TOPIC:

IL sees in Chris Ash's blog of 2 April 2021 that the South African Military is changing the title of many of it's most famous regiments to be in line with current thinking.
The Cape Town Highlanders are to become the Gonnema Regiment
The Natal Carbineers are to become the Igobamakhosi Carbineers
The Cape Garrison Artillery are to become the Autshumato Anti Aircraft Regiment
The Natal Mounted Rifles are to become the Queen Nandi Mounted Rifles
The Light Horse Regiment (previously the illustrious Imperial Light Horse) are to become the Johannesburg Light Horse Regiment.
Units reportedly have three years to design new Regimental badges and titles.
What a shame to see those famous units vanish into the dustbin.
Regards
IL.

Apparently the name changes have been on the cards since 2015.
Brigadier General Gerhard Kamffer, who heads up the name review steering committee, said "The ethnic composition of the SA Army Reserves in terms of Africans, Coloureds and Asians is 87%."
The above statement clearly reflects the outcome of the new regimental name changes that's for sure.

Honestly, I am surprised that the names had lasted as long as they did post 1994!

I agree that is sad to see so many of these famous regiments that played a significant role in SA History being rebranded. In a way, I am actually not too disappointed. A line is now well and truly in place that separates the history from the current spiral..... I will leave it at that

Hi,

Following the original note in this thread, out of interest, I have done some further reading on the matter. According to a few references it would seem that these changes were put in place in August 2019 already. My original expression of surprise that it took them that long still stands.....

At that time ~52 Reserve Force units underwent name changes "..... to reflect the diverse military history of South Africa...". At the time the units were given 3 years to design and implement new regimental insignia, which would mean that these additional changes are supposed to take effect on or before Aug 2022.