The General Botha Regiment (formerly Regiment Botha) is a reserve

infantry regiment Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

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. ...

. The Regiment was named after General

Louis Botha Louis Botha (; 27 September 1862 – 27 August 1919) was a South African politician who was the first prime minister of the Union of South Africa – the forerunner of the modern South African state. A Boer war hero during the Second Boer War, ...

, the first

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

History

The regiment was formed in

Ermelo, Mpumalanga Ermelo () is the educational, industrial and commercial town of the 7,750 km2 Gert Sibande District Municipality in Mpumalanga province, Republic of South Africa. It is both a mixed agriculture and mining region. It is located 210 km east ...

on 1 April 1934, as part of an expansion of the Army's infantry branch.

World War 2

A second battalion was formed on the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

in 1939. The first battalion did not serve in the war, but the second fought in the

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

campaign in 1941 and 1942 as part of the 1st Infantry Division. In 1943, it was temporarily amalgamated with Regiment President Steyn.

Sister Battalion

The two battalions separated after the war, and in 1951 the second battalion was renamed

Regiment Christiaan Beyers The Mapungubwe Regiment {formerly Regiment Christiaan Beyers) is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. It traces its history as far back as 1939, and fought in the Second World War, and the Border War after 1966. It was renamed i ...

. From 1960 to 1966, Regiment Botha was called ''Regiment Pongola''.

SANDF's Motorised Infantry

SANDF’s Motorised Infantry is transported mostly by Samil trucks, Mamba APC’s or other un-protected motor vehicles. Samil 20, 50 and 100 trucks transport soldiers, towing guns, and carrying equipment and supplies. Samil trucks are all-wheel drive, in order to have vehicles that function reliably in extremes of weather and terrain. Motorised infantry have an advantage in mobility allowing them to move to critical sectors of the battlefield faster, allowing better response to enemy movements, as well as the ability to outmaneuver the enemy.

Name changed

In August 2019, 52 Reserve Force units had their names changed to reflect the diverse military history of South Africa. Regiment Botha had its title amended to General Botha Regiment, and was given 3 years to design and implement new regimental insignia.

Leadership

Insignia

Previous Dress Insignia

Current Dress Insignia

References

{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Infantry regiments of South Africa Military history of South Africa South African Army Regiments of South Africa Military units and formations established in 1934 Military units and formations of South Africa in World War II