The South African Army Infantry Formation supervises all infantry within 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. ...

History

Origins: Union Defence Force

South African Infantry originated as the ''Infantry Branch'' of the Union Defence Forces in 1913. Cap badge 1st South African Infantry Brigade

In 1915, the defence forces established the

South African Overseas Expeditionary Force The South African Overseas Expeditionary Force (SAOEF) was a volunteer military organisation in World War I. Organisation The South African government formed the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force (''SAOEF'') in July 1915, as part of ...

for war service outside Southern Africa. It included the ''South African Infantry'', comprising twelve battalions, and the ''Cape Corps'', comprising two battalions of Coloured volunteers. These units were disbanded in 1919. South African Infantry circa World War One ver 2

South African Infantry circa World War One ver 2

The Infantry Branch was enlarged in 1934, and the mounted rifles regiments were converted to infantry in 1935. In 1943, the Infantry Branch was incorporated into the new

South African Armoured Corps The South African Army Armour Formation provides an Armour capability to the South African Army. The Formation came into being as part of a restructure. South African Armour Corps units previously under the command of various different brigades a ...

, which was divided into armour and infantry branches after

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 ...

Republic Defence Force (SADF)

Separated by language

Based on the findings of a committee led by Brigadier H.B. Popper in late 1953, it was recommended that some English-speaking units be converted to Afrikaans medium units, while other regiments should be amalgamated or contracted. SADF Infantry Beret Springbok ver 1

Despite representations made by some of the units affected, the reorganisation went ahead from January 1954. In 1956 a further reorganisation was made necessary by the considerable increase in the number of citizens balloted for training in some areas. The Army was accordingly reorganised to consist of 32 Afrikaner-speaking units (including five infantry regiments, five tank units, and four armoured car units) and 20 English medium units (including ten infantry regiments, four tank units, and one armoured car unit). The changes were implemented with effect from 22 September 1956. In 1954, the SA-AC's Infantry Branch, and the personnel of the South African Instructional Corps, were formed into the ''South African Infantry Corps''. In 1972, continuous national service was increased to twelve months and by 1974, there were ten full-time motorised infantry battalions, besides the parachute battalion. The infantry reserve comprised 42 citizen force infantry battalions, a parachute regiment and over 200 commando internal defence units.

Separated by race (Black Infantry)

Plans were in place to establish volunteer black infantry units along ethnic lines, comparable to the

Cape Corps The Cape Corps and its predecessor units were the main military organisations in which the Coloured members of South Africa's population served. History As one of the military units of South Africa with one of the longest histories, the Cape ...

. The volunteer black infantry unit plans eventually bore fruit with the formation of 21, 111,

113 113 may refer to: *113 (number), a natural number *AD 113, a year * 113 BC, a year *113 (band), a French hip hop group * 113 (MBTA bus), Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus route * 113 (New Jersey bus), Ironbound Garage in Newark and run ...

, 115, 116 (Northern Sooth,

Messina Messina (, also , ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of more than 219,000 inhabitants in ...

), 117, 118, 121 and 151 Battalions. Another battalion, 114 Battalion, was planned but not actually formed. Many of their members were Service Volunteers, members of all the population groups who were not compelled to do National Service (hence excluding white males). Eventually, the various black battalions amounted to about 16,000 troops, and some of the members of these battalions became Auxiliary or Permanent Force members. SADF Black Infantry Battalions ver 3

National Defence Force (SANDF) post 1994

In the post-apartheid era, no ethnic or language-based infantry exists at all. By 1997, several units were reorganised: * 13 SAI was amalgamated into 14 SAI at

Umtata Mthatha , formerly Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matan ...

, * 151 Battalion was amalgamated into 1 SAI * 113 Battalion was amalgamated into 7 SAI *

61 Mechanised Battalion Group 61 Mechanised Battalion Group was a unit of the South African Infantry Corps; although it was classed as mechanized infantry, it was a combined arms force consisting of infantry, armour and artillery. History Combat Group Juliet General Consta ...

was disbanded and elements incorporated into

8 SAI 8 South African Infantry Battalion is a mechanized infantry unit of the South African Army. The battalion is equipped with Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) used for fast transport and combat mobility across rough ground. Support weapons fo ...

