Rustenburg Commando

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
<h3>Origin</h3>
<p>This commando was mustered in the Anglo Boer War Period.
</p>
<h3>Operations</h3>
<h4>With the Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek</h4>
<h5>Anglo Boer War</h5>
<p>This Commando engaged in operations served at:
</p>
<ul><li>Kimberley,</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Siege_of_Mafeking/8dPY5LLp">Siege of Mafeking</a>,</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Bechuanaland/QrGt5622">Bechuanaland</a> destroying a railway line,</li>
<li>Kraaipan,</li>
<li>Vaalkrans and</li>
<li>Pieters Hill.</li></ul>
<h4>With the UDF</h4>
<p>By 1902 all Commando remnants were under British military control and disarmed.
</p><p>By 1912, however previous Commando members could join shooting associations.
</p><p>By 1940, such commandos were under control of the National Reserve of Volunteers.
</p><p>These commandos were formally reactivated by 1948.
</p>

<h5>1914 Rebellion</h5>
<p>During the <a href="/facts/Maritz_Rebellion/K4hA18tr">Maritz Rebellion</a>, members served on both the side of the government and the insurrection.
</p>
<h5>World War 1</h5>
<p>Commando members served in German South West Africa.
</p>
<h4>With the SADF</h4>
<p>During this era, the unit was mainly involved in area force protection, cordones and search operations assisting the local police and stock theft control.
</p><p>The unit resorted under the command of Group 19.
</p>
<h5>Colours</h5>
<p>The unit received its colours on 20 August 1982 from the then vice State President, Mr A.L. Schlebush.
</p><p>These colours were eventually laid up at the museum at Infantry School in Oudtshoorn in 2007.
</p>
<h4>With the SANDF</h4>
<h5>Disbandment</h5>
<p>This unit, along with all other <a href="/facts/South_African_Commando_System/sYRVJnjg">Commando units</a> was disbanded after a decision by South African President <a href="/facts/Thabo_Mbeki/t2Q4Wa8n">Thabo Mbeki</a> to disband all Commando Units.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the <a href="/facts/Minister_of_Police_(South_Africa)/HV7m7BB9">Minister of Safety and Security</a> <a href="/facts/Charles_Nqakula/PryAJNMw">Charles Nqakula</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="unit-insignia">Unit Insignia</h2>

<h2 id="leadership">Leadership</h2>
Leadership<table><tbody><tr><td>From</td><td>Honorary Colonels</td><td>To</td></tr><tr><td>From</td><td>Commanding Officers</td><td>To</td></tr><tr><td>From</td><td>Regimental Sergeants Major</td><td>To</td></tr></tbody></table>
<ul><li>Commandant P.S. Steenkamp 1900</li>
<li>Lt Col Gerhard Malan 2005</li></ul>

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/South_African_Commando_System/sYRVJnjg">South African Commando System</a></li></ul>
<ul>
<li>South Africa portal</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>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) <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160316204323/https://issafrica.org/pubs/asr/6no2/vanstade.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160316204323/https://issafrica.org/pubs/asr/6no2/vanstade.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"About the Commando system". Retrieved 17 January 2008. <a href="http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/rural_safety/eng/pages/no2e.htm" target="_blank">http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/rural_safety/eng/pages/no2e.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015. <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/200805290408.html" target="_blank">http://allafrica.com/stories/200805290408.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Rustenburg Commando open-in-new

Rustenburg Commando