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Drakensberg Commando
Drakensberg Commando
	Drakensberg Commando emblem
Founded	1961 (63 years ago)
Disbanded	February 14, 2023 (22 months ago)
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Republic of South Africa; Republic of South Africa;
Branch	South African Army; South African Army;
Type	Infantry
Role	Light Infantry
Size	One Battalion
Part of	South African Infantry Corps; Army Territorial Reserve, Group 11 and Group 27
Garrison/HQ	Newcastle

Drakensberg Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.

History

Origins

The Drakensberg Commando was raised in 1961 in Newcastle as a company of the Dundee Commando.

Operations

With the SADF

The unit became a fully fledged unit by August 1964.

The unit was fell initially under the command of Group 11 until that Group HQ was disbanded and then resorted under command of Group 27 in Eshowe.

A company of this unit did border duty in South West Africa in 1976.

The units also saw duty in the internal unrest of northern Natal.

With the SANDF

Disbandment

This unit, along with all other Commando units was disbanded after a decision by South African President Thabo Mbeki to disband all Commando Units.^[1]^[2] The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula.^[3]

Unit Insignia

Leadership

Leadership
From	Honorary Colonels	To
From	Commanding Officers	To
From	Regimental Sergeants Major	To

References

^ van Stade, Col L B (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Senior Staff Officer Rationalisation, SANDF. Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
^ "About the Commando system". Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
^ de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015.