Pretoria - Defence and Military Veterance Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has honoured former South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Chief Godfrey Ngwenya at a handing over parade dinner.
Sisulu described him as a soldier who embodies all attributes associated with this noble profession. "The humility to accept commands; the humility to accept others' view; the courage to take on any adversity; the courage to take on responsibility; the bravery to confront the enemy; the steadfastness to adhere to a mission and see it through; the loyalty of a true patriot," she said.
Since his appointment in 2005, Sisulu said the Defence Force was in good hands, adding that he brought the required stability and integrity into the force.
"The South African National Defence Force today is in good shape. We are better integrated, better educated, as a whole, we are better trained. We are ready and we prove it every day as part of the operational missions that we execute, be they peace missions responsibilities, borderline patrol, disaster and humanitarian relief and also as a last form of defence when all else fails," the minister said.
The new SANDF Chief Solly Shoke was officially sworn in on Monday at a ceremony attended by President Jacob Zuma,
Shokwe received basic military training in Angola and further training in the then Soviet Union.
Following the 1994 elections, he served the SANDF as its director for manpower planning and later director of army integration before taking up a post as SADC Forces' Mission commander of OpBOLEAS in Lesotho in 1998.
