The forerunner of Umvoti Commando was a unit raised in 1949 in the Greytown district as sub unit of the Zululand Skiet Kommando under command of Captain A.W. Rossouw.
Operations
With the UDF
Umvoti Commando was named on 5 August 1952 after a requirement to split from the Zululand Skiet Kommando was approved.
With the SADF
The unit was stationed in Greytown since its beginning and moved to a purpose built HQ in 1978.
Area of responsibility
The unit was responsible for Umvoti, Kranskop, New Hannover and Msinga magisterial districts.
National Colours
The unit was awarded its National Colours on 29 June 1991.
With the SANDF
Disbandment
This unit, along with all other Commando units was disbanded after a decision by South African President Thabo Mbeki to disband all Commando Units.[1][2] The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and SecurityCharles Nqakula.[3]
Unit Insignia
SADF era Umvoti Commando insignia
Leadership
Cmdt J.F. van Rooyen 1952-1963
Cmdt W.G. Redinger 1963-1966
Cmdt K. du Preez 1966-1967
Cmdt J. van Rooyen 1967-1969
Cmdt J Menne 1969-1971
Cmdt W.G. Redinger 1971-1978
Cmdt G.E. Lauterbach 1978-1988
Cmdt W.W. Fourie 1988-
References
^Col L B van Stade, Senior Staff Officer Rationalisation, SANDF (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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