South Africa: The Army Reserve shootists look forward to nothing more than to vie for bragging rights when it comes to attaining high standards of musketry.
The going was tough as they and the international competitors from the Botswana Defence Force, Lesotho Defence Force and Zimbabwe Defence Force joined them for the penultimate prize giving of the South African Army Combat Rifle Shooting Evaluation that took place on Friday 19 May 2023.
The Officer Commanding the South African Army Armour Formation’s School of Armour, Colonel D.L. Romain, was on hand to hand out the certificates of participation, medals, and trophies on behalf of the Chief of the South African Army, Lieutenant General L.K. Mbatha, to those excelling shootists who made the cut.
In the category of International Teams, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces team placed 3rd with a score of 2217, followed by the Botswana Defence Force Team in 2nd place with a score of 2508. The Lesotho Defence Force took the top spot in 1st with a score of 2768.
In the category International Open (Top 10 Shottists), the scores were as follows:
- 10th place: Lesotho’s Second Lieutenant Malokotsa with a score of 329;
- 9th place: Lesotho’s Corporal Mare with a score of 345;
- 8th place: Lesotho’s Corporal Lenkoe with a score of 345;
- 7th place: Botswana’s Capt L. Kgomo with a score of 347;
- 6th place: Zimbabwe’s Colour Sergeant C. Tonderai with a score of 348;
- 5th place: Lesotho’s Sergeant Chobisa with a score of 355;
- 4th place: Botswana’s Corporal J. Ntibi with a score of 364;
- 3rd place: Botswana’s Corporal A. Makwati with a score of 365;
- 2nd place: Lesotho’s Warrant Officer Class 2 Lekhoaba with a score of 371;
- 1st place: Lesotho’s Sergeant Makoloane with a score of 398.
The Lionesses of the Pride of Lions, in the category Best Female Shottist, were –
- 3rd place: The Ingobamakhosi Carbineers’ Private T.S. Ngubane with a score of 301;
- 2nd place: From the Combined Cape Town Highlanders/General Jan Smuts Regiment team, the Cape Town Highlanders’ Corporal L. Latoli with a score of 313;
- 1st place: Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment’s Trooper E.L. Verwey with a score of 315.
In the category Best Individual Results by Rank:
Private to Corporal:
- 3rd place: Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment’s Lance Corporal P.M. Erasmus with a score of 342;
- 2nd place: Molapo Armoured Regiment’s Trooper K.E. Morule with a score of 347;
- 1st place: Chief Maqoma Regiment’s Rfn T.N. Jenneker with a score of 351.
Sergeant to Warrant Officer Class 2:
- 3rd place: Chief Maqoma Regiment’s Warrant Officer Class 2 E.K.K. Frank with a score of 301;
- 2nd place: The Ingobamakhosi Carbineers’ Sergeant M.J. Mbhele with a score of 303;
- 1st place: Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment’s Staff Sergeant R.W. Mentoor with a score of 390.
Warrant Officer Class 1 to Senior Chief Warrant Officer: 1st place: Master Warrant Officer Chief Langalibalele Rifles’ P.M. Dias Lobo with a score of 387.
Candidate Officer to Captain:
- 3rd place: Buffalo Volunteer Rifles’ Lieutenant T. Mavuma with a score of 208;
- 2nd place: the Ingobamakhosi Carbineers’ Second Lieutenant M.C. Madlala with a score of 284;
- 1st place: Chief Langalibalele Rifles’ Captain G.S. Farr. with a score of 317.
Major to Lieutenant Colonel:
- 3rd place: Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment’s Major M.J. Kumalo with a score of 301;
- 2nd place: Officer Commanding of Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel L.A. Korff, with a score of 336; and in
- 1st place: Nelson Mandela Regiment’s Major S.J. van den Berg with a score of 350.
The Top 10 Individual Shottists were:
- 10th place: Galeshewe Anti-Aircraft Regiment’s Gunner M.A. Msegomi with a score of 330;
- 9th place: the Ingobamakhosi Carbineers’ Corporal G.T. Thabethe with a score of 334;
- 8th place: Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment’s Lieutenant Colonel L.A. Korff with a score of 336;
- 7th place: Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment’s Corporal Z.G. Nziweni with a score of 340;
- 6th place: Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment’s Lance Corporal P.M. Erasmus with a score of 342;
- 5th place: Molapo Armoured Regiment’s Trooper K.E. Morule with a score of 347;
- 4th place, Nelson Mandela Regiment’s Major S.J. van den Berg with a score of 350;
- 3rd place: Chief Maqoma Regiment’s Rifleman T.N. Jenneker with a score of 351;
- 2nd place: Chief Langalibalele Rifles’ Master Warrant Officer P.M. Dias Lobo with a score of 387,
- 1st place: Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment’s Staff Sergeant R.W. Mentoor with a score of 390!
In the White Horse Trophy category between the South African Army’s Best Regular Force Unit and Best Reserve Force Unit, the trophy goes most deservingly to Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment with a score of 800 points!
GOLD CUP
In the category for the Gold Cup for the South African Army’s best Reserve Force Unit shooting the Table 2 and Adapted Table combined, the following Top Three teams placed:
- 3rd place: Molapo Armoured Regiment with a score of 2037;
- 2nd place: Ingobamakhosi Carbineers with a score of 2368;
- 1st place: Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment with a score of 2503!
And with that, the South African Army Armour Formation can be rightly proud that Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment snatched both trophies for 2023 and the Top Individual Shottist of the day!
Colonel Romain thanked each and every one of the shootists for giving their absolute all for the competition and the South African Army as a whole. T
o those who put their stamp on their respective class, especially taking into consideration the top shottist category placing being decided by a difference in three points, he said – “It is an indisputable fact that this effort can be hailed as a trailblazing achievement, as courage, restraint, humility, sacrifice and resilience, patriotism and self-belief were on full display throughout the exercise.”
What lies beyond is the head-to-head Best of the Best shooting contest from the South African Army Regulars, Reserves and International guests on the morning of Saturday, 20 May 2023, for which the following Top 20 Army Reserve shootists have qualified to join the above-mentioned Top 10 scorers:
Trooper T.E. Rammekwa, Corporal M.T. Nhlapo; Chief Langalibalele Rifles’ Captain G.S. Farr; Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment’s Trooper E.L. Verwey; from the combined Cape Town Highlanders/General Jan Smuts Regiment team, Cape Town Highlanders’ Corpora L. Latoli; the Ingobamakhosi Carbineers’ Sergeant M.J. Mbhele and Private T.S. Ngubane; Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment’s Maj M.S. Kumalo; Chief Maqoma Regiment’s Warrant Officer Class 2 E.K.K. Frank; and Thaba Bosiu Armoured Regiment’s Corporal V.T. Vinger.
Well done to all shootists!
Please follow the continuing highlights from the Chief of the South African Army Combat Rifle Shooting Evaluation, which will cover the activities from 15 to 20 May 2023.
