Vereeniging Commando

Vereeniging Commando
Vereeniging Commando
Active	c. 1921–2006
Disbanded	29 September 2006
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Union Defence Force; 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 17
Garrison/HQ	Vereeniging
Motto(s)	ENSE ET ARATRO Serving in War and Peace (Afrikaans: Dien in Oorlog en Vrede)

Last updated November 10, 2024

Vereeniging 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

Origin

The Vereeniging Commando was formed in 1921 as a Shooting Commando and its first Commander was Lt Col Karel Rood.

Operations

With the UDF

The Shooting Commando received its official status as a Commando in 1957 and in 1961 received its first Citizen Force members.

With the SADF

During this era, the unit was mainly used for area force protection, search and cordones as well as stock theft control assistance to the rural police.

Freedom of Entry

The Commando received the Freedom of Entry to the city of Vereeniging on 14 February 1976.

National Colours

On 16 August 1991, the commanding officer Cmdt J.C. Kruger, accepted the award of National Colours on behalf of the unit.

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]

On Friday 29 September 2006 Vereeniging Commando finally closed its doors when Lt Col J.C. Zelie handed the VMB keys over to the Department of Public Works.

Insignia

Cravat
Flash
Tupper Flashes
Lanyard
Stable Belt
Unit Flag

Leadership

Leadership
From	Honorary Colonels	To
1991	Col (Dr) M. Milani	2006
From	Commanding Officers	To
1921	Lt Col K. Rood	1929
1929	Lt Col E. Rood	1939
1939	Lt Col E.S. Rood	1946
1946	Cmdt J.J. Marais	1948
August 1949	Cmdt F.H.V. Lamont	November 1949
1950	Cmdt G. de Bruyn-Nel	1967
1967	Cmdt F.P. van Niekerk	1977
1977	Cmdt W.A. de Klerk	1981
1981	Cmdt J.P. Arnold	1985
1985	Cmdt T.C. Pieterse	1989
1989	Cmdt J.C. Kruger	1994
1994	Cmdt B.M. Steyn	1997
1997	Lt Col J.C. Zelie	2006
From	Regimental Sergeants Major	To
1967	WO1 D.B. Oliver	1976
1977	WO1 W.A. Bobbert	1982
1982	WO1 M.L. van Stratten	1989
1989	WO1 P.F. Strachan	1991
1991	WO1 E. Jonker	1994
1994	WO1 D.J. Labuschagne	2006

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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.

