Atlas Commando

Atlas Commando
Atlas Commando
	Atlas Commando emblem
Disbanded	February 14, 2003 (21 years ago)
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Republic of South Africa; Republic of South Africa;
Branch	South African Army; South African Army;
Type	Infantry
Role	Light Infantry
Size	One Battalion
Part of	South African Infantry Corps; Army Territorial Reserve
Garrison/HQ	Kempton Park

Atlas Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.

Quick Facts Disbanded, Country ...

Close

Origin

Industrial Commando

The Atlas Commando was formed to assign males of military service age to meet their commitments at the Atlas Aircraft Corporation^{[attribution needed]}, a facility considered important to their Air Force's equipment requirements.

Operations

With the SADF

During this era, the unit was mainly engaged in area force protection, search and cordons as well as other assistance to the local police.

As an urban unit, this commando was also tasked with protecting strategic facilities as well as quelling township riots especially during the State of Emergency in the 1980s.

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 Security Charles Nqakula.^[3]

Leadership
From	Honorary Colonels	To
From	Commanding Officer	To
From	Regimental Sergeant Major	To

South African Commando System

[1]
van Stade, Col L B (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
[2]
"About the Commando system". Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
[3]
de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

This South African military article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] [1]
van Stade, Col L B (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

[2] [2]
"About the Commando system". Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.

[3] [3]
de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

[1]

[2]

[3]