South African Infantry School

South African Infantry School
SANDF Infantry School emblem
Founded	November 1953 (1953-11)
Country	South Africa
Branch	South African Army
Type	Infantry Training
Part of	South African Army Infantry Formation
Garrison/HQ	Oudsthoorn
Motto(s)	Exerce Perfectioni (Strive for excellence)
Commanders
Current commander	Col D. M. Madie
Insignia
Beret Colour	Green

The South African Infantry School is within the Army Base in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape. The Infantry School, now at Oudtshoorn, was established in November 1953, after a history dating back to the South African Military School in Bloemfontein, established in 1912. It is the Infantry’s “centre of excellence” and offers a number of infantry-specific courses to regulars and Reservists.

History

Early history

On the 1 July 1912, the South African Military School was established in the old President's residence in Bloemfontein. The school's name was changed to The School of Musketry on the 1 November 1912 and moved to Tempe in Bloemfontein.

On the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the school at Tempe was closed and all the members of the staff were transferred to Potchefstroom. These staff members were responsible for the next number of years for the training of volunteers for overseas duty.

During 1920, the South African Military School was established at what was then called Roberts Heights (This has subsequently changed names twice, first to Voortrekkerhoogte and now to Thaba Tshwane). The college was granted the status of School in 1924 as a result of the training of the first group of permanent force Officer Candidates. The school was enlarged just before the outbreak of the Second World War in 1935 with the creation of the following branches:

1. G Branch
2. Weapon Training Branch
3. Signals Branch
4. Training Depot
5. National Reserve Volunteers
6. Research and Development Branch
7. Chemical Warfare Branch
8. Regiment Training
9. Armour Branch

During the 1940-1945 years, certain of these branches were moved. The Regimental Training was taken over by the Weapon Training Branch for example. It was during this era that the idea was mooted that there should be an independent Infantry School.

In November 1953 the Weapon Training Branch was officially renamed the Infantry School in terms of SADF order No. 206/53, but this renamed unit remained an integral part of the South African Military College.

On 1 October 1963, after having been a ghost unit for almost 10 years, the Infantry School was finally established as a self accounting unit. At this stage and until 1 January 1964, Maj J. H. Rossouw, SAIC, was appointed Acting Officer Commanding. It was during this period that the decision to move the Infantry School to Oudtshoorn, its present location, was taken.

Oudtshoorn

On 1 January 1964 the new, fully fledged Infantry School opened its portals in Oudtshoorn to admit its first students under the command of Cmdt M. N. Horner, SAIC. Since that day, the School has undergone two major metamorphoses. The first being in January 1974 when, in addition to its established role, it assumed the role of the unit where National Servicemen Junior Leaders were trained. The second occurred in December 1976 when it was decided to remove virtually all Citizen Force courses from the School and transfer them to the Danie Theron Combat School in Kimberley.

In January 1977 another historic event occurred at the Infantry School that is the advent of the first prospective Cadet Officer intake of then recently qualified teachers. In those years, the unit had shouldered its share of the burden of duty in the operational area. Later on it had become policy to send companies of National Servicemen to the operational area as part of their training as Junior Leaders.

1977 was an important year in the school's history as they received their Colours on the 1 October 1977 and were granted the Freedom of the City by the City Council of Oudtshoorn.

On the 28 March 1980, the Infantry School received its own song from the well known Dirkie and Doll de Villiers. The song was handed over to the Commanding Officer, Col W.G. Kritzinger, during a parade at the school and the song was performed for the first time by the School's choir.

During December 1980, the Exerce Perfectioni Statue was handed over to the School by the City Council of Oudtshoorn. The statue was unveiled by Gen Magnus Malan.

Insignia

• Current role: Corps school.
• Current base: Oudtshoorn
• Motto: Exerce Perfectioni (Strive for excellence)

Previous dress insignia

SADF era Infantry School insignia

SADF era Infantry School Irregular warfare blazer pin

Leadership

Leadership of the South African Infantry School

From	Commanding Officers	To
1 October 1963	Major J. H. Rossouw (Acting)	1 January 1964
1 January 1964	Cmdt M. N. Horner	19 September 1966
20 September 1966	Cmdt V. A. J Torlage	30 January 1968
31 January 1968	Col H. K. J. van Noorden, SM (later Maj Gen)	3 January 1972
4 January 1972	Col R.F. Holtzhausen, SSAS SD SM (later Lt Gen)	31 December 1973
8 February 1974	Col D. J. Mortimer (later Maj Gen)	15 January 1976
16 January 1976	Col R. Badenhorst, SD (later Lt Gen)	6 December 1979
7 December 1979	Col W.G. Kritzinger (later Lt Gen)	10 December 1981
11 December 1981	Col C. J. (Chris) Serfontein (later Maj Genl)	14 December 1984
15 December 1984	Col H. J. Schultz (Hennie) (later Maj Genl)	19 December 1988
19 December 1988	Col P. Stroebel (Paul) (later Brig Genl)	19 December 1992
19 December 1992	Col J. Liebenberg (Koos Blok)	1 January 1997
1 January 1997	Col P. J. Le Roux (Flip)	31 December 1998
1 January 1999	Col K. K. Dzingwa	10 July 2000
21 September 2000	Col M. N. Mbethe	30 November 2005
1 December 2005	Col X. Mankayi (later Brig Gen)	2014
2014	Col Nkhabu Nthejane	2018
2018	Col D. M. Madie	Present
From	Regimental Sgts Major	To
1 January 1964	WO1 B.R. Kruger	3 January 1973
4 January 1973	WO1 L. B. Calitz	11 June 1976
12 June 1976	WO1 F. D. Boshoff	20 December 1977
14 December 1977	WO1 D. J. Vorster	30 September 1986
1 October 1986	WO1 J. G. C. Schuurman	31 December 1993
1 January 1994	WO1 J. F. E. van Zyl	31 December 1999
1 January 2000	WO1 J. H. Botes	30 November 2005
1 December 2006	WO1 R. McKenzie	3 December 2024