# Comparative military ranks of apartheid states in southern Africa

"none" is preferred when the title is already sufficiently detailed; see [[WP:SDNONE]] Rank comparison charts of armies/land forces of apartheid states and territories in Southern Africa.
This chart includes the military rank insignia of the nominally independent Bantustans, apartheid South Africa, and South West Africa. These states were all under the control of the apartheid regime of South Africa, with the defence forces of the Bantustans being made of units that were nominally independent of the SADF, but were selected and trained by the SADF, and who placed former South African and Rhodesian military officers in senior positions within the defence forces. The South West Africa Territorial Force was an auxiliary arm of the SADF and formed the armed forces of South West Africa from 1977 to 1989.

## Armies
### Officers

| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Bophuthatswana Army vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bophuthatswana Army vte | | | | | | | Major general | Major general | Brigadier | Brigadier | Colonel | Colonel | Commandant | Commandant | Major | Major | Captain | Captain | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant |
| Bophuthatswana Army vte | | | | | | | Generaal-majoor | Generaal-majoor | Brigadier | Brigadier | Kolonel | Kolonel | Kommandant | Kommandant | Majoor | Majoor | Kaptein | Kaptein | Luitenant | Luitenant | Luitenant | Tweede luitenant | Tweede luitenant | Tweede luitenant |
| Ciskei Army vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ciskei Army vte | | | | | Lieutenant general | Lieutenant general | | | Brigadier | Brigadier | Colonel | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Major | Captain | Captain | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant |
| South African Army (1961–1994) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| South African Army (1961–1994) vte | | | General | General | Lieutenant general | Lieutenant general | Major general | Major general | Brigadier | Brigadier | Colonel | Colonel | Chief commandant | Commandant | Major | Major | Captain | Captain | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant |
| South African Army (1961–1994) vte | | | Generaal | Generaal | Luitenant-generaal | Luitenant-generaal | Generaal-majoor | Generaal-majoor | Brigadier | Brigadier | Kolonel | Kolonel | Hoofkommandant | Kommandant | Majoor | Majoor | Kaptein | Kaptein | Luitenant | Luitenant | Luitenant | Tweede luitenant | Tweede luitenant | Tweede luitenant |
| South West African Army vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| South West African Army vte | | | | | Lieutenant general | Lieutenant general | Major general | Major general | Brigadier | Brigadier | Colonel | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Major | Captain | Captain | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant |
| Transkei Army vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Transkei Army vte | | | General | General | Lieutenant general | Lieutenant general | Major general | Major general | Brigadier | Brigadier | Colonel | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Major | Captain | Captain | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant |
| Venda Ground Forces vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Venda Ground Forces vte | | | | | | | | | Brigadier | Brigadier | Colonel | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Major | Captain | Captain | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant |
| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |

### Other ranks

| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Bophuthatswana Army vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia |
| Bophuthatswana Army vte | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 2 | Warrant officer class 2 | Staff sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Lance corporal | Lance corporal | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private |
| Bophuthatswana Army vte | Adjudant-Offisier Klass I | Adjudant-Offisier Klass I | Adjudant-Offisier Klass I | Adjudant-Offisier Klass I | Adjudant-Offisier Klass I | Adjudant-Offisier Klass I | Adjudant-Offisier Klass II | Adjudant-Offisier Klass II | Staf-Sersant | Staf-Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Korporaal | Korporaal | Korporaal | Korporaal | Onderkorporaal | Onderkorporaal | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat |
| Ciskei Army vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia |
| Ciskei Army vte | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Warrant officer | Warrant officer | Staff sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Lance corporal | Lance corporal | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private |
| South African Army (1961–1994) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia |
| South African Army (1961–1994) vte | Sergeant Major of the Army Sersant-Majoor van die Leër | Sergeant Major of the Army Sersant-Majoor van die Leër | Sergeant Major of the Army Sersant-Majoor van die Leër | Warrant officer class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klas I | Warrant officer class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klas I | Warrant officer class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klas I | Warrant officer class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klas II | Warrant officer class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klas II | Staff sergeant Stafsersant | Staff sergeant Stafsersant | Sergeant Sersant | Sergeant Sersant | Sergeant Sersant | Sergeant Sersant | Sergeant Sersant | Sergeant Sersant | Sergeant Sersant | Sergeant Sersant | Sergeant Sersant | Sergeant Sersant | Sergeant Sersant | Sergeant Sersant | Corporal Korporaal | Corporal Korporaal | Corporal Korporaal | Corporal Korporaal | Lance corporal Onderkorporaal | Lance corporal Onderkorporaal | Private Soldaat | Private Soldaat | Private Soldaat | Private Soldaat | Private Soldaat | Private Soldaat | Private Soldaat | Private Soldaat |
| South West African Army vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia |
| South West African Army vte | Formation warrant officer | Formation warrant officer | Formation warrant officer | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 2 | Warrant officer class 2 | Staff sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Lance corporal | Lance corporal | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private |
| Transkei Army vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia |
| Transkei Army vte | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Warrant officer | Warrant officer | Staff sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Lance corporal | Lance corporal | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private |
| Venda Ground Forces vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia |
| Venda Ground Forces vte | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Chief warrant officer | Warrant officer | Warrant officer | Staff sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Lance corporal | Lance corporal | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private |
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |

