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Ciskei Defence Force
Flag of the CDF
Founded	1981
Disbanded	April 1994
Service branches	One Ciskei Battalion Two Ciskei Battalion Air Wing
Headquarters	Jong'umsobomvu (outside King Williams Town)
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	Brigadier General Oupa Gqozo
Personnel
Military age	18–49
Deployed personnel	2,000 (1993)
Expenditure
Budget	R99,910,000
Related articles
History	Military history of South Africa
Ranks	Military ranks of Ciskei

The Ciskei Defence Force (CDF) was established during March 1981 from the 141 Battalion of the South African Defence Force (SADF). It was the defence force of Ciskei, a bantustan that was controlled by the apartheid regime of South Africa. The CDF functioned as part of the 21 Battalion based near Lenasia, outside Johannesburg.

Overview

In 1993 the total troop count of the CDF was 2,000. The defence expenditure for Ciskei for 1991/2 was R76,883,000 and for the period of 1993/94 it was R99,910,000.

Organisation and structure

According to Jakkie Cilliers, the CDF consisted of the following:

Headquarters

Originally located at Jong'umsobomvu (outside King William's Town), however, in 1993 the CDF's headquarters moved to the Parliament Buildings in Bhisho. Jong'umsobomvu retained the following:

• Logistic Depot: including general equipment, uniforms, daily maintenance, rations, fuel, etc.
• Maintenance and Construction Unit
• Training Centre.

One Ciskei Battalion

The battalion consisted of 900 men and were stationed at Bhisho; it consisted of:

• 3 companies of which 2 had Mamba mine-protected vehicles
• a small support company
• a large Light Workshop Troop and signals workshops which served the whole of the CDF

Two Ciskei Battalion

The battalion consisted of 700 men and was stationed at Keiskammahoek; it consisted of:

• 3 companies with Mamba mine-protected vehicles
• a small support company.

Air Wing

Situated at Bisho Airport a.k.a. Bulembu; it consisted of:

• two Short SC.7 Skyvan light transport aircraft for paratroopers and general air transport
• three MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 helicopters
• three Cessna 150 light fixed wing aircraft for communication flights, etc
• two Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders for personnel and freight transport
• Piper J-3 Cub

There was a special forces/parachute company stationed at Bulembu, the core of a possible future parachute regiment. The Ciskei military band was also stationed at Bulembo and fell under the Air Wing for administrative purposes.

Auxiliary

The CDF's auxiliary according to Jakkie Cilliers consisted of, quote:

"The CDF had semi-permanent company bases at Alice and Kama/Whittlesea. There are also Auxiliary Services for which the CDF provided training and certain administrative functions. These Services are tasked with the protection of chiefs and headmen. These forces are controlled by structures within the Council of State. There is also a decentralised medical and signals element.

Ranks

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Ciskei Army v t e
					Lieutenant general				Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant

Other

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Ciskei Army v t e																													No insignia
	Chief warrant officer						Warrant officer		Staff sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal		Private

Equipment

The CDF was equipped for counter-insurgency (COIN) operations. The CDF had one 25 pounder field gun for ceremonial purposes and used R4/R5 assault rifles. The 7,62 mm Light Machine Gun issued was the SS-77. Other armaments included the 40 mm Multiple Grenade Launcher, 60 mm and 81 mm mortars and 7,62 mm Browning.

Vehicles included Mambas, Buffels, Samil 20, seven ton Isuzu trucks and 4x4 vehicles."

Insignia

Medals

These were the medals awarded by the Ciskei authorities, primarily to members of the CDF:

• Chief C.D.F. Commendation Medal (Ciskei)
• Ciskei Defence Medal (Ciskei)
• Independence Medal (Ciskei)
• Medal for Long Service (Bronze) (Ciskei)
• President's Medal for Shooting (Ciskei)
• Sandile Decoration (SD) (Ciskei)
• Sandile Medal (Ciskei)

Disbandment

With the end of Apartheid in 1994 in South Africa, the former defence forces of the Bantustans were incorporated into the newly formed South African National Defence Force.

Flag

The Flag of Ciskei was located in the canton on a green background. On the green a large golden eagle clasped a lightning bolt.

Notes

1. Introduced in 1988
2. Introduced in 1981

References

1. ^ Cilliers, Jakkie (1993). "An Overview of the Armed Forces of the TBVC Countries". South African Defence Review (13). Archived from the original on 24 June 2016.
2. "Ciskei (South African homeland)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 26 August 2021.

Further reading

• Gavin Cawthra and Martin Navias: The Ciskei Defence Force. Jane's Intelligence Review, February 1993, 94-96.

• Apartheid government
• Organisations associated with apartheid
• Defunct organisations based in South Africa
• Disbanded armed forces
• Military units and formations established in 1981
• Military units and formations of the Cold War
• Military units and formations of South Africa
• Ciskei
• Military decorations and medals of Ciskei
• Military units and formations disestablished in 1994