* 16 SAI was disbanded 1997. In the 1980s

Regiment Port Natal Regiment Port Natal was a motorised infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation. As a reserve unit, it had a status roughly equivalent to that of a present-day British Army Reserve or Un ...

appears to have been a component of 84 Motorised Brigade. It was amalgamated with the

Durban Light Infantry The Durban Light Infantry is a Motorised Infantry regiment of the South African Army. It lost its status as a Mechanised infantry regiment in 2010 in line with the rationalisation of resources. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equival ...

about 1999.

From Corps to Formation

In 2000 the Corps became known as the South African Army Infantry Formation. The first female battalion commander appears to have been appointed in 2001. The specialised horse/motorcycle/dog-using battalion, 12 South African Infantry Battalion, was disbanded in April 2005. The previous General Officer Commanding up to 2012 was Lieutenant General

Themba Nkabinde Lieutenant General Themba Nkabinde is a South African Army General Officer, currently serving as Chief Human Resources. Military career He joined Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in 1977 and he left South Africa for training in Angola. From 1991 to 19 ...

Since 1994, South Africa's Infantry units have supported numerous operations for the United Nations and the African Union across the continent, including in the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

(MONUC/MONUSCO), the

Force Intervention Brigade The United Nations Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) is a military formation which constitutes part of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). It was authorized by the United Nations ...

in particular, Burundi (South African Protection Support Detachment, and African Union Mission in Burundi), in the

Comores The Comoros,, ' officially the Union of the Comoros,; ar, الاتحاد القمري ' is an independent country made up of three islands in southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. I ...

, and with AMIS/UNMIS in Sudan.

Formation structure and units

The infantry corps contains a total of 15 regular battalions in a variety of different roles: *

Mechanised Infantry Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force). As defined by the United States Army, mechanized infantry is di ...

- 2 battalions *

Motorised Infantry Motorized infantry is infantry that is transported by trucks or other motor vehicles. It is distinguished from mechanized infantry, which is carried in armoured personnel carriers or infantry fighting vehicles, and from light infantry, which ...

- 8 battalions *

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 ...

- 1 battalion * Parachute Infantry - 1 battalion *

Air Assault Infantry Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind ...

- 1 battalion * Seaborne Infantry - 1 battalion *

Basic Training Military recruit training, commonly known as basic training or boot camp, refers to the initial instruction of new military personnel. It is a physically and psychologically intensive process, which resocializes its subjects for the unique deman ...

- 1 battalion * The

Oudtshoorn Oudtshoorn (, ), the "ostrich capital of the world", is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa, located between the Swartberg mountains to the north and the Outeniqua Mountains to the south. Two ostrich-feather booms, during 1865– ...

army base houses the

South African Infantry School The South African Infantry School is within the Army Base in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape. The Infantry School, now at Oudtshoorn, was established in November 1953, after a history dating back to the South African Military School in Bloemfontein, est ...

. The infantry corps contains a total of 26 reserve battalions in the following roles: *Mechanised Infantry - 6 battalions *Motorised Infantry - 14 battalions *Light Infantry - 3 battalions *Parachute Infantry - 1 battalion *Air Assault Infantry - 2 battalions

Infantry Types

Within the South African Army, there are six main types of infantry:

Type 1: Parachute Infantry

44 Parachute Regiment 44 Parachute Regiment is the South African Army's chief airborne infantry unit. It was created in 2000 by redesignating 44 Parachute Brigade, and is based at the Tempe military base near Bloemfontein. History Origin The first South Afric ...

(

Bloemfontein Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State (province), Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legisla ...

) – a brigade sized regiment consisting of the following units:
;Regular Force *

1 Parachute Battalion 1 Parachute Battalion (''Ex Alto Vincimus'') is the only full-time paratroop unit of the South African Army. It was established on 1 April 1961 with the formation of the Parachute Battalion. After 1998 this unit was renamed to Parachute Train ...

, (

) * 44 Pathfinder Platoon, (Bloemfontein) * 44 Training Wing, (Bloemfontein) ;Reserve Force * 3 Parachute Battalion, (Bloemfontein)

Type 2: Air Assault Infantry

Air Assault infantry are trained to be deployed using helicopters. ;Regular Force *

6 South African Infantry Battalion 6 South African Infantry Battalion is an air assault infantry unit of the South African Army. History 6 SAI was established on 1 January 1962, at Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. The new training unit was housed on the property previously used by ...

