5 South African Infantry Battalion

5 South African Infantry Battalion is a motorised infantry unit of the South African Army.

5 South African Infantry Battalion
5 SAI emblem
Active	1 January 1962 to present
Country	South Africa
Branch	South African Army
Type	Motorised infantry
Part of	South African Army Infantry Formation
Garrison/HQ	Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal
Motto(s)	Avante!
Equipment	Mamba APC
Engagements	South African Border War
Insignia
Company level insignia
SA Motorised Infantry beret bar circa 1992	SA Motorised Infantry beret bar

History

Based in Ladysmith

5 SAI was established on 1 January 1962, at Ladysmith, Natal Province. The battalion became operational on 1 April 1962.

The Insizwa Proficiency

5 SAI had a very unusual proficiency in the 1970s and 1980s, called the Insizwa, the Zulu word for a strong young man. The criteria required that only sharpshooters on a table 4 level were allowed to compete. A 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) run had to be done under ten minutes with battle kit on, followed by 20 kilometres (12 mi) route march also with battle kit. The route march would end at the 200 metres (220 yd) firing line where the competitor would have to shoot 8 shots in the bull. The soldier would also have to successfully complete all other shooting exercises with an 80% success rate.

SADF 5 SAI Insizwa proficiency

Bushwar

5 SAI took part in Operation Savannah during 1975 in Angola, and Operation Protea in 1981 where it deployed companies continuously on rotation to the operational area, taking part in many of the large operations across the border into Angola in the years which followed, right up to the withdrawal of South African forces from Namibia in 1989.

Training Area

Land to the east of Ladysmith was allocated by the Department of Defence in 1990 as the Boschhoek Training Area.

Peacekeeping operations

In 2004, the battalion was one of several South African units who took part as peacekeepers in the United Nations Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC). The battalion was deployed again in May 2014 to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as part of the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade.

SADF 5 SAI Commemorative letter

SANDF's Motorised Infantry

SANDF's Motorised Infantry is transported mostly by SAMIL Trucks, Mamba APC's or other un-protected motor vehicles. SAMIL 20, SAMIL 50 and SAMIL 100 trucks transport soldiers, towing guns, and carrying equipment and supplies. Samil trucks are all-wheel drive, in order to have vehicles that function reliably in extremes of weather and terrain. Motorised infantry have an advantage in mobility allowing them to move to critical sectors of the battlefield faster, allowing better response to enemy movements, as well as the ability to outmaneuver the enemy.

Insignia

Previous Dress Insignia

SADF era 5 SAI insignia

Current Dress Insignia

SANDF era Infantry Formation insignia

Leadership

Leadership of 5 South African Infantry Battalion

From	Commanding Officers	To
1 April 1962	Cmdt M.N. Horner	30 July 1963
1 August 1963	Cmdt H.K.J. Van Noorden SM	28 September 1966
29 September 1966	Cmdt J. Marshall MC	7 August 1968
8 August 1968	Col M.N. Horner	15 September 1968
16 September 1968	Cmdt J.P.F. Botha	24 June 1970
25 June 1970	Cmdt G.P.H. Kruys SM	16 August 1973
17 August 1973	Cmdt L.C. vd B. Heap	31 March 1975
1 April 1975	Cmdt A.J.M. Joubert	1 December 1976
2 December 1976	Cmdt D. C. Benade	30 December 1977
31 December 1977	Cmdt T.J. Van Schalkwyk	2 January 1981
3 January 1981	Cmdt K.V. Harris	31 December 1983
1 January 1984	Col K.V. Harris	31 December 1986
1 January 1987	Col M.S. Smuts	31 December 1989
1 January 1990	Col J.B. Pieterse	31 December 1992
1 January 1993	Col P.M. Smythe MMM	5 May 1995
6 May 1995	Col S.P. Zeeman MMM	4 August 2000
5 August 2000	Lt Col V.E. White	31 December 2004
1 January 2005	Lt Col N.P. Bobelo	31 December 2007
1 January 2008	Lt Col C. Els	23 October 2011
24 October 2011	Lt Col S.T. Hloka	c. 2013
c. 2013	Lt Col N.M. Zama	2014
From	Regimental Sgts Major	To
1962	WO1 B.R. Kruger	1963
1964	WO1 C. van der Merwe	1964
1965	WO1 A.A. Calmeyer	1968
1968	WO1 N.G. Rust	1969
1969	WO1 P.J.C. Badenhorst	1975
1975	WO1 E.J. Nel	1979
1979	WO1 B.C. Oosthuizen	nd