DTN News: Fact File ~ The South African Infantry Corps (SAIC)

DTN News: Fact File ~ The South African Infantry Corps (SAIC)

*Source: DTN News / DefenceWeb By Leon Engelbrecht

(NSI News Source Info) JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - August 19, 2009: The South African Infantry Corps (SAIC) is the single largest professional group within the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), with some suggesting that as many as one in three SANDF Regular Force personnel are members of this corps. The infantry is the oldest of the branches and can be said to date back to that time and place in prehistory where the first group of people took up stick, stone and spear to defend against or attack their enemy, to seize land or defend their own. Author James F Dunnigan points out that the infantry, by definition, takes the brunt of the fighting. “It’s always been that way … and this won’t change.” Despite this, and the presence of infantry in South Africa from the earliest times, the infantry only gained a permanent home in the SAIC as recently as January 1954. Prior to that responsibility for the branch was passed from pillar to post. A SA Army recruitment poster notes that the infantry is the nucleus of any army and as a result it is the largest fighting corps in the SA Army. “The infantry is expected to attack the enemy under any conditions; this requires courage, fitness and initiative. In order to attack the enemy with confidence, weapon training and field craft is the most important part of training.” · Mission: To close with, and destroy the enemy; to hold or defend ground. · Corps colours: Green and black · Beret colour: Green (motorised, mechanised and light infantry); maroon (parachute infantry) · Collar badge: Springbok head · Motto: Gladium Practamus (Wielders of the Sword) · Brief history in SA: Despite the presence of infantry in South Africa from the earliest times, the infantry gained a permanent home in the SAIC only as recently as January 1954. Prior to that responsibility for the branch was passed from pillar to post. Structure All infantry units are assigned to the SA Army Infantry Formation under the charge of Major General Themba Nkabinde. Nkabinde answers directly to SA Army chief Lt Gen Solly Shoke. Assisting Nkabinde as General Officer Commanding the SA Army Infantry Formation is a · Chief of Staff · Chaplain · Formation Warrant Officer · Personal Staff Nkabinde has been GOC since 2004. The current chief of staff is Brigadier General Krubert Nel. The formation is structured as follows: *SA Army Infantry School, Oudtshoorn **Senior Staff Officer (SSO) Specialised Infantry **Parachute Infantry *44 Parachute Regiment (Regt), Bloemfontein *1 Parachute (Para) Battalion (Bn), Bloemfontein *3 Para Bn, Pretoria *44 Pathfinder Platoon, Bloemfontein *101 Air Supply Unit, Pretoria/Bloemfontein *Training Wing, Bloemfontein **Air Assault *6 South African Infantry (SAI) Bn (Air Assault), Grahamstown *1st City Regiment (Air Assault), Grahamstown *Prince Alfred’s Guard (Air Assault), Port Elizabeth **Seaborne *9 SAI Bn (Seaborne), Cape Town *Internal Stability *21 SAI Bn (Internal Stability), Johannesburg *Rand Light Infantry, Johannesburg *Regt Oos Rand, Germiston *Regt Paul Kruger, Krugersdorp **SSO Mechanised Infantry *1 SAI Bn, Bloemfontein *8 SAI Bn, Upington *1st Bn, Regt de la Rey, Potchefstroom *1st Bn, Regt Northern Transvaal, Pretoria *Cape Town Highlanders, Cape Town *Durban Light Infantry, Durban *Regt Westelike Provincie, Cape Town *Witwatersrand Rifles, Johannesburg **SSO Motorised Infantry North *2 SAI Bn, Zeerust *7 SAI Bn, Phalaborwa *15 SAI Bn, Thohoyandou (Limpopo) *10 SAI Bn, Mafikeng *Regt Botha, Barberton *Regt Christiaan Beyers, Polokwane *The Johannesburg Regt, Johannesburg *The SA Irish, Johannesburg *The Transvaal Scottish, Johannesburg *Tshwane Regt, Pretoria **SSO Motorised Infantry South *4 SAI Bn, Middelburg (Mpumalanga) *5 SAI Bn, Ladysmith *14 SAI Bn, Mthatha (Eastern Cape) *121 SAI Bn, Mtubatuba (KwaZulu-Natal) *Buffalo Volunteer Rifles, East London *Cape Town Rifles (Duke’s), Cape Town *Durban Regt, Durban *Kimberley Regt, Kimberley *Natal Carbineers, Pietermaritzburg *Regt Bloemspruit, Bloemfontein *Regt Piet Retief, Port Elizabeth