Pongola Commando was a

light infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

of the

South African Army The South African Army is the principal land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the South African Air Force, South African Navy and South African Military Health Service. ...

and was based in the town of Pongola. It formed part of the

South African Army Infantry Formation The South African Army Infantry Formation supervises all infantry within the South African Army. History Origins: Union Defence Force South African Infantry originated as the ''Infantry Branch'' of the Union Defence Forces in 1913. In 1915, ...

as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.

History

Origin

This unit was created by merging the Pongola Company of the Piet Retief Commando with the North Coast Commando on 17 October 1970.

Operations

With the SADF

Under the SADF, the unit was mainly engaged in area force protection, search and cordones as well as stock theft control assistance to the rural police. During severe

Tropical Storm Domoina Severe Tropical Storm Domoina in 1984 caused 100-year floods in South Africa and record rainfall in Swaziland. The fourth named storm of the season, Domoina developed on January 16 off the northeast coast of Madagascar. With a ridge to t ...

in 1984, the unit provided civil protection support through establishing a communication network, by distributing much needed food and emergency supplies, and a range of other

civil defence Civil defense ( en, region=gb, civil defence) or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from man-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mit ...

measures.

With the SANDF

=Disbandment

= This unit, along with all other Commando units, was disbanded after a decision by South African President

Thabo Mbeki Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki KStJ (; born 18 June 1942) is a South African politician who was the second president of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008, when he resigned at the request of his party, the African National Congress (ANC ...

. A variety of reasons were given for the Commando system to be phased out between 2003 and 2008. This included "the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and Security

Charles Nqakula Charles Nqakula (born 13 September 1942) is a South African politician who served as Minister of Defence from September 2008 to 2009. He also served as Minister for Safety and Security from May 2002 to September 2008. Nqakula is married to fo ...

Unit Insignia

SADF era Pongola Commando insignia ver 2

Leadership

The unit's commanding officers listed above generally held the rank of commandant.