(

Grahamstown Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London, Eastern Cape, East London. Makhanda is the lar ...

)

;Reserve Force *

Chief Makhanda Regiment The Chief Makhanda Regiment (formerly known as the First City) is a reserve air assault infantry regiment of the South African Army. History Colony Frontier The regiment was formed from the First City Volunteers (FCV) of Grahamstown that wer ...

(

) *

Chief Maqoma Regiment The Chief Maqoma Regiment (formerly Prince Alfred's Guard) is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. The regiment is located in the city of Port Elizabeth. History Origin Chief Maqoma Regiment was established on 19 September 1 ...

(

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Sou ...

)

Type 3: Seaborne Infantry

;Regular Force *

9 South African Infantry Battalion 9 South African Infantry Battalion is a motorised infantry unit of the South African Army, designated ''seaborne''. History What was previously known as the South African Cape Corps (SACC) ( af, Suid-Afrika Kaapse Korps (SAKK)) was renamed th ...

(

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

)

;Reserve Force * Chief Langalibalele Rifles, (

)

Type 4: Light Infantry

Fast highly mobile skirmishers. ;Regular Force * 21 South African Infantry Battalion (

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

)

;Reserve Force *

Rand Light Infantry The Rand Light Infantry (RLI) is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve unit or United States Army National Guard unit. History Origin The history ...

(

) *

OR Tambo Regiment The OR Tambo Regiment (formerly Regiment Oos Rand) is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. History Origin In the period before 1960, 4 military units existed on the East Rand: *7 Medium Artillery Regiment, *2 Light Anti-A ...

(

Germiston Germiston, also known as kwaDukathole, is a small city in the East Rand region of Gauteng, South Africa, administratively forming part of the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality since the latter's establishment in 2000. It functions a ...

) * Lenong Regiment (

Krugersdorp Krugersdorp (Afrikaans for ''Kruger's Town'') is a mining city in the West Rand, Gauteng Province, South Africa founded in 1887 by Marthinus Pretorius. Following the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, a need arose for a major town in the west ...

)

Type 5: Mechanised Infantry

Mechanised infantry are equipped with the

Ratel The honey badger (''Mellivora capensis''), also known as the ratel ( or ), is a mammal widely distributed in Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Because of its wide range and occurrence in a variety of habitats, it is listed a ...

infantry combat vehicle An infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle (MICV), is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide direct-fire support. The 1990 Treaty on Conventional Armed Forc ...

, a wheeled vehicle that can deploy over all terrain.

Ratel Infantry Fighting vehicle AAD 2014

;Regular Force * 1 South African Infantry Battalion (Bloemfontein) *

8 South African Infantry Battalion 8 South African Infantry Battalion is a mechanized infantry unit of the South African Army. The battalion is equipped with Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) used for fast transport and combat mobility across rough ground. Support weapons fo ...

( 61 Mechanised Infantry Battalion Group was merged into this unit) (

Upington Upington ( Nama: //Khara hais) is a town founded in 1873 and located in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, on the banks of the Orange River. The town was originally called Olijvenhoutsdrift ('Olive wood drift'), due to the abundance of ...

) ;Reserve Force *

General de la Rey Regiment The General de la Rey Regiment (formerly Regiment de la Rey) is an reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. Formation The Regiment de la Rey was established in 1934 as one of the new Afrikaans language Citizen Force units of the ...

(

Potchefstroom Potchefstroom (, colloquially known as Potch) is an academic city in the North West Province of South Africa. It hosts the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University. Potchefstroom is on the Mooi Rivier (Afrikaans for "pretty river" ...

) *

Job Masego Regiment 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 ...

(

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends ...

) *

Gonnema Regiment The Cape Town Highlanders is a reserve mechanised infantry 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 "regime ...

(Cape Town) * General Jan Smuts Regiment (Cape Town) *

Bambatha Rifles The Bambatha Rifles (formerly the Witwatersrand Rifles) is a reserve mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army. History Origin The Witwatersrand Rifles (often familiarly known as the "Wits Rifles or the Wit Rifles") was formed by ...

(Johannesburg)

Type 6: Motorised Infantry

Motorised infantry are equipped with various Samil trucks, that can be deployed over rough terrain, but is primarily a road vehicle. Since the mid-2000s, they have been using vehicles like

Mamba Mambas are fast moving highly venomous snakes of the genus ''Dendroaspis'' (which literally means "tree asp") in the family Elapidae. Four extant species are recognised currently; three of those four species are essentially arboreal and green ...

