Scouts South Africa
The South African Scout Association organizes the Scouting movement in South Africa.
History
Organized Scouting spread to South Africa only a few months after its birth in Britain in 1907. In 1908, several troops formed in Cape Town, Natal and Johannesburg and the following year saw the first official registration of South African troops.
Scouting was originally segregated by race in South Africa, with black scouts known as Klipspringers (referring to a kind of small antelope). There eventually came to be separate Scouting organizations for White, Black, Coloured and Indian Scouts. Soon, Afrikaner nationalism inspired the formation of the Voortrekkers, for many Afrikaners distrusted the English and any association involved with them.
In the 1970s, the Nordic countries tried to force the World Organization of the Scout Movement to expel the South African regiment for racial segregation. The separate organizations then merged, and held multiracial gatherings for many years in violation of the South African law.
Scouting was active during the period in several of the homelands, Transkei issuing Scout insignia and several to include Bophuthatswana issuing Scout-themed postage stamps.
Around 1995, The Boy Scouts of South Africa changed its name to "The South Africa Scout Association." In 1999, girls were admitted to all sections.
Internal organization
The Association is divided into Areas, corresponding approximately to the provinces of South Africa. The head office is in Cape Town.
Members are divided into three divisions: Cubs, from age 8 to 10, Scouts, age 11 to 17, and Rovers, young adults from age 18 to 30. Boys and girls may become members.
Nelson Mandela is the patron of the South African Scout Association, and Reverend Vukile Mehana is the current Chief Scout.
South African influences on World Scouting
South Africa has long been associated with the origins of Scouting. Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the movement, spent most of the years from 1884 to 1905 as a soldier in Southern Africa. In 1899-1900 during the Siege of Mafeking in Northwest Province, he was inspired by the boys of the Mafeking cadets, and later used them as an example of bravery in the first chapter of his handbook Scouting for Boys. The Mafeking Cadets are not regarded as the first Boy Scouts, though, as Scouting was only born later, in 1907 at Brownsea Island in Britain.
The Wood Badge, worn by adult Scout leaders, is a replica of beads from the necklace that was once worn by King Dinizulu of the Zulus. The original necklace was captured from Dinizulu by Baden-Powell. Other Zulu traditions and chants also featured in Scouting for Boys.
The earliest Scout uniform was based on the uniform that Robert Baden-Powell designed for the South African Constabulary, a paramilitary force esablished to police the conquered Boer republics following the Anglo-Boer War.
Baden-Powell also said of South Africa in 1926 that "none of the fellows in other countries know that the (Scout) flag (a golden fleur-de-lis on a green background) was first started in South Africa. As you know the colors are those of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. But those were also the colors of the South African Constabulary ... and when I took to being a Scout, I took the colors with me. A good deal of our Scouting started in South Africa".
The Join-In Jamboree concept, for Scouts in their home countries during World Scout Jamborees, was pioneered by the South African Vic Clapham.
The South African Scout Association hosted the World Scout Conference in Durban in 1999.
South Africans Colin Inglis and Garnet de la Hunt were awarded the Bronze Wolf by the World Scout Conference in 1996 for their work towards racial unity in Scouting during the apartheid era.
Garnet de la Hunt chaired the World Scout Committee from 1999 to 2002 and Nkwenkwe Nkomo was elected to the Committee in 2005.
South African Scout Promise and Law
Scout Promise
On My honour, I promise that I will do my best; To do my duty to God, and my Country, To help other people at all times; To obey the Scout Law.
Scout Law
# A Scout's honour is to be trusted # A Scout is loyal # A Scout's duty is to be useful and to help others. # A Scout is a friend to all and a brother to every other Scout # A Scout is courteous # A Scout is a friend to animals # A Scout obeys orders # A Scout smiles and whistles under all difficulties # A Scout is thrifty # A Scout is clean in thought, word and deed
Cub Promise
I promise to do my best – To do my duty to God and my country; To keep the Law of the Wolf Cub Pack And to do a good turn to somebody every day.
Cub Law
The Cub gives in to the Old Wolf The Cub does not give in to himself.
Rover Promise
Same as Scout Promise
Rover Law
Same as Scout Law
Scouting Sections
South African Scouting is split into three sections:
Cubs
- Could a Pack Scouter (Or somebody who knows more about Cubs in SA) please fill in what the Cub program aims for, and check the ages
This is for young children between the ages of 8 and 10
Advancement Badges
Cubs work on the Cheetah, Lion, Leopard and Leaping Wolf badges. Cubs proceeding to Scouts complete the Link Badge.
Scouts
This is for children between the ages of 11 and 17.
Advancement Badges
South African Scouts have a number of advancement badges that they can work towards.
Troop Membership
For a Scout to be invested, they have to pass the membership requirements which include knowing the basic story behind how Scouting began, their Scout promise and Law, some very basic scouting skills, and knowing the South African national anthem.
Pathfinder
This is the first real advancement badge. It focuses on basic Scouting training, including such things as: "The six basic knots", basic first aid, and introduces Scouts to camping.
Adventurer
This advancement badge introduces the Scout to basic pioneering (knots and lashings) and more advanced first aid. The scout is also required to assist in the planning of a Patrol hike.
First Class
It is said that a boy or girl is only a true Scout after they have achieved this badge. The First Class focuses on teaching the Scout basic training techniques. Scouts are required to teach the six basic knots, pioneering and basic first aid to younger Scouts. They also need to plan and run a Patrol camp and a Patrol hike.
Explorer / Air Explorer / Sea Explorer
The Explorer badge is split into three different badges for the three different types of Scout Troops. The Explorer badge teaches the Scout to take control of situations, and places the Scout in positions where they need to plan and run large scale activities. The requirements are the same for the three Explorer badges, except for the interest badges required. All require the First Aid badge, and then two other compulsory badges specific to land, air or sea Scouting.
Springbok (Top Award)
This badge is the top scouting award in Scout Africa. It concentrates on teaching the Scout how to give back to the community, requiring at least 40 hours of community service. The Scout is also required to lead a hike of over 30km in unfamiliar territory.
Rovers
This section is for Scouts between 18 and 30. Rovers are not necessarily adult leaders of Scout Troops although there is often some overlap.
See also
- Scouts of Namibia
- Voortrekkers-an Afrikaner youth movement founded in 1931 as the Dutch Africans found it difficult to belong to a movement founded by their Boer War opponent, Lord Baden-Powell