| 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 (outsideKing Williams Town) |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Brigadier GeneralOupa 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 |
TheCiskei Defence Force (CDF) was established during March 1981 from the 141 Battalion of theSouth African Defence Force (SADF). It was the defence force ofCiskei, abantustan that was controlled by theapartheid regime ofSouth Africa. The CDF functioned as part of the21 Battalion based nearLenasia, outsideJohannesburg.[1]
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.[1]
According to Jakkie Cilliers, the CDF consisted of the following:
Originally located at Jong'umsobomvu (outsideKing William's Town), however, in 1993 the CDF's headquarters moved to the Parliament Buildings inBhisho. Jong'umsobomvu retained the following:[1]
The battalion consisted of 900 men and were stationed at Bhisho;[1] it consisted of:
The battalion consisted of 700 men and was stationed atKeiskammahoek;[1] it consisted of:
Situated at Bisho Airport a.k.a. Bulembu;[1] it consisted of:
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.[1]
The CDF's auxiliary according to Jakkie Cilliers[1] consisted of, quote:
"The CDF had semi-permanent company bases atAlice 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.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ciskei Army[1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||
| Lieutenant general | Brigadier | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | |||||||||||||||||
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ciskei Army[1] |  |  | |  |  |  | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief warrant officer | Warrant officer | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | Private | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The CDF was equipped for counter-insurgency (COIN) operations. The CDF had one25 pounder field gun for ceremonial purposes and usedR4/R5 assault rifles. The 7,62 mm Light Machine Gun issued was theSS-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."[1]
These were the medals awarded by the Ciskei authorities, primarily to members of theCDF:
Chief C.D.F. Commendation Medal (Ciskei)
Ciskei Defence Medal[a] (Ciskei)
Independence Medal[b] (Ciskei)
Medal for Long Service (Bronze) (Ciskei)
President's Medal for Shooting (Ciskei)
Sandile Decoration (SD) (Ciskei)
Sandile Medal (Ciskei)With the end ofApartheid in 1994 in South Africa, the former defence forces of theBantustans were incorporated into the newly formedSouth African National Defence Force.
TheFlag of Ciskei was located in the canton on a green background. On the green a large golden eagle clasped a lightning bolt.[2]