. ;Regular Force *

2 South African Infantry Battalion 2 South African Infantry Battalion is a motorised infantry unit of the South African Army. History Origin: Walvis Bay and South West Africa 2 SAI was established on 1 January 1962, at Walvis Bay an enclave of South Africa surrounded by ...

(

Zeerust Zeerust is a commercial town situated in Ngaka Modiri Molema district North West Province, South Africa. It lies in the Marico valley, approximately 240 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg. It lies on the N4, the main road link between South ...

)

* 4 South African Infantry Battalion (

Middelburg, Mpumalanga Middelburg is a large farming and industrial town in the South African province of Mpumalanga. History It was initially established as a halfway station between Lydenburg and Pretoria by the Republic of Lydenburg in 1860. That republic would me ...

) * 5 South African Infantry Battalion (

Ladysmith Ladysmith may refer to: * Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa * Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada * Ladysmith, Wisconsin, United States * Ladysmith, New South Wales, Australia * Ladysmith, Virginia, United States * Ladysmith Island, Queenslan ...

) *

7 South African Infantry Battalion 7 South African Infantry Battalion is a motorised infantry unit of the South African Army. History Origin 1973: 7 SAI was established on 1 October, at Bourke's Luck, Eastern Transvaal (Mpumalanga) by Commandant Eddie Webb. 1974:The first ...

(

Phalaborwa Phalaborwa (translated to English as ''better than the south; phala'' means ''better than and borwa'' means ''south'') is a town in the Mopani District Municipality, Limpopo province, South Africa. It is located near the confluence of the Ga-Se ...

) * 10 South African Infantry Battalion (

Mafikeng Mafikeng, officially known as Mahikeng and previously Mafeking (, ), is the capital city of the North West province of South Africa. Close to South Africa's border with Botswana, Mafikeng is northeast of Cape Town and west of Johannesburg. In ...

) * 14 South African Infantry Battalion (

Mthatha Mthatha , formerly Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matanzi ...

) * 15 South African Infantry Battalion (

Thohoyandou Thohoyandou ( ve, Ṱhohoyanḓou) is a town in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It is the administrative centre of Vhembe District Municipality and Thulamela Local Municipality. It is also known for being the former capital of the bantusta ...

) * 121 South African Infantry Battalion (

Mtubatuba Mtubatuba is a town north of Richards Bay close to the entrance of Ncivi and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (previously Greater St Lucia Wetland Park) but now the isimangaliso wetland park is known to be under Mtuba town in KwaZulu-Natal, South ...

) ;Reserve Force *

General Botha Regiment The General Botha Regiment (formerly Regiment Botha) is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. The Regiment was named after General Louis Botha, the first prime minister of South Africa. History The regiment was formed in Erme ...

( Barberton) * Mapungubwe Regiment (

Polokwane Polokwane (, meaning "Sanctuary" in Northern SothoPolokwane - The Heart of the Limpopo Province ...

) *

Johannesburg Regiment The Johannesburg Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. History Origins as Artillery Joh ...

(Johannesburg) *

Andrew Mlangeni Regiment The Andrew Mlangeni Regiment (formerly South African Irish Regiment) is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. History Origins Although all the regular units of Irish origin in the British Army have served in South Africa at s ...

(Johannesburg) *

Solomon Mahlangu Regiment The Solomon Mahlangu Regiment (formerly the Transvaal Scottish) is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. History Origin John Murray, Marquis of Tullibardine, who later became the 7th Duke of Atholl, established the regiment a ...

(Johannesburg) *

Tshwane Regiment Tshwane Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. History This Regiment was originally establ ...

(

) * Buffalo Volunteer Rifles ( East London) *

(

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

) *

King Shaka Regiment The King Shaka Regiment (formerly the Durban Regiment) is a reserve motorised infantry battalion of the South African Army. History Origin Established in 1923 as the Durban Volunteer Guides, the unit was disbanded after World War Two but reform ...

(

) *

Kimberley Regiment The Kimberley Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. History Volunteer Forces on the Diamon ...

( Kimberley) *

Ingobamakhosi Carbineers The Ingobamakhosi Carbineers (formerly Natal Carbineers) is an infantry unit of the South African Army. History Origins The regiment traces its roots to 1854 but it was formally raised on 15 January 1855 and gazetted on 13 March of that year, ...

