Rank General | Battles/wars Border War Allegiance South Africa Name Georg Meiring | |
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Born 18 October 1939 (age 84)
Ladybrand, Orange Free State Province, Union of South Africa ( 1939-10-18 ) Commands held Chief of the South African National Defense Force (1994 – 1998)
Chief of the South African Defence Force (1993 – 1994)
Chief of the South African Army (1990 – 1993)
Deputy Chief of the Army
GOC Far North Command
GOC South West African Territorial Force (1983 – 1987)
Deputy Chief of the Army (1982 – 1983) Awards Star of South Africa (SSA)
Southern Cross Decoration (SD)
Southern Cross Medal (SM)
Military Merit Medal (MMM)
Order of the Cloud and Banner - with Yellow Grand Cordon (3rd Grade) (ORB)(Taiwan)
Order of the Cloud and Banner - with Special Cravat (4th Grade) (ORB)(Taiwan) | ||
Years of service 1963 – 1998 (35 Years) Battles and wars South African Border War Service/branch South African Army | ||
General Georg Meiring SSA SD SM MMM ORB (born 1939) was a South African military commander from Ladybrand. After obtaining an MSc in Physics from the University of the Orange Free State, he joined the South African Army as a signals officer in 1963, and in 1974 he became Director of Signals (DSigs) of the South African Army.
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He served as Deputy Chief of the Army from 1982 to 1983 and as GOC South West Africa Territory Force from 1983 to 1987. He was later OC Far North Command, Deputy Chief of the Army again, Chief of the Army from 1990 to 1993, the last Chief of the SADF from 1993 to 1994, and the first Chief of the South African National Defence Force from 1994 to 1998.
Controversy
In February 1998, Georg Meiring in his capacity as the head of defense of South Africa had provided a report to then president Nelson Mandela on an organization by the name of "Front African People's Liberation Army". This report implicated many important government dignitaries on conspiracy to assassinate the president, murder judges, occupy Parliament and broadcasting stations and cause mayhem in general. Later, after it was investigated, the report was proved to be fabricated.
Awards and Decorations
In 1998 General Meiring was awarded the Order of the Star of South Africa (Gold)
He also received the Order of the Cloud and Banner 4th class from Taiwan