Georg Meiring

Georg Lodewyk Meiring
SSA SD SM MMM ORB
Born 18 October 1939[1]
Ladybrand, Orange Free State Province, Union of South Africa
Allegiance South Africa
Service/branch South African Army
Years of service 1963  1998 (35 Years)
Rank General
Commands held
Battles/wars Border War
Awards

General Georg Meiring SSA SD SM MMM ORB (born 1939) [2] 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.

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,[3]:99 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.[4] Later, after it was investigated, the report was proved to be fabricated.[4][5]

Awards and Decorations

In 1998 General Meiring was awarded the Order of the Star of South Africa (Gold)[6]

He also received the Order of the Cloud and Banner 4th class from Taiwan[7]

References

  1. "BIOGRAPHIES OF NAMIBIAN PERSONALITIES in alphabetical order". Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  2. O’Malley, Padraig. "Meiring, Georg: The O'Malley Archives". Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  3. 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.
  4. 4.0 4.1 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 2007-02-10.
  5. "It is Time to start Afresh". timeslive.co.za. Sunday Times. 1 September 2009.
  6. "About Government - National Orders". Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  7. Hayes, S.V. (ed.). Who's Who of Southern Africa 1994/1995. Who's Who of Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd. p. 385. ISBN 0-9583902-1-5.

See also

Military offices
New title Chief of the South African National Defence Force
1994  1998
Succeeded by
Siphiwe Nyanda
Preceded by
Andreas Liebenberg
Chief of the South African Defence Force
1993  1994
Renamed to SANDF in 1994
Preceded by
Andreas Liebenberg
Chief of the South African Army
1990  1993
Succeeded by
Hattingh Pretorius
Preceded by
Charles Lloyd
Chief of the South West African Territorial Force
1983  1986
Succeeded by
Willie Meyer
Preceded by
Charles Lloyd
GOC Far Northern Transvaal Command
1986  n.d.
Succeeded by
Willie Meyer