Regiment Sasolburg

Sasolburg Commando / Regiment
Sasolburg Commando / Regiment
	Sasolburg Commando and Regiment
Active	1962-
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
Garrison/HQ	Sasolburg
Motto(s)	Nisi dominus frustra (Without the Lord, frustration)

Sasolburg Regiment 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

This unit was originally part of the Heilbron Commando before forming the Sasolburg Commando in February 1962.

Operations

With the SADF

Where the SASOL Commando was responsible for the SASOL and NATREF refineries, the Sasolburg Commando was responsible for all other factories and installations in the larger district.

The development of industries such as the African Explosives and Chemical Industries (AECI) and Karbochem increased the responsibility on the Sasolburg Commando as workers of these industries with Citizen Force Camp requirements were also transferred to the Sasolburg Commando.

From Commando to Regiment

The Sasolburg Commando was reclassified as a regiment in June 1985, even though its expanded responsibilities had existed since 4 February 1985. This new Regiment exercised its Freedom of Entry into Sasolburg for the first time on 25 October 1986.

The counter-insurgency battalion

In 1986 a decision was made that the Regiment would also be reclassed as a counter insurgency battalion and meant that it could be utilised in the black townships for riot control as well.^[1]

Command

The unit was initially under the command of Group 17 but was transferred to Group 42 in 1991, so that several units could be merged and be used in the greater Witwatersrand.

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.^[2]^[3] 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.^[4]

Leadership

Leadership
From	Honorary Colonels	To
From	Commanding Officers	To
nd	Commandant Johannes J Retief*	nd
From	Regimental Sergeants Major	To

last OC Sasolburg Commando, first OC Regiment Sasolburg.

Unit Insignia

References

^ http://dspace.nwu.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10394/14075/Fourie_SM_Chapter6.pdf?sequence=7 ^{[bare URL PDF]}
^ 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". Retrieved 17 January 2008.
^ de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015.