MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO.: 5
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 9 FEBRUARY 2012
Mr P J Groenewald (FF Plus) to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans:
(1) Whether she has been informed of the signboard at the headquarters of the Infantry School which reads The Kremlin; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so,
(2) Whether any steps have been or will be taken to remove this signboard; if not, why not; if so, what steps;
(3) Whether she will make a statement on the matter? NW6E
REPLY
(1) Yes.
(2) Dear Honourable member, how history comes back to haunt us is very evident here! For your information this is how the Infantry School gained its name:
"The Infantry School was established on 01 October 1964 and opened its doors on 01 January 1964. Until 1968 the majority of learners attending learning programmes at the Infantry School were members of what was termed ‘the ballot system', which meant that they were young white males who been randomly selected from the broader population to undergo military training.
"In 1968 the system was changed, and all white males were called up for military service. Initially, the leader group served for a period of nine months and other ranks were called up for a period of three months. In 1972, National Service was extended to twelve months and in the late 1970s to 24 months.
"Because of the nature of the politics of the day, the white conscript exhibited a specific and approach to life, and like youth across the world, was energetic and enterprising.
"At about this time, the United Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was regarded as "the enemy", and the Kremlin, the USSR Parliament, represented all that was evil and wrong about the world - strict discipline, unwavering control and unimaginable suffering - everything that the conscript felt he was enduring at the Infantry School during training. In typical soldier style, the headquarters became known in everyday talk as "The Kremlin", reflecting the suffering which the conscript felt he was enduring. And the students in turn were very proud that they had passed the toughest test. They had survived the Kremlin and the Infantry School Instructors. The nickname has stuck and has had consequence that the use of the name is now official!
The decision on the name change was communicated through the local Oudtshoorn newspapers and non-print media in November 2011.
Further, the name change has been accepted by the relevant command structures within the South African National Defence (SANDF), namely, the Chief of the Army (C Army) and the Chief of the SANDF (CSANDF).
(3) No.
Issued by Parliament, April 10 2012
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