Parliament, Friday, 10 April 2020 – The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans welcomes the appointment of the new Chief of the South African Army, Lt Gen Lawrence Mbatha.
Lt Gen Mbatha has a long list of qualifications which date back to 1987 when he completed his first Commanders course in Angola. Additional to that, Lt gen Mbatha also completed an Urban Fighting Instructor’s Course in East Germany in 1988, a Senior Command and Joint Staff Course at Shrivenham College in the United King (UK) and a certificate in Strategic Leadership from the Defence Academy Cranefield University in the UK.
His long list of appointments and positions include being a member of the Politics and Research Department of MK ANC in Ngoma-Uganda from 1989 to 1990 and MK Regional Commander of the Northern Cape from 1991 to 1994.
Following the integration of the armies of the liberation movements and the South African Defence Force into the South African National Defence Force in 1994, Lt Gen Mbatha was appointed as a Provincial Integration Officer (MK) and SO2 Operations as part of the Ops Room Northern Cape Command.
Before his new appointment, Lt Gen Mbatha held the position of General Officer Commanding Training Command, the unit responsible for Education, Training and Development. It was at this unit where Lt Gen Mbatha highlighted the importance of mutual support and respect between units, teamwork and the importance of being end-state driven.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Cyril Xaba said: “The appointment comes at a crucial time for the country, in light of the current challenges due to COVID-19 and the pivotal role of the SANDF in enforcing the lock-down measures.”
Furthermore, Mr Xaba said: “The vast experience he gained from the positions he held as a tutor for the basic education in Quibaxe camp 13 in Angola in the 80s, the Company Commander at 3 South African Infantry Battalion from 1996 – 1997 and as General Officer Commanding South African Military Academy from 2012 -2017 places him in an ideal position for this appointment.”
Lt Gen Mbatha replaces the former Chief of the SANDF, Lieutenant General Thabiso Mokhosi who sadly passed away in December 2019. “These are some big shoes to fill, but we are confident that Lt Gen Mbatha has the experience, the wisdom and the courage to steer our troops and our country in the right direction,” added Mr Xaba.
The committee congratulates Lt Gen Mbatha on his appointment and wishes him well in this key position.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS, MR CYRIL XABA.
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