The Modderfontein Commando was a

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 ...

unit of the

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 Servi ...

. It formed part of the

South African Army Infantry Formation 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 Forces in 1913. In 1915, ...

as well as the South African Territorial Reserve under the Commando System. It was phased out in 2003-2008 along with the rest of the commando system due to its role in

Apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English: , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...

History

Origin

The Modderfontein Commando was tasked with the protection of the Modderfontein Dynamite Factory,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

's biggest manufacturer of explosives.

Operations

Within the South African Defence Force (SADF)

In 1969, the Modderfontein Dynamite Factory was placed under the protection of the Republic Defence Force (

SADF 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 Fo ...

). Before then, the factory was protected by a unit of the National Volunteer Battalion (NVB) that was made up of "keymen" and other volunteers. In 1946 the units were retired. The Modderfontein Commando was initially formed as an urban commando unit but was restructured in the early 1980s into an industrial commando unit tasked with protecting the complex at Modderfontein. Specialized personnel allocated to the commando was largely drawn from men working for

AECI Aeci (or Aetius) (died 1010), Bishop of Barcelona from 995, was a warrior-prelate in the age of the Peace and Truce of God. Besides military endeavours, mainly ''reconquista'' (the re-conquest of Islamic territory), his episcopate was taken up wit ...

who had a military commitment. The Commando was structured into a headquarter with four companies.

Within the South African National Defence Force (SANDF)

=Disbandment

= This unit, along with all other Commando units, were disbanded after a decision by

South African President The president of South Africa is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of South Africa. The president directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander-in-chief of the South African National Defence Fo ...

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 Cong ...

. According to the Minister of Safety and Security,

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 th ...

, the Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era."

Unit Insignia

SADF era Modderfontein Industrial Commando insignia