(

Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg (; Zulu: umGungundlovu) is the capital and second-largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838 and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its Zulu name umGungundlovu ...

) *

Mangaung Regiment The Mangaung Regiment (formerly Regiment Bloemspruit) is a reserve infantry 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, ...

(Bloemfontein) *

Nelson Mandela Regiment The Nelson Mandela Regiment (formerly Regiment Piet Retief) is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. History Under the Union Defence Force World War 2 Mobilisation The regiment was founded on 1 February 1940 as a citizen ...

(

) *

Chief Albert Luthuli Regiment Chief Albert Luthuli Regiment (formerly Regiment De Wet) is a reserve infantry battalion of the South African Army. History Origins Regiment de Wet was one of six Afrikaans-speaking Citizen Force regiments established as part of the expansion ...

(

Kroonstad Kroonstad (Afrikaans directly translated "Crown City") is the third largest city in the Free State (after Bloemfontein and Welkom) and lies two hours' drive on the N1 from Gauteng. Maokeng is an area within Kroonstad, and is occasionally used ...

)

Infantry Battalion internal organization

The organisation of South African motorised, mechanised, air assault and parachute infantry battalions are broadly similar, the mechanised battalion however lacks a machine gun platoon in the support company and the internal security battalion lacks the same as well as other support weapons (mortars, antitank weapons and assault pioneers). A battalion musters about 34 officers, 776 men, or 810 all ranks. A company has nine rifle sections. A battalion has nine rifle platoons and 27 rifle sections. A battalion has at its disposal the following weapons: * 8 M3 81mm mortars, * 27 M4 60mm patrol mortars, * 6 infantry antitank guns (M40A1 or Ratel 90), * 6 antitank guided missile launchers (MBDA Milan ADT3 or Ratel ZT3), * 4 Browning 12.7mm HMG and four Denel Y3 AGL (not in the mechanised infantry), * 27 7.62mm GPMG and * 9 RPG7 rocket-propelled grenade launchers (one per rifle platoon). The number of vehicles is dependent on the type of unit and role. A parachute or air assault battalion deployed by air will largely be dependent on the 104 LMT Gecko airborne amphibious 8x8 light rapid deployment logistic vehicles assigned to 44 Parachute Regiment. The number deployed will depend on the airlift available. By some accounts, a Fighting Echelon (F-Echelon) would include 88 A-Vehicles, but the numbers can be higher. In September 2008 the motorised 5 SAI Bn deployed 113 Casspir armoured personnel and weapon carriers to a force preparation exercise (Seboka) and the mechanised 8 SAI Bn deployed 107 Ratels. The A- and B-Echelons, fully mobilised, can muster up at least another 90 B-Vehicles of various types.

Training

All basic infantry training is done at 3 South African Infantry Battalion Training Depot at Kimberley. This is a Regular Force unit. Second phase deals with specific equipment, weapons and tactics, general and specific to the type of Infantry, and is dealt with at the unit and its training areas. Third phase ramps up to a conventional warfare exercise usually held at Lohatla Army Battle School. Tactics such as fire and movement, as well as the amalgamation with other type formations, are done here, with expanding the scope from the squad to section to the platoon to company, battalion, and brigade exercises. SANDF Infantry Fire and Movement Training

SANDF Infantry Fire and Movement Training

More specialized training is done on an ad-hoc basis. FIB-training-01

Equipment

South African Infantry are trained in an assortment of equipment in addition to their personal rifles, such as:

Alliances

While South Africa was part of the

British Commonwealth The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...

, many units formed alliances with British and other units. With the advent of the Republic in 1961, almost all of these alliances fell away either as a natural consequence of changing alliances or on instructions from the authorities. Some units have maintained the alliances unofficially. With the change of government in 1994, South Africa once again became officially part of the Commonwealth, so alliances are once again possible. Some examples of alliances: * -

The Rifles The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions. Each battalion of The Rifles was formerly ...

; 5 Infantry Battalion * - The Royal Welsh; 121 Infantry Battalion

Battle Honours

Many South African units have a proud history. This is particularly reflected in the many

Battle Honours A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...

they have received. SANDF Infantry Flash

Notes

References

{{SA Army Units South African administrative corps Military units and formations established in 2000