Summary
118 South African Infantry Battalion was a motorised infantry unit of the South African Army.
| 118 Battalion | |
|---|---|
 118 Battalion emblem | |
| Country |  South Africa |
| Branch |  South African Army |
| Type | Motorised infantry |
| Part of | South African Army Infantry Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | Lebowakgomo old fire station Northern Transvaal, Limpopo Province |
| Motto(s) | Bogale |
| Equipment | Buffel APC, Samil 20 |
| Commanders | |
| OC | Commandant M. Scheepers, Lt Col P de Vos Viljoen, Lt Col Steyn, Lt Col F Beukes |
| Insignia | |
| Company level insignia |  |
| SA Motorised Infantry beret bar circa 1992 |  |
History edit
Origin of the black battalions edit
By the late 1970s the South African government had abandoned its opposition to arming black soldiers within the SADF.[1]
By early 1979, the government approved a plan to form a number of regional African battalions, each with a particular ethnic identity, which would serve in their homeland or under regional SADF commands. [2]
Development of the Lebowa Defence Force edit
Two additional Northern Sotho Battalions were established, the 117 and the 118. Troops for 118 SA Battalion were recruited from the self-governing territory of Lebowa.
Higher Command edit
118 Battalion initially resorted under the command of Group 45 then Group 14 from Potgietersrus. This command was eventually changed to Group 29 with amalgamation.
Deployments edit
118 Battalion was utilised to patrol the Lebowa and parts of the Botswana border. At some stage the unit was also stationed at Mtubatuba in Kwa Zulu Natal for border patrols in that region.
Disbandment edit
2006.
Insignia edit
Notes edit
References edit
- ^ "Truth Commission - Special Report - TRC Final Report - Volume 2, Section 1, Chapter". sabctrc.saha.org.za. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
- ^ Nöthling, C. J.; Steyn, L. (1986). "The Role of Non-Whites in the South African Defence Force". Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies. 16 (2): 47–54. doi:10.5787/16-2-457.
- ^ Matloa, Abbey Oupa (February 2015). The formation of the SANDF: Integration experiences of former Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei Defence Force Members (PDF) (Thesis). University of South Africa.
