President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a new leadership for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) following the pending retirement of the SANDF commander Solly Shoke who retires in two weeks, the presidency announced on Thursday.
Making the announcement, Ramaphosa said he had promoted Rudzani Maphwanya as the SANDF’s and military command’s new chief to replace Shoke with effect from June this year.
Apart from Maphwanya’s appointment, the president has also appointed Wiseman Simo Mbambo as chief of the South African Air Force.
Other major appointments included that of Siphiwe Sangweni as the Chief of Joint Operations with effect from June, and of Ntshavheni Maphaha as the Surgeon General of the SANDF starting in November.
The appointment of Thalita Mxakato as the new Chief of Defence Intelligence starting in June completed the new military command’s structure.
“Once she assumes her position as the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Mxakato will become the first woman to be appointed to the military command of the SANDF,” Ramaphosa said.
The president said since its formation 27 years ago, the SANDF had been “vital to the country’s preservation of peace and stability.”
“With its central mission as the protection of the South African nation and the defence of the democratic constitutional order, the SANDF “has made a valuable contribution to the country’s development,” Ramaphosa said.
He added: “The SANDF has also contributed to strengthening the bonds of friendship and solidarity with other countries in our region and on our continent, giving effect to our determination to be a nation at peace with itself and the world.”
The SANDF was formed in 1994 following the integration of the country’s apartheid army and soldiers of the Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), the African National Congress’ armed wing before the collapse of the white minority regime.
The new appointees were young recruits of the Umkhonto We Sizwe in the 1970s and 1980s who left the country to join the ANC’s armed wing at its training bases abroad.
NM/jn/APA