Regiment Mooirivier

Regiment Mooirivier / Molopo Armour Regiment (named after the Mooi River) is an armoured regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. It is part of the South African Army Armour Formation and is headquartered in the South African university town of Potchefstroom.

Molapo Armoured Regiment
SANDF Regiment Mooi River emblem
Active	1941 to present
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Republic of South Africa  Republic of South Africa
Branch	South African Army  South African Army
Type	Armoured Car Regiment
Size	One Battalion
Part of	South African Armoured Formation Army Conventional Reserve
Garrison/HQ	Potchefstroom
Motto(s)	Semper Prorsum Ever Forward[1][2]
Equipment	Eland 90, Rooikat armoured fighting vehicle
Commanders
Current commander	Lt Col S.J.B. Brooks
Honorary Colonel	Colonel Rory Hollins
Insignia
Beret Colour	Black
Armour Squadron emblems
Armour beret bar circa 1992

History

Origin

The Regiment was founded in 1941 as 2 Anti Tank Regiment and re-instituted in 1954 by the first vice-rector of the Potchefstroom University, Professor Fanus du Plessis.[3]

Regiment Mooirivier was re-instituted as 2 Antitank Regiment, South African Army/Active Citizen Force (ACF).

During 1955 the regiment was converted to an armoured car regiment and renamed Regiment Hendrik Potgieter. In 1959 the Regiment was renamed Regiment Mooirivier.[2]

Under the SADF

This unit served in South Africa's various internal conflicts as well as during the South African Border War, including duty in South-West Africa and cross-border raids into Angola between 1975 and 1984. The regiment participated in Operations Askari, Modular, Hooper and Packer. The regiment was equipped with Eland 90s at that stage.

Divisional affiliation

• 8th South African Armoured Division
  • 82 Mechanised Brigade

Under the SANDF

82 Mechanised Brigade Division was disbanded, and Regiment Mooirivier was transferred to the new armoured 'type' formation, the South African Army Armoured Formation.

Current equipment

The Regiment currently uses the Rooikat armoured fighting vehicle, equipped with a 76 mm quick-fire gun.

Rooikat Armoured Car

Name Change

In August 2019 52 units of the Reserve Force had their names changed to reflect the diversity of the current SANDF.[4]

This unit had its name changed to the Molapo Armoured Regiment.

Regimental Symbols

• Regimental motto: Semper Prorsum.

Previous dress insignia

SADF era Regiment Mooirivier insignia

Battle honours

• None known

Leadership

Leadership

From	Honorary Colonel	To
7 August 2020	Colonel Gert van der Walt	December 2015
From	Acting Honorary Colonel	To
August 2018	Colonel Rory Hollins MMM	Present
From	Commanding Officer	To
April 1954	Commandant J.S. du Plessis	January 1967
January 1967	Commandant C.W.A. Steyn	May 1971
May 1971	Commandant C.H. Heenop	May 1979
December 1979	Commandant S.G. Greyling	December 1987
January 1988	Lt Col. W.H. van Zyl	March 2001
May 2001	Lt Col. T. du P Snyman	May 2005
May 2005	Lt Col. B.J. de Klerk	January 2014
January 2014	Lt Col. H.H-P.J. Stark	September 2017
September 2017	Maj. S.J.B. Brooks	July 2018
July 2018	Lt Col. S.J.B. Brooks	Present
From	Regimental Sergeant Major	To
April 1954	WO1 P.F. Smit	July 1966
July 1966	WO1 S.W. van der Merwe	March 1993
April 1993	WO1 W.J. Wagner	Present
January 2019	WO1 U.K. Koaishe	Present

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References

1. http://www.saarmourassociation.co.za/regiment-mooirivier.aspx Archived October 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
2. "Fact File: Regiment Mooi Rivier". defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
3. Tylden, Major G (1954). The Armed Forces of South Africa. Frank Connock Publication No 2. Johannesburg: City of Johannesburg Africana Museum.
4. https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/new-reserve-force-unit-names/