// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Georg Meiring a general? Meiring-ly so.
General Georg Lodewyk Meiring | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 18 October 1939 |
| Died | 3 September 2024 (aged 84) Pretoria, South Africa |
| Allegiance | South Africa |
Branch | South African Army |
Service years | 1962–1998 |
Rank | General |
| Commands |
|
Conflicts | South African Border War |
| Awards |                |
General Georg Lodewyk Meiring SSA SD SM MMM (18 October 1939 – 3 September 2024) was a South African military commander. He served as Chief of the Army (1990–93) and Chief of the South African National Defence Force (1993–98).
Background
[edit]Georg Meiring was born in Ladybrand, Orange Free State Province, Union of South Africa on 18 October 1939.[1][2] He obtained a Master of Science in Physics from the University of the Orange Free State.
Meiring died in Pretoria on 3 September 2024, at the age of 84.[3]
Military career
[edit]Meiring joined the South African Army as a signals officer in 1962 and, in 1980, became Director of Signals of the South African Army.
Meiring served as Deputy Chief of the Army from 1982 to 1983 and as General Officer Commanding (GOC) South West Africa Territorial Force from 1983 to 1987. He was later GOC Far North Command,[4]: 99 Deputy Chief of the Army again, Chief of the Army from 1990 to 1993, the last Chief of the South African Defence Force from 1993 to 1994, and the first Chief of the South African National Defence Force from 1994 to 1998.
Controversy
[edit]In February 1998, Meiring, in his capacity as the head of defence of South Africa had provided an intelligence report to President Nelson Mandela on an organisation 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.[5] Later, after it was investigated by a judge, the report was claimed to be fabricated.[5][6]
Awards and decorations
[edit] |
| Black on Thatch beige, Embossed. Rectangular bar (upright) with a black dagger and three black lightning flashes angled diagonally across the blade |
In 1998, Meiring was awarded the Star of South Africa, Gold.[7] He also received the Order of the Cloud and Banner 4th class from Taiwan.[8]
Star of South Africa (Gold) (SSAG) 
Southern Cross Decoration (SD) 
Southern Cross Medal (1975) (SM) 
Military Merit Medal (MMM) 
Pro Patria Medal 
Southern Africa Medal 
General Service Medal (South Africa) 
Unitas (Unity) Medal 
Good Service Medal (Gold (30 Years)) 
Good Service Medal (Silver (20 Years)) 
Good Service Medal (Bronze (10 Years)) 
Order of the Cloud and Banner (2nd Grade - with Grand Cordon) (ORB) 
Order of the Cloud and Banner (3rd Grade - with Yellow Grand Cordon) (ORB) 
Order of the Cloud and Banner (4th Grade - with Special Cravat) (ORB) 
Commander of the Order of Military Merit (Jordan)
_-_Commander.png){kind=small}
References
[edit]- ↑ "BIOGRAPHIES OF NAMIBIAN PERSONALITIES in alphabetical order". Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- ↑ O’Malley, Padraig. "Meiring, Georg: The O'Malley Archives". Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- ↑ Mitchley, Alex (4 September 2024). "General Georg Meiring, the first SANDF chief under Mandela, has died". News24. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ↑ Roherty, James Michael (1992). State Security in South Africa: Civil-military Relations Under P.W. Botha. New York: M.E. Sharpe, Inc. ISBN 0-87332-877-9. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- 1 2 Hamann, Hilton (2001). Days of the Generals: The untold story of South Africa's apartheid-era military generals. Cape Town: Zebra Press. ISBN 1-86872-340-2. Retrieved 10 February 2007.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "It is Time to start Afresh". timeslive.co.za. Sunday Times. 1 September 2009. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012.
- ↑ "About Government – National Orders". Archived from the original on 4 January 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- ↑ Hayes, S.V., ed. (1994). Who's Who of Southern Africa 1994/1995. Who's Who of Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd. p. 385. ISBN 0-9583902-1-5.
Chiefs of the South African military | |
|---|---|
| Chief of the UDF (1912 – 1957) .svg){kind=small} | |
| Commandant General of the SADF (1958 – 1973) .svg){kind=small} | |
| Chief of the SADF (1973 – 1994) | |
| Chief of the SANDF (1994 – present)  | |
Chiefs of the South African Army | ||
|---|---|---|
| Director-General of Land Forces (1948 – 1951) |  | |
| Army Chief of Staff (1951 – 1966) | ||
| Chief of the Army (1966 – present) | ||
*Acting | ||
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- Recipients of the Order of the Star of South Africa
- Recipients of the Southern Cross Decoration
- Recipients of the Southern Cross Medal
- Recipients of the Military Merit Medal (South Africa)
- Recipients of the Pro Patria Medal (South Africa)
- Recipients of the Order of the Cloud and Banner
- 1939 births
- 2024 deaths
- Afrikaner people
- South African people of German descent
- University of the Free State alumni
- People from Ladybrand
- South African military personnel of the Border War
- Chiefs of the South African Army
- Recipients of the Order of Military Merit (Jordan)
- South African military personnel stubs