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, ^[a] 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] v t e
							Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Commandant		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
							Generaal-majoor		Brigadier		Kolonel		Kommandant		Majoor		Kaptein		Luitenant			Tweede luitenant
Ciskei Army [6] v t e
					Lieutenant general				Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
South African Army (1961–1994) [7] v t e
			General [b]		Lieutenant general		Major general [c]		Brigadier		Colonel		Chief commandant [d]	Commandant	Major		Captain		Lieutenant [e]			Second lieutenant [f]
			Generaal		Luitenant-generaal		Generaal-majoor		Brigadier		Kolonel		Hoofkommandant	Kommandant	Majoor		Kaptein		Luitenant			Tweede luitenant
South West African Army [7] v t e
					Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Transkei Army [8] [6] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Venda Ground Forces [6] v t e
									Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Student officer ranks

Rank group	Student officer
Bophuthatswana Army
	Officer candidate Kandidaat offisier
South African Army (1961–1994) [7]
	Officer candidate Kandidaat offisier
South West African Army [7]
	Officer candidate

Other ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Bophuthatswana Army [5] v t e																													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] v t e																													No insignia
	Chief warrant officer						Warrant officer		Staff sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal		Private
South African Army (1961–1994) [7] v t e																													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] v t e																													No insignia
	Formation warrant officer			Warrant officer class 1			Warrant officer class 2		Staff sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal		Private
Transkei Army [8] [6] v t e																													No insignia
	Chief warrant officer						Warrant officer		Staff sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal		Private
Venda Ground Forces [6] v t e																													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] v t e
									Brigadier		Colonel		Commandant		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
									Brigadier		Kolonel		Kommandant		Majoor		Kaptein		Luitenant			Tweede luitenant
South African Air Force (1961–1994) v t e
			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] v t e																													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) v t e																																			No insignia
	Sergeant Major of the Air Force			Warrant officer class 1			Warrant officer class 2		Flight sergeant		Sergeant [g]												Corporal [h]				Lance corporal [i]								Aircraftman [j]
	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

• South African military ranks
• Military ranks of Namibia
• Military ranks of Zimbabwe
• Military ranks of Rhodesia

Notes

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

References

1. 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. "Bophuthatswana Defence Force" . Retrieved 2 March 2021.
6. 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. 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. "Transkeian Defence Force Badges of Rank" . Retrieved 3 June 2021.

External links

• Bophuthatswana ranks at Uniforminsignia.org
• Transkei ranks at Uniforminsignia.org
• South West Africa ranks at Uniforminsignia.org
• South Africa ranks at Uniforminsignia.org

• "Band of Brothers – 101 Romeo Mikes". The Observation Post. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
• Ngcula, Vumile. "Pretoria's men in Ciskei" . Retrieved 2 March 2020.

Examples

• Transkei Special Forces Captain Rank insignia
• Transkei Special Forces 1st Lieutenant Rank insignia
• Bophuthatswana Arm Brassard
• Bophuthatswana and Transkei Rank insignia
• Ciskei Corporal insignia
• Ciskei Lance Corporal insignia
• Transkei General's Tunic
• Transkei Staff Sergeant
• Transkei rank star in circlet
• Ciskei WO2 rank in metal
• Ciskei WO2 rank in cloth
• Bophuthatswana Special Forces Soldiers of various ranks
• Sergeant and Major of 32 Battalion of the South African Army
• Transkei Officers
• South West Africa Territorial Force rank chart
• Transkeian Defence Force rank chart