Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

The promotion of eight women to rank of brigadier-general was a step closer to attaining a truly representative national defence force, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota said yesterday.

He was speaking at the Ministry of Defence in Pretoria where he appointed 11 new brigadiers-general and two rear admirals, eight of whom were women.

He said gender equity formed a key part of transformation but the country was still far from achieving that.

While there was increasing support for equity between men and women, the goal of a 50:50 ratio was still a long way off.

“Transformation entails gender representivity which was denied in the old order.

“It did not matter whether women were capable people, they did not receive equal respect,” Lekota said.

The eight women promoted to brigadier-general will swell the number of women with that rank to 25.

He said there were currently 64 female colonels and 230 female lieutenants-colonel in the SANDF.

“The ranks are important because they provide the feeder for nominations for the general officer rank. The bigger the numbers, the higher the probability of promotion,” he said.

Lekota said the newly appointed officers were expected to continue their hard work and dedication to the defence force and not to rest on their laurels.

“We have been watching you and we will continue to do so.”

Lekota said he would soon announce the name of the person who would take over the post of chief of joint operations.

The person in this post is responsible for the deployment of South African troops on peacekeeping missions.

The position has been vacant since November last year when Lieutenant-General Sipho Binda died shortly after having minor surgery. During yesterday’s press conference the chief of the defence force, General Godfrey Nhlanhla Ngwenya, was also present.

He was on sick leave but returned to his post as SANDF head earlier this month.

The women promoted to the rank of brigadier-general were: Olga Thandiwe Nodola, Winnie Ntombizodwa Zini-Bobelo, Nombulelo Flora Maphoyi, Helen Mmadiipone Zobane, Nontobeko Mpaxa, Yoliswa Joyce Mavumbe-Melapi, Laetitia Eksteen and Eugenia Choene Moremi. The men promoted to the rank of brigadier-general were: Sithembile Martin Mokhotu, Mbulelo Mcetywa and Anthony Patrick Staunton.

The two naval officers promoted to the rank of rear-admiral were: Mosiwa Samuel Hlongwane and Asiel Elias Kubu.