By far the majority of SA National Defence Force (SANDF) appointments/promotions in a 2023/24 bulletin made public this week see senior officers filling vacant posts.
The Department of Defence (DoD) Bulletin listing appointments and/or promotion of brigadier generals/rear admirals (junior grade) has 80 officer names across the four SANDF services and divisions including Joint Operations, Legal Services, Human Resources, Defence Intelligence, the Inspector General and Military Police.
Of the 80 named in the Bulletin, 41 go to vacant posts that will be filled come 2024 with a number taking up new posts before year-end.
One of these is right at the top in the form of a personal staff officer (PSO) for SANDF Chief, General Rudzani Maphwanya. Colonel LL Xaba will be the right hand man in the CSANDF suite in the Armscor building come 1 December at brigadier general level where he fills a vacant post.
In the SA Military Health Service (SAMHS) all seven appointments see one-stars and colonels fill vacant posts. At the SA Army, seven of 12 appointments will fill vacant posts with the number for the SA Air Force (SAAF) six of nine and four of 10 in the SA Navy (SAN).
The Military Police Division will have a new provost marshal come March next year. The current incumbent, Rear Admiral (JG) Mokgadi Maphoto, is moving on and will be Director OHS in the DoD Human Resource Division. His replacement is current Colonel M Mbusi who goes up a rank to brigadier general when becoming the national defence force’s “top cop” on 1 March next year.
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