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Wemmerpan Commando
Wemmerpan Commando 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 Approval was granted on 3 July 1962 for the establishment of the Wemmerpan Commando. Operations With the SADF On 1 March 1963, the unit was activated under the command of Capt E.W. Meerbacher. The unit owed its name to the fact that it was situated near Wemmer Pan, an old gold mine in the southern suburbs of Johannesburg. Initially the unit used the Rosettenville Central School grounds as its parade ground. Around 1990 the unit was relocated to Doornkop Military Base, the old base was repurposed again for school use. =Headquarters= The first headquarters was situated in an old nursery school in Regents Park which was received from the City Council of Johannesburg. The unit resorted under the command of Group 18. =Border Duty= The commando performed its first border duty in 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Infantry
Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadly encompasses a wide variety of subspecialties, including light infantry, irregular infantry, heavy infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry, mechanized infantry, Airborne forces, airborne infantry, Air assault, air assault infantry, and Marines, naval infantry. Other subtypes of infantry, such as line infantry and mounted infantry, were once commonplace but fell out of favor in the 1800s with the invention of more accurate and powerful weapons. Etymology and terminology In English, use of the term ''infantry'' began about the 1570s, describing soldiers who march and fight on foot. The word derives from Middle French , from older Italian (also Spanish) ''infanteria'' (foot soldiers too inexperienced for cavalry), from Latin '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South African Infantry Corps
The South African Army Infantry Formation supervises all infantry within the South African Army. History Origins: Union Defence Force South African Infantry originated as the ''Infantry Branch'' of the Union Defence Force (South Africa), Union Defence Forces in 1913. In 1915, the defence forces established the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force for war service outside Southern Africa. It included the ''South African Infantry'', comprising twelve battalions, and the ''Cape Corps'', comprising two battalions of Coloureds, Coloured volunteers. These units were disbanded in 1919. The Infantry Branch was enlarged in 1934, and the mounted rifles regiments were converted to infantry in 1935. In 1943, the Infantry Branch was incorporated into the new South African Armoured Corps, which was divided into armour and infantry branches after World War II. Republic Defence Force (SADF) Separated by language Based on the findings of a committee led by Brigadier H.B. Popper in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wemmer Pan
Wemmer Pan is a lake and recreational area in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is located to the south of the city centre, in the suburb of La Rochelle. History "Pan" is an Afrikaans and South African English word for a shallow lake. The Wemmer Pan was named after Sam Wemmer. It was originally a quarry, and was later taken over by the City Deep Mine which required the water for mining purposes. Wemmer Pan is part of Pioneers' Park, which was built at the turn of the 20th century. Pioneers' Park was formally opened on 26 April 1924 by the Governor General, the Earl of Athlone, on land bought by the City Council. The park is named in memory of the founders of Johannesburg and of the gold mining industry of which it is the centre. Amenities Wemmer Pan is home to a number of rowing clubs, including Wemmer Pan Rowing Club (established in 1911), and hosts a number of short course regattas, including the annual Wemmer Sprint Regatta. It is also home the annual Dragon Boat Corporate S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Light Infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought as Reconnaissance, scouts, Raid (military), raiders, and skirmishers. These are loose formations that fight ahead of the main army to harass, delay, disrupt supply lines, engage the enemy's own skirmishing forces, and generally "soften up" an enemy before the main battle. Light infantrymen were also often responsible for Screening (tactical), screening the main body of a military formation. Following World War II, the term "light infantry" has evolved to include rapid-deployment units (including commando and Airborne forces, airborne units) that emphasize speed and mobility over armor and firepower. Some units or battalions that historically held a skirmishing role retain their designation "light infantry" for the sake of tradition. His ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of line regiment, front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted in one geographical area, by a leader who was often also the feudal lord ''in capite'' of the soldiers. Lesser barons of knightly rank could be expected to muster or hire a Company (military unit), company or battalion from their manorial estate. By the end of the 17th century, infantry regiments in most European armies were permanent units, with approximately 800 men and commanded by a colonel. Definitions During the modern era, the word "regiment" – much like "corps" – may have two somewhat divergent meanings, which refer to two distinct roles: # a front-line military formation; or # an administrative or ceremonial unit. In many armies, the first role has been assumed by i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South African Army
