In 2019 the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) renamed 52 of its 66 army's Reserve Force units. The changes were made to include more indigenous African references in the unit names, which had previously had a colonial and apartheid-era influence. The SANDF's Name Review Steering Committee led the process in consultation with the units, past members and communities. Name suggestions came from the units, with the army's director of reserves, Brigadier General Gerhard Kamffer providing a list of suggestions. Of the renamed units 26 took names relating to indigenous African military history and 25 took names relating to the apartheid and colonial era. Units were initially given three years to transition their insignia to the new names; this was later extended to the end of April 2023. One unit scheduled to change its name, the Cape Town Highlanders, is thought to have been granted permission to abandon the move in 2022.

Background Many units of the South African National Defence Force's Reserve Force had ancestry dating back to the British colonial era (including units of the Union Defence Force) and the apartheid-era South African Defence Force. The names of these units reflected this heritage including many named in or after 1934 for Boer generals.

A process of assessing the names of the units was begun by then chief of the South African Army Lieutenant General Vusumuzi Masondo in 2013. The intention was to include more indigenous African influence in the unit names. The names of 66 reserve units were reviewed and it was determined that 52 should be changed.

Renaming The process of renaming was overseen by the Name Review Steering Committee. The process involved three rounds of consultation with serving soldiers, unit commanders, regimental councils (consisting of current and former members), regimental associations of past members, town councils and communities associated with the units. The units were asked to suggest potential new names. They were assisted by a list of names drawn up under the oversight of the director of reserves, Brigadier General Gerhard Kamffer. The list comprised names of South African military personalities, battles and events from across a range of eras, cultures and regions. The list was inspired partly by a 1983 anti-apartheid poster by Thamsanga Mnyele that depicted black South African figures such as Shaka, Sol Plaatje, Moshoeshoe I and Maqoma.

Units were not permitted to be named after living persons. Major General Roy Andersen, Chief Defence Reserves of the SANDF said "the names created are to uphold their heritage and to be attractive to the youth of today". Many geographical locations in South Africa have been renamed since 1994 by the South African Geographical Names Council, often those named after British or Boer military personnel. In many cases where reserve units were named after these locations their name was not updated. The units with geographical names were asked to consider not merely updating their names but to consider a name taken from South African military history.

The names suggested by the units were reviewed by the committee, which was led by Kamffer. Where the committee was not satisfied the unit was asked to suggest another name, though this happened only on two occasions. When the process was completed 25 of the renamed units were named after indigenous African military history, with 15 names linked to the anti-apartheid campaign. Some 26 of the new unit names were associated with so-called "statutory" military history of the apartheid and colonial era. Three units were given names relating to anti-apartheid leader and first black president Nelson Mandela and two were named after Sekhukhune, king and military leader of the Pedi people in the 19th century. The South African army's Natal Carbineers were renamed the Ingobamakhosi Carbineers after a Zulu regiment that had fought against them at the 1879 Battle of Isandlwana.

The renamed units retained the battle honours of their predecessors. Units that had a traditional association with Scotland or Ireland (and so included "Scottish", "Irish" or "Highland" in their names) were encouraged to reuse the former name in a sub-unit which could continue the traditions, dress and music associated with these countries. Unit colours, insignia (such as cap badges and shoulder flashes) and associated symbols were initially allowed to remain unchanged, with units having three years to phase in new ones.

Impact

The change led some units to parade without insignia and, in the case of a Johannesburg regiment, without uniform, as unit commanders chose not to use the old equipment. The change led to the loss of historically unique uniforms, such as that of the Transvaal Scottish, where sub-units did not carry on the traditional dress. Some of the old Colours of the units were laid up in museums or churches as they were replaced by new colours for the new unit names. The date for transitioning to new insignia was extended in 2022 to the end of April 2023.

The name changes are estimated to have cost the SANDF 8 million rand. In 2019 the SANDF said the new unit names had been well-received by serving soldiers. At the time of the change Democratic Alliance MP Kobus Marais raised concerns that the changes were made purely for political reasons and that the changes would result in lower recruitment rates for the units. In June 2022 it was noted that the Cape Town Highlanders, founded in 1885 as the first Highland regiment in the southern hemisphere and scheduled to be renamed the Gonnema Regiment, had yet to change their name and press reports suggested they had been permitted to retain their previous name.

List of changed unit names The renaming is as per the DefenceWeb report of 7 August 2019; additional details on namesakes are cited inline. Units that were not renamed in 2019 include the Rand Light Infantry, Umvoti Mounted Rifles, Johannesburg Regiment, Kimberley Regiment and the Tshwane Regiment.

