8 South African Armoured Division [Afr: 8 Suid-Afrikaanse Pantser-divisie] was established as an armoured formation on August 1, 1974, consisting of 81 Armoured Brigade, 82 Mechanised Brigade and 84 Motorised Brigade. It was, in many respects, a mirror of 7 South African Infantry Division but with more armoured elements, and a part of 1 South African Corps. 8 Division's Brigades were disbanded in 1992 and the battalions and regiments came to answer directly to the divisional headquarters. The Division was effectively disbanded on April 1, 1997, when its former units became part of 7th South African Infantry Division as 74 Brigade.