The South African Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the South African Air Force, South African Navy and South African Military Health Service. The Army is commanded by the Chief of the Army, who is subordinate to the Chief of the SANDF. Formed in 1912, as the Union Defence Force (South Africa), Union Defence Force in the Union of South Africa, through the amalgamation of the South African colonial forces following the unification of South Africa. It evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by Boer Commando (militia) forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies. Following the ascension to power of the National Party (South Africa), National Party, the Army's long-standing Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth ties were cut. The South African Army was fundamentally changed by the end of Apartheid and its preceding upheavals, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alone and over 14.8 million in the urban agglomeration, it is classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity and List of urban areas by population, one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. Johannesburg is the provinces of South Africa, provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, and seat of the country's highest court, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, Constitutional Court. The city is located within the mineral-rich Witwatersrand hills, the epicentre of the international mineral and gold trade. The richest city in Africa by GDP and private wealth, Johannesburg functions as the economic capital of South Africa and is home to the continent's largest stock exchange, the Johannesburg Stock Exchang ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South African Commando System
The Commando System was a mostly voluntary, part-time force of the South African Army, but in their role as local militia the units were often deployed in support of and under the authority of the South African Police. Mission South Africa's Commando System was responsible for the safeguarding and protection of specific communities (usually rural, but sometimes urban). Commando units were usually referred to as area protection, a Civil defense, civil defence system which involved the whole community. The participants in the Commando System did not have military commitments outside of the areas they served and were responsible for the safety and security of their own communities. History Origin The Commando system existed from the 1770s. The early Boer Commando system was a Conscription, conscriptive service designed to provide a quickly-trained fighting force. Commandos were a product of the First Boer War during which the fiercely independent Boers had no regular army. When ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (; born 18 June 1942) is a South African politician who served as the 2nd democratic president of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008, when he resigned at the request of his party, the African National Congress (ANC). Before that, he was Deputy President of South Africa, deputy president under Nelson Mandela from 1994 to 1999. The son of Govan Mbeki, an ANC intellectual, Mbeki has been involved in ANC politics since 1956, when he joined the African National Congress Youth League, ANC Youth League, and has been a member of the party's National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, National Executive Committee since 1975. Born in the Transkei, he left South Africa aged twenty to attend university in England, and spent almost three decades in exile abroad, until the ANC was unbanned in 1990. He rose through the organisation in its information and publicity section and as Oliver Tambo's protégé, but he was also an experienced d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Minister Of Police (South Africa)
The minister of police is the minister in the Cabinet of South Africa with political responsibility for the Department of Police, including the South African Police Service, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, the Private Security industry Regulatory Authority, and the Civilian Secretariat for Police. The office was called the minister of safety and security between 1994 and 2009, and before that it was the minister of law and order. Ministers References External links South African Police ServiceIndependent Police Investigative DirectorateCivilian Secretariat for PolicePrivate Security Industry Regulatory Authority {{SouthAfrica-gov-stub Police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ... Law enforcement in South Africa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charles Nqakula
Charles Nqakula (born 13 September 1942) is a South African politician who served as Minister of Defence from September 2008 to 2009. He also served as Minister for Safety and Security from May 2002 to September 2008. Nqakula is married to the former Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula On 24 June 2012, Former South African President Jacob Zuma appointed Nqakula as High Commissioner to the Republic of Mozambique, a position he still retains today. Early life Charles Nqakula attended primary school in Cradock and secondary school in Lovedale, matriculating in 1963. He worked as a hotel waiter and wine steward, after which he became a clerk in the Department of Bantu Education. Journalism In 1966, Nqakula started as a journalist with the ''Midland News'', a regional weekly newspaper in Cradock. Seven years later, he became a political reporter with ''Imvo Zabantsundu'' in King William's Town. From 1976 he worked for the Daily Dispatch in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SADF Era Wemmer Pan Commando Insignia
The South African Defence Force (SADF) (Afrikaans: ''Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag'') comprised the armed forces of South Africa from 1957 until 1994. Shortly before the state reconstituted itself as a republic in 1961, the former Union Defence Force was officially succeeded by the SADF, which was established by the Defence Act (No. 44) of 1957. The SADF, in turn, was superseded by the South African National Defence Force in 1994. Mission and structure The SADF was organised to perform a dual mission: to counter possible insurgency in all forms, and to maintain a conventional military arm which could defend the republic's borders, making retaliatory strikes as necessary. As the military expanded during the 1970s, the SADF general staff was organised into six sections—finance, intelligence, logistics, operations, personnel, and planning; uniquely, the South African Medical Service (SAMS) was made co-equal with the South African Army, the South African Navy and the South African A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
