Comparative military ranks of apartheid states in southern Africa

Rank comparison charts of armies/land forces of apartheid states and territories in Southern Africa.

This chart includes the military rank insignia of the nominally independent Bantustans,[note 1] apartheid South Africa,[1] and South West Africa.[1] These states were all under the control of the apartheid regime of South Africa,[2] with the defence forces of the Bantustans being made of units that were nominally independent of the SADF, but were selected and trained by the SADF, and who placed former South African and Rhodesian military officers in senior positions within the defence forces.[3] The South West Africa Territorial Force was an auxiliary arm of the SADF and formed the armed forces of South West Africa from 1977 to 1989.[4]

Armies

Officers
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
Bophuthatswana Army[5]
Major general Brigadier Colonel Commandant Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant
Generaal-majoor Brigadier Kolonel Kommandant Majoor Kaptein Luitenant Tweede luitenant
Ciskei Army[6]
Lieutenant general Brigadier Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant
South African Army
(1961–1994)[7]
General[a] Lieutenant general Major general[b] Brigadier Colonel Chief commandant[c] Commandant Major Captain Lieutenant[d] Second lieutenant[e]
Generaal Luitenant-generaal Generaal-majoor Brigadier Kolonel Hoofkommandant Kommandant Majoor Kaptein Luitenant Tweede luitenant
South West African Army[7]
Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant
Transkei Army[8][6]
General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant
Venda Ground Forces[6]
Brigadier Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
Other ranks
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
Bophuthatswana Army[5]
 No insignia
Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2 Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private
Adjudant-Offisier Klass I Adjudant-Offisier Klass II Staf-Sersant Sersant Korporaal Onderkorporaal Soldaat
Ciskei Army[6]
 No insignia
Chief warrant officer Warrant officer Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private
South African Army
(1961–1994)[7]
 No insignia
Sergeant Major of the Army
Sersant-Majoor van die Leër 		Warrant officer class 1
Adjudant-Offisier Klas I 		Warrant officer class 2
Adjudant-Offisier Klas II 		Staff sergeant
Stafsersant 		Sergeant
Sersant 		Corporal
Korporaal 		Lance corporal
Onderkorporaal 		Private
Soldaat


South West African Army[7]
 No insignia
Formation warrant officer Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2 Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private
Transkei Army[8][6]
 No insignia
Chief warrant officer Warrant officer Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private
Venda Ground Forces[6]
 No insignia
Chief warrant officer Warrant officer Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted

Air forces

Officers
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
Bophuthatswana Air Force[5]
Brigadier Colonel Commandant Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant
Brigadier Kolonel Kommandant Majoor Kaptein Luitenant Tweede luitenant
South African Air Force
(1961–1994)
General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier Colonel Commandant Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant
Generaal Luitenant-generaal Generaal-majoor Brigadier Kolonel Kommandant Majoor Kaptein Luitenant Tweede luitenant
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
Other ranks
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
Bophuthatswana Air Force[5]
 No insignia
Sergeant Major of the Air Force Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2 Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private
Sersant-Majoor van die Lugmag Adjudant-Offisier Klass I Adjudant-Offisier Klass II Staf-Sersant Sersant Korporaal Onderkorporaal Soldaat
South African Air Force
(1961–1994)
 No insignia
Sergeant Major of the Air Force Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2 Flight sergeant Sergeant[f] Corporal[g] Lance corporal[h] Aircraftman[i]
Sersant-Majoor van die SA Lugmag Adjudant-offisier klas I Adjudant-offisier klas II Vlugsersant Sersant Korporaal Onderkorporaal Vliegtuigman
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Called commandant general (kommandant-generaal) from 1956 to 1968.
  2. ^ Called combat general (bestry generaal) from 1960 to 1968.
  3. ^ Only in the commandos from 1968 to 1970.
  4. ^ Called field cornet (veldkornet) from 1960 to 1968.
  5. ^ Called assistant field cornet (assistent veldkornet) from 1960 to 1968.
  6. ^ Called air sergeant (lugsersant) from 1960 to 1968.
  7. ^ Called air sorporal (lugkorporaal) from 1960 to 1968.
  8. ^ Called leading air mechanic (leiend lugwerktuigkundige) until 1970.
  9. ^ Called air mechanic (lugwerktuigkundige) from 1920 to 1970. Called private (soldaat) from 1970 to 1982.
  1. ^
    • The Transkei was granted "independence" by the Status of Transkei Act 100 of 1976 with effect from 26 October 1976.
    • The Status of Bophuthatswana Act 89 of 1977 granted Bophuthatswana "independence" with effect from 6 December 1977.
    • Venda was granted "independence" by the Status of Venda Act 107 of 1979 with effect from 13 September 1979.
    • The Status of Ciskei Act 110 of 1981 granted Ciskei "independence" with effect from 4 December 1981.

References

  1. ^ a b Radburn, Arthur (1990). "South African Army Ranks and Insignia". South African Journal of Military Studies. 20 (2): 2.
  2. ^ "The Homelands". South African History Online. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  3. ^ Stapleton, Timothy J. (9 April 2010). A Military History of South Africa: From the Dutch-Khoi Wars to the End of Apartheid. Praeger Security International. ISBN 978-0313365898.
  4. ^ Duignan, Peter. Politics and Government in African States 1960–1985. pp. 345–377.
  5. ^ a b c d "Bophuthatswana Defence Force". Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Cilliers, Jakkie (1993). "An Overview of the Armed Forces of the TBVC Countries". South African Defence Review (13). Archived from the original on 24 June 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d Radburn, A. (22 February 2012). "SOUTH AFRICAN ARMY RANKS AND INSIGNIA". Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies. 20 (2): 1–4. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Transkeian Defence Force Badges of Rank". Retrieved 3 June 2021.

Examples