service in January 1964. Regiment Noord-Transvaal was initially an armoured unit. Its headquarters is close to the SA Army Headquarters complex. In those days RNT was part of 16 Armoured Brigade and later 81 Armoured Brigade.

With the SADF

With 16 Brigade

was one of the original units utilised in this era to develop the mechanization of a conventional force for the SADF under typical South African conditions.

With 81 Brigade

Mechanised training was originally conducted in soft-skinned vehicles which then progressed to Saracens and finally to the Ratel Infantry Fighting vehicle by 1976. 1 RNT was the first unit to be completely outfitted as a mechanised battalion during Exercise Mainstay around 1977.

The second battalion

In 1969, the regiment was split into two battalions 1RNT and 2 RNT

Operations

In 1975, 1RNT re-mustered to a reserve mechanised infantry unit and took part in the

South African Border War The South African Border War, also known as the Namibian War of Independence, and sometimes denoted in South Africa as the Angolan Bush War, was a largely asymmetric conflict that occurred in Namibia (then South West Africa), Zambia, and Ango ...

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

and at home in counter insurgency operations. 1RNT stayed involved in that conflict to the end, taking part in Operations Moduler, Hooper, Packer and

Prone Prone position () is a body position in which the person lies flat with the chest down and the back up. In anatomical terms of location, the dorsal side is up, and the ventral side is down. The supine position is the 180° contrast. Etymolog ...

in 1987-8. 2RNT deployed extensively in numerous operations in a Motorised Infantry - Counter Insurgency (COIN) role in the

as well as on the Rhodesian / Zimbabwe border amongst others in the Soutpansberg Military Area (SMA). It reported into Northern Transvaal command (Later Gauteng Command) and Far Northern Command (73 Brigade) respectively. 2RNT also played a key role in Operation JAMBU in Katlahong / Vosloorus over the election period in 1994, when peace and stability was ensured in the Witwatersrand. SADF Operation Hooper participation bar

With the SANDF

2RNT was incorporated / amalgamated into Tshwane Regiment along with 5 other Motorised Infantry regiments in 2000.

Name change

In August 2019, 52 Reserve Force units had their names changed to reflect the diverse military history of South Africa. Regiment Noord-Transvaal became the Job Masego Regiment, and have 3 years to design and implement new regimental insignia.

Leadership

1st Battalion

2nd Battalion

Insignia

The cap badge of RNT was loosely based on the SAS badge but the wings had a different shape and the dagger pointed upwards. 1RNT were the first to wear an infantry beret bar with a Ratel Fighting Vehicle on top of the colours. 2RNT's cap badge was worn with a red felt backing to distinguish it from 1RNT.

Previous Dress Insignia

SADF Regiment Northern Transvaal insignia ver 3

Current Dress Insignia

Notes

References

{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Infantry regiments of South Africa Military units and formations in Pretoria Military units and formations established in 1964