Twelve years after name changes were proposed for a number of SA Army Reserve Force units and regiments, essentially doing away with colonial reminders, just two of the 52 changes are seemingly in place.
This publication was informed by the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Directorate Corporate Communication (DCC) the remaining 50 “are at different stages of completion”.
A response signed off by Rear Admiral (JG) Prince Tshabalala reads “Some Reserve [Force] units require simple adjustment to their unit name although other[s] require a full review and change to all badges and insignia”.
“Early 2025” is given in the response as when the SANDF will release information of the modifications, supported by photographs of new insignia.
In January 2022, defenceWeb was informed by the then DCC Director, Brigadier General Andries Mahapa, two Army Reserve signals units in Gauteng and Western Cape “have completed the process” with new unit flags, regimental colours and insignia expected before 31 March 2022. At the same time progress was reported with new heraldry for the Ihawu and Umkhonto field engineer regiments.
Among regiments which have been renamed are the Natal Carbineers, South Africa’s oldest Reserve Force unit, replaced by Ingobamakhosi Carbineers. Others are the Cape Town Rifles, now the Chief Langalibalele Rifles (CLR); Cape Field Artillery, now the Nelson Mandela Artillery Regiment; First City Regiment, now the Chief Makhanda Regiment; Prince Alfred’s Guard, now the Chief Maqoma Regiment; Transvaal Scottish, now Solomon Mahlangu Regiment; Witwatersrand Rifles, now Bambatha Rifles; SA Irish Regiment, now Andrew Mlangeni Regiment and Regiment Christiaan Beyers, now Mapungubwe Regiment.
While, to a certain extent accepting the name changes, a serving Reserve Force officer, preferring anonymity, said it “might have been better” if those backing the changes kept it to names and went “a more cost-effective route”. He sees the standard green SA Army beret for all corps with a Velcro attached different colour square to indicate different formations. As examples he gave blue for maintenance units and light brown for signals.
