South African military ranks The South African National Defence Force ' s rank system is largely based on the British system , with the Air Force ( and later the Medical Health Service ) sharing the Army rank titles . Rank titles changed over time as did the insignia . In 2008 the South African Air Force redesigned its insignia completely , while keeping the Army titles . Evolution of rank titles . Army and Air Force ranks . General officers Field officers Company / junior officers Warrant officers In June 2008 a new series of warrant officer ranks were introduced . Non - commissioned officers Rank and file Naval ranks . Flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Petty officers Ratings 1961 – 1994 rank structure . The Army rank structure was shared between the Army , Air Force and SAMS with some small differences . In the Air Force a staff sergeant was a flight sergeant for example . The Air Force ranks had a blue background and the NCO stripes were blue . For SAMS the ranks had a maroon background . Other ranks . Note : in the artillery and anti - aircraft corps , the corporal and lance - corporal are called " bombardier " and " lance - bombardier " . The private is called a " gunner " in the artillery and anti - aircraft , a " rifleman " in the infantry , a " trooper " in the armoured corps , a " sapper " in the engineers , a " signalman " in the signals corps , and a " scout " in the intelligence corps . Substantive warrant officer posts . Any warrant officer class 1 could be posted to substantive posts , including However they would retain the rank of WO1 , while wearing unique rank insignia . To distinguish the posting different colour backgrounds were used ; for example , red for regimental sergeant major and black for command sergeant major . The sergeant major of each arm of service wore insignia topped by the arms of their respective arm of service . In 2008 the warrant officer ranks were expanded to make each substantive rank a formal rank . Army . The SA Army was formed in 1912 as the Union Defence Force . It was given its present name in 1951 . The rank system is derived from that of the British Army . Air Force . The SA Air Force was formed in 1920 . Unlike many other Commonwealth air forces , it had army style rank system . In 2002 the Air Force officer rank insignia structure was changed from one which was shared with the Army to a new pattern based on stripes . The Air Force stated that this was " in order to bring it more in line with international forms of rank " . The army - style rank titles were retained . Navy . The SA Navy was originally two separate organisations , namely the South African Division of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve ( formed in 1913 ) and the South African Naval Service ( formed in 1922 and renamed the " Seaward Defence Force " in 1939 ) . They amalgamated in 1942 to form the SA Naval Forces , which were renamed " SA Navy " in 1951 . The rank system is based on that of the ( British ) Royal Navy . Military Health Service . The SA Military Health Service uses the Army rank system . There is a differentiation in that the rank insignia is displayed on a red background as opposed to the army , which is displayed on a brown background . Warrant Officer of the SANDF . The highest ranking South African non - commissioned officer is the Warrant Officer of the South African National Defence Force . He holds the rank of master chief warrant officer . As of October 2012 the incumbent MCWO is Mothusi Kgaladi