National Ceremonial Guard

The National Ceremonial Guard (NCG) is an honor guard battalion of the South African National Defence Force serving during ceremonies involving the President of South Africa, Deputy President of South Africa, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans and the Chief of the South African National Defence Force. It is composed of a guard of honour, a drill team, and a military band.

National Ceremonial Guard
Nasionale Seremoniële Wag
The National Ceremonial Guard at the opening of 17th World Festival of Youth and Students.
Active1996-present
Country South Africa
BranchSouth African National Defence Force
TypeHonor Guard
RoleCeremonial guard
Size293 personnel
Garrison/HQSebokeng Military Complex, Pretoria

History

The unit was originally founded in May 1967 as the State Presidents Guard when Charles Robberts Swart was the State President of South Africa. It was dissolved in 1990 ahead of the first democratic elections in 1994. The unit was rebranded in September 1996 as the National Ceremonial Guard. The NCG's old uniform of dark green tunic with black pants was reinstated after it was reestablished. In April 2008, the NCG moved into the Sebokeng Military Complex by order of the president.[1][2]

Functions
The NCG at O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

The NCG takes part official state functions such as the opening of Parliament, and the welcoming ceremonies of visits by international leaders and statesmen to South Africa. It also provides guards of honour at inaugurations of Presidents, state funerals and certain national monuments.

NCG Band

The NCG Band is the military band unit attached to the NCG. It currently serves as the senior most band of the entire SANDF Both the NCG and its military band have been sent to different countries to perform in military tattoos and other international events. Since 2001, the band has undertaken the role training of military bandsmen from Namibia and Botswana.[3]

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gollark: It's "excellent" and "wonderful".
gollark: And it's "great"!
gollark: tio!debug
gollark: ```c#define let char*#define var char#define auto int*#define fn int#include <stdio.h>fn main() { let s = "abcdefghijklmnqoprastjasdhasdua"; fn x = 4; *s = x; printf("%s", s);}```

References
  1. http://www.defenceweb.co.za/mobilesite/defenceweb/home/item_id-48920/
  2. "It was revived by president Mandela in the late 1990s, in its present form as the "National Ceremonial Guard"". 15 March 2018.
  3. https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/28759/04chapter4.pdf?sequence=5&isAllowed=y
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