Johannesburg East Commando

Johannesburg East Commando
Johannesburg East Commando
	Johannesburg East Commando/Johannesburg South Regiment emblem
Active	1924-2006
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 18
Garrison/HQ	Doornkop Military Base in the 1970s, Union Grounds in the 1980s
Motto(s)	Op wag (on guard)

Last updated January 15, 2023

Johannesburg East 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 Johannesburg East Defence Association was raised on 4 November 1924 under Government Gazette 24/1064 with its headquarters in Johan Rissik School in Troyeville.

Operations

With the UDF

By 1950 the association was renamed as the Johannesburg East Commando.

With the SADF

The unit resorted under the command of the SADF's Group 18.

During this era, the unit was mainly engaged in area force protection, search and cordons as well as other assistance to the local police.

As an urban unit, this commando was also tasked with protecting strategic facilities as well as quelling township riots especially during the State of Emergency in the 1980s.

Commando to Regiment

In 1979 however the unit was renamed the Johannesburg South Commando and by 1983, the unit finally renamed again as the Johannesburg South Regiment.

The regiment developed into an urban counter insurgency unit, but was also involved in border duty.

This was the only regiment under the command of Group 18 HQ.

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

The units symbol was a black stallion reminiscent of the horse commandos of the Boer armies. The gold background symbolised the gold mining industry of the area.

Leadership

Cmdt. Johannes Petrus Frederik Kirsten -1966
Cmdt. Adriaan Jacobus Viljoen 1966 - 1976
Cmdt G.J. Gees 1985-

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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