The Chief of the South African National Defence Force is the most senior South African military officer and the professional Head of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The Chief is appointed by the President of South Africa.[1]: 18
Chief of the South African National Defence Force | |
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Department of Defence | |
Reports to | Minister of Defence and Military Veterans |
Seat | Pretoria, Gauteng |
Nominator | President of South Africa |
Precursor | Chief of the South African Defence Force |
Formation | 27 April 1994 |
First holder | General Georg Meiring |
The SANDF was formed in 1994 following the first democratic general election in South Africa and was created by an amalgamation of the Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA), uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) as well as the existing South African Defence Force (SADF) structure of Army, Air Force, Navy, and Medical Service (which was renamed Military Health Service in 1998).
In terms of the South African Constitution the role of the Chief of the South African National Defence Force is to
No. | Portrait | Chief of the SANDF | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Georg Meiring SSAS, SD, SM, MMM, ORB (born 1939) | General27 April 1994 | 31 May 1998 | 4 years, 34 days | South African Army | — | |
2 | Siphiwe Nyanda SSA, SBS, CLS, DMG, MMS, MMM (born 1950) | General1 June 1998 | 31 May 2005 | 6 years, 364 days | South African Army | — | |
3 | Godfrey Ngwenya SBG, DMG, MMS, LOM (USA) (born 1950) | General1 June 2005 | 1 May 2011 | 5 years, 334 days | South African Army | — | |
4 | Solly Shoke OMBG, SBS, MMS, OMS (born 1956) | General2 May 2011 | 30 May 2021 | 10 years, 28 days | South African Army | [2] | |
5 | Rudzani Maphwanya SM, MMM (born 1960) | General1 June 2021 | Incumbent | 2 years, 327 days | South African Army | [3] |