Senekal Commando

Senekal Commando
Senekal Commando emblem
Active	1900 - 2003
Disbanded	March 14, 2003 (23 years ago) (2003-03-14)
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Orange Free State Republic Union of South Africa 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, Group 36
Garrison/HQ	Senekal

Senekal Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation and the South African Territorial Reserve.

History

Origin

This unit started as a subunit of the Winburg Commando around 1900.

Operations

With the Orange Free State Republic

After the battle of Paardekraal, the Senekal Commando joined up with General de Wet. On 4 April 1900, they defeated a British column near Mostertshoek. This was followed by a siege of Brabant's Horse at Jammersberg Drift, near Wepener.^[1]

The last major engagement was the Battle of Biddulphsberg on 29 May 1900. A combined Boer force of approximately 400 men and three artillery pieces, drawn from several eastern Free State commandos under the overall command of General A.I. de Villiers, took up positions on the mountain and surrounding flats of Biddulphsberg, some 13 kilometres east of Senekal.^[2] The British force under Lieutenant-General Sir Leslie Rundle, comprising close to 4,000 men drawn from the 16th Infantry Brigade with artillery support, advanced from Senekal on 28 May and engaged the Boer positions the following morning.^[2] A veld fire driven by a wind shift swept across the advancing British troops, compounding the Boer rifle and artillery fire; British losses totalled 185 men, of whom 47 were killed or died of wounds, 130 were wounded, and eight were missing.^[2] Boer casualties were comparatively light, two men killed or fatally wounded and three wounded, though General de Villiers was struck by a bullet during the British withdrawal and subsequently died in Senekal.^[2]

With the UDF

By 1902, all Commando remnants were under British military control and disarmed.

By 1912, however, previous Commando members could join shooting associations.

By 1940, such commandos were controlled by the National Reserve of Volunteers.

These commandos were formally reactivated by 1948.

UDF era National Reserve of Volunteers shoulder tab

Under the SADF

In this era, the commando was utilised primarily for area force protection.

This unit fell under the command of Group 36.

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.^[3][4] 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.^[5]

Unit Insignia

Leadership

Leadership

From	Honorary Colonels	To
From	Commanding Officers	To
1900	Commandant A.I. de Villiers	nd
1901	Commandant S.G. Vilonel	nd
From	Regimental Sergeants Major	To

• Kommandant J.J. Human 1973

See also

• South Africa portal

• South African Commando System

References

1. Murray, Jim. "The Siege Of Wepener, April 1900". Retrieved 23 May 2026.
2. "South African Military History Society - Journal- THE SKIRMISH AT SENEKAL: THE BATTLE OF BIDDULPHSBERG, MAY 1900". www.samilitaryhistory.org. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
3. 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.
4. "About the Commando system". Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
5. de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015.