v t e South African Commandos
South African Army, South African Commando System
Group 1 (HQ Kelvin)	GSB Youngsfield 10 x Commandos Two Oceans Commando Cape Flats Commando False Bay Commando Koeberg Commando Lions Head Commando Skiereiland Commando/Peninsula Commando Tygerberg Commando Wynberg Commando
Group 2 (HQ Oudtshoorn)	GSB Oudtshoorn 8 x Commandos Oudtshoorn Commando Worcester Commando
Group 3 (collapsed into other groups)	Alexander Bay Commando Springbok Commando
Group 4 (collapsed into other groups)	Knysna Commando Mossel Bay Commando Outeniekwa Commando Riversdal Commando Klein Karoo Commando
Group 5 (collapsed into other groups)	Middel Karoo Commando De Aar Commando
Group 6 (HQ Port Elizabeth)	GSB Port Elizabeth 15 x Commandos De Mist Commando/Uitenhage Commando Donkin Commando Humansdorp Commando Kirkwood Commando Port Elizabeth Commando Recife Commando*
Group 7 (HQ Grahamstown)	Cradock Commando Katberg Commando Murraydeen Commando Somerset East Commando Stormberg Commando Midland Commando, (previously Fort Beaufort Commando)
Group 8 (HQ East London)	Cately Commando East London Commando
Group 9 (HQ Pietermaritzburg)	GSB Pietermaritzburg 5 x Commandos Pietermaritzburg Commando/Natalia Regiment Umkomaas Commando Umvoti Commando Midmar Commando Weenen-Kliprivier Commando Griqualand-East Commando
Group 10 (HQ Montclair, Durban)	GSB Durban 6 x Commandos Bluff Commando Highway Commando Umgeni Commando Durban South Commando Durban North Commando South Coast Commando Oribi Commando
Group 11 (HQ Dundee)	Drakensberg Commando Dundee and District Commando
Group 12 (HQ Ermelo)	GSB Nelspruit 11 x Commandos Bethal Commando Ermelo Commando Piet Retief Commando Secunda Commando Standerton Commando Volksrust Commando Wakkerstroom Commando
Group 13 (collapsed into other groups)	Letaba Commando Phalaborwa Commando
Group 14 (HQ Pietersburg)	GSB Pietersburg 7 x Commandos Pietersburg Commando Limpopo Commando(SMA) Magdol Commando Soutpansberg Commando(SMA) Thabazimbi Commando Warmbad Commando Waterberg Commando Nylstroom Potgietersrus Commando
Group 15 (HQ Thaba Tshwane)	GSB Thaba Tshwane 6 x Commandos Broederstroom Commando Bronkhorstspruit Commando Hercules Commando Hillcrest Commando Irene Commando Moot Commando Munitoria Commando Pretoria East Commando Quaggapoort Commando Schanskop Commando Wonderboom Commando
Group 16 (HQ Marievale)	GSB Johannesburg 8 x Commandos Delmas Commando Heidelberg Commando Nigel Commando Springs Commando
Group 17 (HQ Midvaal)	SASOL Commando Regiment Sasolburg Iscor Commando Krugersdorp Commando Meyerton Commando Vaal Commando Vanderbijl Commando Vereeniging Commando
Group 18 (HQ Doornkop)	GSB Johannesburg 11 x Commandos East Park Commando Johannesburg East Commando Johannesburg West Commando Randburg Commando Roodepoort Commando Wemmerpan Commando West Rand Commando
Group 19 (collapsed into other groups)	Brits Commando Koster Commando Rustenburg Commando Zeerust Commando
Group 20 (HQ Mmabatho)	GSB Potchefstroom 9 x Commandos Bloemhof Commando Christiana Commando Coligny Commando Lichtenburg Commando Marico Commando Ottosdal Commando Schweizer Reineke Commando
Group 21 (collapsed into other groups)	Kalahari Commando Kuruman Commando Mafikeng Commando Stellaland Commando Iscor Sishen Commando
Group 22 (HQ Diskobolos)	GSB Kimberley 10 x Commandos 11 Commando Barkly West Commando Herbert Commando Hopetown Commando Kimberley Commando Karoo Commando Vaalharts Commando Victoria West Commando
Group 23 (HQ Upington)	GSB Lohathla 7 x Commandos Boegoeberg Commando Gordonia Commando Kakamas Commando Hay Commando Orania Commando Prieska Commando
Group 24 (HQ Kroonstad)	GSB Kroonstad 17 x Commandos Heilbron Commando Hoopstad Commando Koppies Commando Kroonstad Commando Lindley Commando Parys Commando SASOL Commando Regiment Sasolburg Senekal Commando Virginia Commando Vrede Commando
Group 25 (HQ Bethlehem)	Bethlehem Commando Frankfort Commando Harrismith Commando Reitz Commando
Group 26 (HQ, Jacobsdal)	Jacobsdal Commando Phillipolis Commando Rouxville Commando Winburg Commando Zastron Commando
Group 27 (HQ Eshowe)	GSB Ladysmith 5 x Commandos Drakensberg Commando Dundee and District Commando Pongola Commando Tugela Commando Insele Commando Northern Natal Commando Umkhombe Commando
Group 28 (collapsed into other groups)	Belfast Commando Carolina Commando Loskop Commando Middelburg Commando Witbank Commando
Group 29 (collapsed into other groups)	Kudusrand Commando Northam Commando
Group 30 (HQ Potchefstroom)	GSB Potchefstroom 12 x Commandos Potchefstroom Commando Cachet Commando Delareyville Commando Gatsrand Commando Hartbeesfontein Commando Klerksdorp Commando NASChem Commando Orkney Commando/Noordvaal Commando Ventersdorp Commando Wolmaransstad Commando
Group 31 (HQ Wellington)	Caledon Commando Calvinia Commando Hantam Commando Paarl Commando Stellenbosch Commando Swellendam Commando Winterberg Commando Worcester Commando
Group 32 (HQ Graaff-Reinet)	Amatola Commando Graaff-Reinet Commando
Group 33 (HQ Nelspruit)	GSB Nelspruit 8 x Commandos Barberton Commando Nelspruit Commando Kruger National Park Commando Lebombo Commando Long Tom Commando Lydenburg Commando Whiteriver Commando
Group 34 (HQ Welkom)	Bothaville Commando Bultfontein Commando Odendaalsrus Commando Theunissen Commando Sandrivier Commando Goudveld Commando
Group 35 (HQ Bloemfontein)	Bloemfontein City Commando Bloemfontein District Commando Boshof Commando Brandfort Commando Edenburg Commando Ficksburg Commando Smithfield Commando University OFS Commando Wepener Commando Fouriesburg Commando
Group 36 (HQ Tempe/Ladybrand)	GSB Bloemfontein 16 x Commandos Caledon River Commando Fauresmith Commando Ladybrand Commando Senekal Commando
Group 39 (HQ Queenstown)	Aliwal North Commando Barkly East Commando Queenstown Commando
Group 40 (HQ Wingsfield)	Clanwilliam Commando Piketberg Commando Swartland Commando Van Rhynsdorp Commando West Coast Commando
Group 41 (HQ Primrose)	Atlas Commando Benoni Commando Brakpan Commando Boksburg Commando Germiston Commando Kempton Park Commando
Group 42 (HQ Lenz)	Alberton Commando Edenvale Commando Modderfontein Commando Sandton Commando (previously West Park Commando) West Park Commando (renamed Sandton Commando)
Group 46 (HQ Umtata)	GSB Port Elizabeth 7 x Commandos
Walvis Bay Military Area	Walvis Bay Commando
Danie Theron Combat School South West Karoo Commando Stormrivier Commando