THE headquarters of the Infantry School in Oudtshoorn is now known as The Kremlin, but not everybody is happy with this new name.

According to Lt Mmata Raphala, the PRO at the Infantry School, a few historical facts were taken into consideration before renaming the headquarters.

The Infantry School opened its doors in Oudtshoorn on 1 January 1964. In those days only young white males were recruited to undergo military training.

To most South Africans of the 1980's the Soviet Union represented everything that was evil and bad about the world: autocracy, suffering and a total lack of free will - everything that the conscript experienced at the Infantry School at that time. With typical soldier humour the headquarters of the Infantry School became referred to as "The Kremlin", with reference to all the suffering they were undergoing.

In November 2011 a decision was taken to rename the Infantry School's headquarters to The Kremlin as a sign of respect to all the national servicemen who had passed through the gates of the Infantry School.

It also reflects the great sense of awe toward those soldiers who spent a good part of their youth undergoing training to protect what they regarded as their own.

The unit conference room has been named the Central Committee, which was the organisation of people who played the leading role in the Kremlin.

In the mean time Die Hoorn has received telephone calls from readers complaining about the new name. According to the calls residents as well as some employees of the Infantry School are angry about the name change and plan to take further steps.