Umvoti Commando

Umvoti Commando
Umvoti Commando
	Umvoti Commando emblem
Active	1952-
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	Natal Command Group 9
Garrison/HQ	Greytown
Motto(s)	"Popula Nostro Servire" We serve our people

Umvoti Commando was a Commando unit of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.

History

Origin

Rifle Association

The forerunner of Umvoti Commando was a unit raised in 1949 in the Greytown district as sub unit of the Zululand Skiet Kommando under command of Captain A.W. Rossouw.

Operations

With the UDF

Umvoti Commando was named on 5 August 1952 after a requirement to split from the Zululand Skiet Kommando was approved.

With the SADF

The unit was stationed in Greytown since its beginning and moved to a purpose built HQ in 1978.

Area of responsibility

The unit was responsible for Umvoti, Kranskop, New Hannover and Msinga magisterial districts.

National Colours

The unit was awarded its National Colours on 29 June 1991.

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

Cmdt J.F. van Rooyen 1952-1963
Cmdt W.G. Redinger 1963-1966
Cmdt K. du Preez 1966-1967
Cmdt J. van Rooyen 1967-1969
Cmdt J Menne 1969-1971
Cmdt W.G. Redinger 1971-1978
Cmdt G.E. Lauterbach 1978-1988
Cmdt W.W. Fourie 1988-

References

^ Col L B van Stade, Senior Staff Officer Rationalisation, SANDF (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ "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.