Comparative military ranks of apartheid states in southern Africa

Rank comparison charts of armies/land forces of apartheid states and territories in Southern Africa.

This chart includes the military rank insignia of the nominally independent Bantustans,^{[note 1]} apartheid South Africa,^[1] and South West Africa.^[1] These states were all under the control of the apartheid regime of South Africa,^[2] with the defence forces of the Bantustans being made of units that were nominally independent of the SADF, but were selected and trained by the SADF, and who placed former South African and Rhodesian military officers in senior positions within the defence forces.^[3] The South West Africa Territorial Force was an auxiliary arm of the SADF and formed the armed forces of South West Africa from 1977 to 1989.^[4]

Armies

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers						Officer cadet
Bophuthatswana Army^[5] v t e
Bophuthatswana Army^[5] v t e				Major general Generaal-majoor	Brigadier Brigadier	Colonel Kolonel	Commandant Kommandant		Major Majoor	Captain Kaptein		Lieutenant Luitenant		2nd lieutenant Tweede luitenant		Officer candidate Kandidaat offisier
Ciskei Army^[6] v t e
Ciskei Army^[6] v t e			Lieutenant general		Brigadier	Colonel	Lieutenant colonel		Major	Captain		Lieutenant		Second lieutenant
South African Army (1961–1994)^[7] v t e
South African Army (1961–1994)^[7] v t e		General Generaal^{[note 2]}	Lieutenant General Luitenant-Generaal	Major General Generaal-Majoor^{[note 3]}	Brigadier Brigadier	Colonel Kolonel	Chief Commandant Hoofkommandant^{[note 4]}	Commandant Kommandant	Major Majoor	Captain Kaptein		Lieutenant Luitenant^{[note 5]}		Second Lieutenant Tweede Luitenant^{[note 6]}		Officer Candidate Kandidaatoffisier
South West African Army^[7] v t e
South West African Army^[7] v t e			Major general	Brigadier general		Colonel	Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant		Second lieutenant		Officer candidate
Transkei Army^[8]^[6] v t e
Transkei Army^[8]^[6] v t e		General	Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier	Colonel	Lieutenant colonel		Major	Captain		Lieutenant		Second lieutenant
Venda Ground Forces^[6] v t e
Venda Ground Forces^[6] v t e					Brigadier	Colonel	Lieutenant colonel		Major	Captain		Lieutenant		Second lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers						Officer cadet

Other ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs					Junior NCOs		Enlisted
Bophuthatswana Army^[5] v t e								No insignia
Bophuthatswana Army^[5] v t e	Warrant officer class 1		Warrant officer class 2	Staff sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Lance corporal	Private
Ciskei Army^[6] v t e								No insignia
Ciskei Army^[6] v t e	Chief warrant officer		Warrant officer	Staff sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Lance corporal	Private
South African Army (1961–1994)^[7] v t e								No insignia
South African Army (1961–1994)^[7] v t e	Sergeant Major of the Army Sersant-Majoor van die Leër	Warrant officer class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klas I	Warrant officer class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klas II	Staff sergeant Stafsersant	Sergeant Sersant	Corporal Korporaal	Lance corporal Onderkorporaal	Private Soldaat
South West African Army^[7] v t e								No insignia
South West African Army^[7] v t e	Formation warrant officer	Warrant officer class 1	Warrant officer class 2	Staff sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Lance corporal	Private
Transkei Army^[8]^[6] v t e								No insignia
Transkei Army^[8]^[6] v t e	Chief warrant officer		Warrant officer	Staff sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Lance corporal	Private
Venda Ground Forces^[6] v t e								No insignia
Venda Ground Forces^[6] v t e	Chief warrant officer		Warrant officer	Staff sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Lance corporal	Private
Rank group	Senior NCOs					Junior NCOs		Enlisted

Air forces

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers			Junior officers			Officer cadet
Bophuthatswana Air Force^[5] v t e
Bophuthatswana Air Force^[5] v t e					Brigadier Brigadier	Colonel Kolonel	Commandant Kommandant	Major Majoor	Captain Kaptein	Lieutenant Luitenant	Second lieutenant Tweede luitenant	Officer candidate Kandidaat offisier
South African Air Force (1961–1994) v t e
South African Air Force (1961–1994) v t e		General Generaal	Lieutenant General Luitenant-Generaal	Major General Generaal-Majoor	Brigadier Brigadier	Colonel Kolonel	Commandant Kommandant	Major Majoor	Captain Kaptein	Lieutenant Luitenant	Second Lieutenant Tweede Luitenant
Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers			Junior officers			Officer cadet

Other ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs					Junior NCOs		Enlisted
Bophuthatswana Air Force^[5] v t e								No insignia
Bophuthatswana Air Force^[5] v t e	Sergeant Major of the Air Force Sersant-Majoor van die Lugmag	Warrant officer class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klass I	Warrant officer class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klass II	Staff sergeant Staf-Sersant	Sergeant Sersant	Corporal Korporaal	Lance corporal Onderkorporaal	Private Soldaat
South African Air Force (1961–1994) v t e									No insignia
South African Air Force (1961–1994) v t e	Sergeant Major of the SA Air Force Sersant-Majoor van die SA Lugmag	Warrant Officer class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klas I	Warrant Officer class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klas II	Flight sergeant Vlugsersant	Sergeant Sersant^{[note 7]}	Corporal Korporaal^{[note 8]}	Lance corporal Onderkorporaal^{[note 9]}		Aircraftman Vliegtuigman^{[note 10]}
Rank group	Senior NCOs					Junior NCOs		Enlisted

Notes

References

External links

"Band of Brothers – 101 Romeo Mikes". The Observation Post. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
Ngcula, Vumile. "Pretoria's men in Ciskei". Retrieved 2 March 2020.

Examples

[note 1]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[note 2]

[note 3]

[note 4]

[note 5]

[note 6]

[8]

[note 7]

[note 8]

[note 9]

[note 10]

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