After the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 , General Jan Smuts , the Union 's first Minister of Defence , placed a high priority on creating a unified military out of the separate armies of the union 's four provinces .
After the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 , General Jan Smuts , South Africa 's first Minister of Defence , placed a high priority on creating a unified military from the four separate armies of the provinces .