Johannes Geldenhuys

Johannes Geldenhuys SSAS, SD, SOE, SM, GCIH, ORB

Born	(1935-02-05)5 February 1935 Kroonstad, Orange Free State Province, Union of South Africa
Allegiance	South Africa
Service/branch	South African Army
Years of service	1954 – 1990
Rank	General
Commands held	Chief of the South African Defense Force (1985 – 1990) Chief of the South African Army (1980 – 1983) GOC South West Africa (1977 – 1980)
Battles/wars	Border War
Awards	Star of South Africa (SSA) Southern Cross Decoration (SD) South African Police Star for Outstanding Service (SOE) Southern Cross Medal (SM) Military Merit Medal (MMM) Pro Patria Medal Good Service Medal, Gold (30 Years) Good Service Medal, Silver (20 Years) Permanent Force Good Service Medal Knight Order of Prince Henry (GCIH) (Portugal) Grand Cross of Order Military Merit (Paraguay) Order of the Cloud and Banner - with Grand Cordon (2nd Grade) (ORB)(Taiwan) Grand Star of Military Merit (Chile)

General Johannes ('Jannie') Geldenhuys SSAS SD SOE SM GCIH ORB, is a former South African military commander who served as Chief of the South African Defence Force between 1985 and 1990.^[1]^[2]

Military career

Born in Kroonstad on 5 February 1935,^[1] He obtained a BMil from the University of Pretoria before joining 1 Special Service Battalion.^[3]^:77 Later he went on to higher command in 1977, serving as commander of South West Africa Command, a post he held until 1980, when he served in the position of General Officer Commanding the South West African Territorial Force. After this he became Chief of the Army, before being promoted to the position of Chief of the South African Defence Force on 31 October 1985. In this role, he took part in negotiations that brought the Border War to an end in 1989, after 23 years of fighting.^[2]

1 2 "5 February 1935: General Jannie Geldenhuys is born". SA History.org. Archived from the original on 11 February 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
1 2 "Senior (High Office) Officers / Offisiere". SADF Info. Archived from the original on 23 March 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
↑ Uys, Ian (1992). South African Military Who's Who 1452-1992. Germiston: Fortress Publishers. ISBN 0-9583173-3-X.

Military offices
Preceded by Constand Viljoen	Chief of the South African Defence Force 1985 – 1990	Succeeded by Andreas Liebenberg
Preceded by Constand Viljoen	Chief of the South African Army 1980 – 1985	Succeeded by Andreas Liebenberg
Preceded by Unknown	GOC South West Africa 1977 – 1980	Succeeded by Charles Lloyd

Chiefs of the South African military
List of South African military chiefs
Chief of the Union Defence Force 1912–1957	Andries Brink Pierre van Ryneveld Leonard Beyers Christiaan du Toit Hendrik Klopper Stephen Melville
Commandant General SADF 1958–1973	Stephen Melville Pieter Grobbelaar Rudolph Hiemstra Hugo Biermann
Chief of the SADF 1973–1994	Hugo Biermann Magnus Malan Constand Viljoen Johannes Geldenhuys Andreas Liebenberg Georg Lodewyk Meiring
Chief of the SANDF 1994–present	Georg Lodewyk Meiring Siphiwe Nyanda Godfrey Ngwenya Solly Shoke

Chiefs of the South African Army
List of South African military chiefs
Director-General of Land Forces	Christiaan du Toit Hendrik Klopper
Army Chief of Staff	Hendrik Klopper Pieter Grobbelaar Nick Bierman W. R. Van der Riet (acting) Sybrand Engelbrecht Petrus Jacobs Charles 'Pop' Fraser
Chief of the Army	Charles 'Pop' Fraser Willem Louw Magnus Malan Constand Viljoen Johannes Geldenhuys Andreas Liebenberg Georg Meiring Hattingh Pretorius Reginald Otto Gilbert Ramano Solly Shoke Vusumuzi Masondo

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