7 SA Division was founded as an infantry formation on August 1, 1974. As established, it consisted of 71, 72 and 73 Motorised Brigades. The division was a sequel to an Active Citizen Force headquarters established in April 1965. This changed its name to HQ Army Task Force (Permanent Force) in 1967 and was superseded by 1 SA Corps, consisting of 7 SA Infantry Division and 8 SA Armoured Division.
A provisional 1977 order of battle had 7 SA Infantry Division organised as follows:
Divisional Troops
Artillery
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17 Locating Regiment, SAA
Light Antiaircraft
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17 Antiaircraft Regiment (35mm), SAA
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27 Antiaircraft Regiment (20mm), SAA
Medium Artillery
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17 Medium Regiment, SAA
Engineers
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17 Field Squadron, SAEC
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17 Engineer Support Regiment, SAEC
Infantry
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17 Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron.
Signals
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17 Signals Group
Maintenance
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17 Maintenance Unit
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17 Field Workshop, TSC
Medical
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17 Mobile Hospital
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17 Field Ambulance Unit
Military Police
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17 Provost Company, SACMP
Recce
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7 Combat Reconnaissance Brigade
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71 Armoured Car Regiment, SAAC
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72 Armoured Car Regiment, SAAC
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73 Armoured Car Regiment, SAAC
Brigades
71 Motorised Brigade
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711 Motorised Battalion, SAIC
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712 Motorised Battalion, SAIC
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713 Motorised Battalion, SAIC
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71 Field Regiment, SAA
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71 Field Squadron, SAEC
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71 Signals Unit
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71 Maintenance Unit
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71 Field Workshop, TSC
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71 Field Ambulance
72 Motorised Brigade
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721 Motorised Battalion, SAIC
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722 Motorised Battalion, SAIC
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723 Motorised Battalion, SAIC
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72 Field Regiment, SAA
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72 Field Squadron, SAEC
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72 Signals Unit
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72 Maintenance Unit
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72 Field Workshop, TSC
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72 Field Ambulance
73 Motorised Brigade
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731 Motorised Battalion, SAIC
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732 Motorised Battalion, SAIC
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733 Motorised Battalion, SAIC
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73 Field Regiment, SAA
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73 Field Squadron, SAEC
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73 Signals Unit
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73 Maintenance Unit
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73 Field Workshop, TSC
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73 Field Ambulance
By 1985, 7 SA Division mustered 71 Motorised and 82 Mechanised Brigades. 72 Motorised was under command of 8 SA Division and 73 Motorised Brigade had apparently been disbanded. The division took part in numerous training exercises at the SA Army Battle School at Lohatlha in the northern Cape from 1978. The division’s major exercise was Kwiksilwer, involving 72 Brigade and the divisional headquarters in 1987.
The division’s brigades were disbanded in 1992 and the battalions and regiments came to answer directly to the divisional headquarters1 – the thinking was that these would be grouped into task forces as required. The concept was never put to a serious test. The formation was also renamed 7 SA Division. The division reverted to a more conventional organisation from April 1, 1997, when its former units became 73 Brigade, those of 8 SA Division formed 74 Brigade and that of 9 SA Division became 75 Brigade. The restructured SA Army of the late 1990s had no room for field divisions, and 7 SA Division was disbanded on April 1, 1999, its 52 subordinate units falling instead under the new Type Formations.
1 Lt Niko Allie, 7 South African Division … closes its doors, Salut, May 1999, p30.
