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 of the nominally independent Bantustans, apartheid South Africa, and South West Africa. These states were all under the control of the apartheid regime of South Africa, 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. 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.

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Bophuthatswana (Edit)	No equivalent
									Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd Lieutenant			Officer Candidate
Ciskei (Edit)	No equivalent																								Unknown
									Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd Lieutenant
South Africa (Edit)	No equivalent
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Commandant		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd lieutenant			Candidate officer
South West Africa (Edit)	No equivalent
					Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Commandant		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd Lieutenant			Officer candidate
Transkei (Edit)	No equivalent								No equivalent																Unknown
			General		Lieutenant General		Major General				Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd Lieutenant
Venda (Edit)	No equivalent																								Unknown
									Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd Lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Other ranks

Equivalent NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4		OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Bophuthatswana (Edit)																	No equivalent												No insignia
	Warrant Officer Class 1						Warrant Officer Class 2		Staff Sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance Corporal		Private
Ciskei (Edit)																	No equivalent												No insignia
	Chief Warrant Officer						Warrant Officer		Staff Sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance Corporal		Private
South Africa (Edit)																	No equivalent												No insignia
	Warrant Officer Class 1						Warrant Officer Class 2		Staff Sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance Corporal		Private
South West Africa (Edit)																	No equivalent												No insignia
	Formation warrant officer			Warrant officer class 1			Warrant officer class 2		Staff sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal		Private
Transkei (Edit)																	No equivalent												No insignia
	Chief Warrant Officer						Warrant Officer		Staff Sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance Corporal		Private
Venda (Edit)																	No equivalent												No insignia
	Chief Warrant Officer						Warrant Officer		Staff Sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance Corporal		Private Equivalent NATO Code OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1 See also South African military ranks Military ranks of Namibia Military ranks of Zimbabwe Military ranks of Rhodesia Comparative army officer ranks of Africa Comparative army enlisted ranks of Africa Ranks and insignia of NATO armies officers Ranks and insignia of NATO armies enlisted References "Band of Brothers – 101 Romeo Mikes". The Observation Post. 24 February 2016. https://samilhistory.com/tag/swatf/.  Vumile Ngcula. "Pretoria's men in Ciskei". https://omalley.nelsonmandela.org/omalley/cis/omalley/OMalleyWeb/03lv02424/04lv02730/05lv03005/06lv03006/07lv03030/08lv03035.htm.  Transkei Special Forces Captain Rank insignia Transkei Special Forces 1st Lieutenant Rank insignia Bophuthatswana Arm Brassard Bophuthatswana and Transkei Rank insignia Ciskei Corporal insignia Ciskei Lance Corporal insignia Transkei General's Tunic Transkei Staff Sergeant Transkei rank star in circlet Ciskei WO2 rank in metal Ciskei WO2 rank in cloth Bophuthatswana Special Forces Soldiers of various ranks Sergeant and Major of 32 Battalion of the South African Army Transkei Officers South West Africa Territorial Force rank chart Transkeian Defence Force rank chart External links Bophuthatswana ranks at Uniforminsignia.org Transkei ranks at Uniforminsignia.org South West Africa ranks at Uniforminsignia.org South Africa ranks at Uniforminsignia.org