Infantry

+Former nameNew nameFormer namesakeNew namesakeNatal CarbineersIngobamakhosi CarbineersFormed in the Colony of Natal in 1855, a carbine is a shortened rifle used by mounted soldiers.Ingobamakhosi Zulu regiment who fought in the left flank of the Zulu line at the 1879 Battle of Isandlwana and fought against the Natal Carbineers.Cape Town RiflesChief Langalibalele RiflesFormed at Cape Town in 1855.Langalibalele, king of the amaHlubi who rebelled against the British in 1873.First CityChief Makhanda RegimentRaised as the First City Volunteers in 1875, the first military unit in the city of Grahamstown.Xhosa witch doctor Makhanda who fought against the British in the 1818-1819 Fifth Xhosa War. Grahamstown, upon which he led an unsuccessful attack, was also renamed after Makhanda in 2018.Prince Alfred’s GuardChief Maqoma RegimentFormed in 1856 as the Port Elizabeth Volunteer Rifle Corps. Name granted by Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha during a visit in 1860.Xhosa chief Maqoma who fought the British during the Sixth (1834–1836) and Eighth (1850–1853) Xhosa Wars.Cape Town HighlandersGonnema Regiment - Not MadeFormed in Cape Town in 1885 by members of the Scottish diaspora, was the first Highland regiment in the southern hemisphere.Khoekhoe chief Gonnema who fought the Dutch during the Second Khoikhoi–Dutch War of the 1670s.Transvaal ScottishSolomon Mahlangu RegimentFormed in 1902 at Johannesburg, in the newly founded Transvaal Colony, from members of the Scottish diaspora.Solomon Mahlangu anti-apartheid fighter with the African National Congress, executed in 1979.Witwatersrand RiflesBambatha RiflesFormed in 1903 from former members of the Railway Pioneer Regiment and mine employees in the Witwatersrand region.Zulu chief Bhambatha who led the Bambatha Rebellion against the British colonial authorities in 1906.Regiment BothaGeneral Botha RegimentFormed in Northern and Eastern Transvaal Province in 1934 and named after Louis Botha, Boer general of the Second Boer War.UnchangedRegiment de la ReyGeneral de la Rey RegimentFormed in Western Transvaal Province in 1934 and named after Koos de la Rey, Boer general of the Second Boer War.UnchangedRegiment de WetChief Albert Luthuli RegimentRaised in the Orange Free State in 1934 and named after Christiaan de Wet, Boer general of the Second Boer War.Albert Luthuli president of the African National Congress (1952-1967) and advocate for non-violent resistance, 1960 Nobel Peace Prize winner.Regiment Westelike ProvinsieGeneral Jan Smuts RegimentRaised in 1934 from Afrikaans speakers, the title is the Afrikaans name for Western Cape Province.Jan Smuts Boer leader in the Second Boer War, Allied general in the First World War and Prime Minister of South Africa in the Second World War.South African Irish RegimentAndrew Mlangeni RegimentFormed in 1914 from first- and second-generation Irish immigrants.Andrew Mlangeni anti-apartheid campaigner with the African National Congress, imprisoned along with Nelson Mandela at the 1963-64 Rivonia Trial.Regiment Christiaan BeyersMapungubwe RegimentFormed from the second battalion of the Regiment Botha in 1951. Christiaan Beyers was a Boer general of the Second Boer War.The Kingdom of Mapungubwe, a medieval state in Southern Africa.Regiment Piet RetiefNelson Mandela RegimentFormed at Port Elizabeth in 1940, it had originally been suggested to name the regiment after Jan Smuts, a Boer War and First World War general and the then prime minister of South Africa. Piet Retief was a Boer leader during the Great Trek.Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid campaigner and first black president of South Africa (1994-1999).Regiment President KrugerLenong RegimentFormed at Krugersdorp in 1954 and named, as is the town, after Paul Kruger, president of the South African Republic (1883–1902)."Vulture" in the Sotho language, a name given to the advisors to Sotho chiefs.Regiment Oos RandOR Tambo RegimentFormed in 1960 at Benoni. An Afrikaans-speaking unit it was named after the Afrikaans name for the East Rand region.O. R. Tambo anti-apartheid fighter and president of the African National Congress (1967–1991).Durban RegimentKing Shaka RegimentFormed at Durban in 1960.Shaka king of the Zulu people 1816-1828. He strengthened the Zulu kingdom by expansion against its neighbours, leading to the Mfecane period of conflict across southern and central Africa.Regiment BloemspruitMangaung RegimentFormed at Bloemfontein in 1964 and named after the Bloemspruit, a tributary of the Vals River.Sotho for "place of cheetahs". The city of Bloemfontein became part of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in 2011.Regiment Noord-TransvaalJob Masego RegimentFormed at Pretoria in 1964 and its name is the Afrikaans for North Transvaal.Job Maseko/Masego, a Native Military Corps soldier during the Second World War. Awarded the Military Medal for sinking a German freighter with an improvised explosive whilst a prisoner of war.2 Parachute BattalionBagaka RegimentFormed in 1971 as a reserve unit to support the regular 1 Parachute Battalion.Tswana language for "legends" or "heroes".

Artillery