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State Presidents Guard
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State Presidents Guard
The State President's Guard (Staatspresidentswag) was the name of the ceremonial unit of the South African Defence Force (SADF) from 1967 to 1990.
During that time, it was the guard unit for the South African State President and guard of honour at ceremonial occasions. Renamed the State President's Unit (Staatspresidentseenheid) in 1985, it was disbanded in July 1990.
The origins of the State President's Guard (later the State President's Unit) trace back to the State Artillery Corps (Staatsartillerie) of the erstwhile Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, influenced, too, by British and other European traditions.
On the occasion of the fifth anniversary on 31 May 1966 of the creation of the Republic of South Africa, a plea was made to the then Minister of Defence and the Commandant-General of the Defence Force for the creation of a ceremonial unit within the South African Defence Force (SADF), to add lustre to the office of the State President. The intention was that a unit with its own ceremonial uniform would act as the ceremonial guard of the State President and would perform ceremonial duties at all official state occasions.
As the first State President of the Republic of South Africa, Charles Robberts Swart, was due to retire on 31 May 1967, and his successor, Dr T. E. Donges, was to be sworn in on the same day, it was agreed that the newly-inaugurated guard would appear in public on the same day, at Donges’ inauguration.
The new unit was established officially on 1 May 1967 and an effort was made to train the specially-selected servicemen who would form the guard of honour at Donges' inauguration. Special uniforms were manufactured - including a plumed shako with the presidential emblem (the national coat of arms with the letters 'SP' above). The initial uniform evolved from historical Boer Republic designs, with variations reflecting military traditions and practical needs.
However, due to Dr Donges' illness, the Guard was only able to make its first public appearance eight months later at his state funeral.
Including the state funerals of the first State President, Swart (in 1982), and that of the State President-elect, Donges, in 1968, the State President's Guard served all the States President of the Republic of South Africa from 1967 until 1990.
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State Presidents Guard
The State President's Guard (Staatspresidentswag) was the name of the ceremonial unit of the South African Defence Force (SADF) from 1967 to 1990.
During that time, it was the guard unit for the South African State President and guard of honour at ceremonial occasions. Renamed the State President's Unit (Staatspresidentseenheid) in 1985, it was disbanded in July 1990.
The origins of the State President's Guard (later the State President's Unit) trace back to the State Artillery Corps (Staatsartillerie) of the erstwhile Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, influenced, too, by British and other European traditions.
On the occasion of the fifth anniversary on 31 May 1966 of the creation of the Republic of South Africa, a plea was made to the then Minister of Defence and the Commandant-General of the Defence Force for the creation of a ceremonial unit within the South African Defence Force (SADF), to add lustre to the office of the State President. The intention was that a unit with its own ceremonial uniform would act as the ceremonial guard of the State President and would perform ceremonial duties at all official state occasions.
As the first State President of the Republic of South Africa, Charles Robberts Swart, was due to retire on 31 May 1967, and his successor, Dr T. E. Donges, was to be sworn in on the same day, it was agreed that the newly-inaugurated guard would appear in public on the same day, at Donges’ inauguration.
The new unit was established officially on 1 May 1967 and an effort was made to train the specially-selected servicemen who would form the guard of honour at Donges' inauguration. Special uniforms were manufactured - including a plumed shako with the presidential emblem (the national coat of arms with the letters 'SP' above). The initial uniform evolved from historical Boer Republic designs, with variations reflecting military traditions and practical needs.
However, due to Dr Donges' illness, the Guard was only able to make its first public appearance eight months later at his state funeral.
Including the state funerals of the first State President, Swart (in 1982), and that of the State President-elect, Donges, in 1968, the State President's Guard served all the States President of the Republic of South Africa from 1967 until 1990.
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