Altin Gysman

6 South African Infantry Battalion
6 SAI emblem
Active	1 January 1962
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Republic of South Africa  Republic of South Africa
Branch	South African Army  South African Army
Type	Air assault infantry
Size	Battalion
Part of	South African Army Infantry Formation
Garrison/HQ	Grahamstown, Eastern Cape
Motto(s)	Aliis Melius
Engagements	South African Border War Part of South African Army Operations Operation Protea Operation Daisy Peacekeeping Part of United Nations Force Intervention Brigade Commanders Lt Col Altin John Gysman Operations Kibati Triple Towers Niyabiyondo
Commanders
Current commander	Lt Col Altin John Gysman
Insignia
Company level insignia
SA Motorised Infantry beret bar circa 1992	SA Motorised Infantry beret bar

South African Army Infantry Formation

6 South African Infantry Battalion is an air assault infantry unit of the South African Army.

6 SAI was established on January 1, 1962, at Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. The new training unit was housed on the property previously used by 44 Air School established by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

The battalion became operational in 1970. 6 SAI took part in Operation Protea and Operation Daisy in Angola.

The Unit was involved in quelling the 1984 Grahamstown riots – the first real urban riots in South Africa. The army had been called in to assist the South African Police who had failed to contain the situation.

The battalion has since become an air assault infantry unit specifically trained to deploy via helicopters.

The battalion was deployed in April 2013 to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade.

In 2013, 850 members of 6 SAI were part of the United Nations (UN) Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) authorised to use lethal force to achieve peace in the DRC. 6 SAIs involvement in the FIB saw the defeat of the M23 rebel group during the Battle of Kibati and other skirmishes. The first elements moved into the DRC on 28 April 2013 and the rest following from 15 June, with all 850 South African troops ready for action by 18 June.

Special Forces elements such as snipers were also attached to 6 SAI. When the FIB came under mortar fire, 6 SAI established a observation post at the triple towers site and engaged enemy targets up to 1400 meters.

On the 28 August 2014, after their return from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the battalion was honoured with a Freedom of the City parade through Grahamstown.

Air Assault Infantry SANDF with Oryx