## Air forces
### Officers

| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Bophuthatswana Air Force vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bophuthatswana Air Force vte | | | | | | | | | Brigadier | Brigadier | Colonel | Colonel | Commandant | Commandant | Major | Major | Captain | Captain | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant |
| Bophuthatswana Air Force vte | | | | | | | | | Brigadier | Brigadier | Kolonel | Kolonel | Kommandant | Kommandant | Majoor | Majoor | Kaptein | Kaptein | Luitenant | Luitenant | Luitenant | Tweede luitenant | Tweede luitenant | Tweede luitenant |
| South African Air Force (1961–1994) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| South African Air Force (1961–1994) vte | | | General | General | Lieutenant general | Lieutenant general | Major general | Major general | Brigadier | Brigadier | Colonel | Colonel | Commandant | Commandant | Major | Major | Captain | Captain | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant |
| South African Air Force (1961–1994) vte | | | Generaal | Generaal | Luitenant-generaal | Luitenant-generaal | Generaal-majoor | Generaal-majoor | Brigadier | Brigadier | Kolonel | Kolonel | Kommandant | Kommandant | Majoor | Majoor | Kaptein | Kaptein | Luitenant | Luitenant | Luitenant | Tweede luitenant | Tweede luitenant | Tweede luitenant |
| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |

### Other ranks

| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Bophuthatswana Air Force vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia |
| Bophuthatswana Air Force vte | Sergeant Major of the Air Force | Sergeant Major of the Air Force | Sergeant Major of the Air Force | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 2 | Warrant officer class 2 | Staff sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Lance corporal | Lance corporal | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private | Private |
| Bophuthatswana Air Force vte | Sersant-Majoor van die Lugmag | Sersant-Majoor van die Lugmag | Sersant-Majoor van die Lugmag | Adjudant-Offisier Klass I | Adjudant-Offisier Klass I | Adjudant-Offisier Klass I | Adjudant-Offisier Klass II | Adjudant-Offisier Klass II | Staf-Sersant | Staf-Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Korporaal | Korporaal | Korporaal | Korporaal | Onderkorporaal | Onderkorporaal | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat | Soldaat |
| South African Air Force (1961–1994) vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia |
| South African Air Force (1961–1994) vte | Sergeant Major of the Air Force | Sergeant Major of the Air Force | Sergeant Major of the Air Force | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 2 | Warrant officer class 2 | Flight sergeant | Flight sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Corporal | Lance corporal | Lance corporal | | | | | | | Aircraftman | Aircraftman |
| South African Air Force (1961–1994) vte | Sersant-Majoor van die SA Lugmag | Sersant-Majoor van die SA Lugmag | Sersant-Majoor van die SA Lugmag | Adjudant-offisier klas I | Adjudant-offisier klas I | Adjudant-offisier klas I | Adjudant-offisier klas II | Adjudant-offisier klas II | Vlugsersant | Vlugsersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Sersant | Korporaal | Korporaal | Korporaal | Korporaal | Onderkorporaal | Onderkorporaal | | | | | | | Vliegtuigman | Vliegtuigman |
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |