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Constand Viljoen
General Constand Laubscher Viljoen, (28 October 1933 – 3 April 2020) was a South African military commander and politician. He co-founded the Afrikaner Volksfront (Afrikaner People's Front) and later founded the Freedom Front (now Freedom Front Plus). He is partly credited with having prevented the outbreak of armed violence by disaffected white South Africans prior to post-apartheid general elections. Military service Viljoen matriculated at Standerton High School in 1951. He joined South Africa's pre-republic Union Defence Force in 1956 upon receiving a degree in military science at the University of Pretoria. By 1974, Viljoen had been named the South African Army's Director of General Operations, subsequently serving as the Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of the South African Defence Force. He was appointed as Chief of the Army in 1977 and succeeded General Magnus Malan as Chief of the South African Defence Force in 1980. Angolan service Viljoen was the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
General
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED Online. March 2021. Oxford University Press. https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/77489?rskey=dCKrg4&result=1 (accessed May 11, 2021) The term ''general'' is used in two ways: as the generic title for all grades of general officer and as a specific rank. It originates in the 16th century, as a shortening of ''captain general'', which rank was taken from Middle French ''capitaine général''. The adjective ''general'' had been affixed to officer designations since the late medieval period to indicate relative superiority or an extended jurisdiction. Today, the title of ''general'' is known in some countries as a four-star rank. However, different countries use different systems of stars or other insignia for senior ranks. It has a NATO ran ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South African Army Artillery Formation
The South African Army Artillery Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army artillery units. It draws much of its history from the South African Artillery, established in 1934 but with roots that reach back to 1921. The formation consists of both regular and reserve units. There is a separate South African Army Air Defence Artillery Formation that directs army anti-aircraft warfare units. History Origins The South African Permanent Force, created in 1913 as the Permanent Force and re-designated with effect from 23 February 1923, included the South African Field Artillery (SAFA), and the South African Permanent Garrison Artillery (SAPGA). The SAPGA had begun operations some time before, when the coastal defences of the Cape Peninsula (manned by the Cape Garrison Artillery) had been handed over to South Africa in December 1921. In Proclamation No. 246 of 1934, the Governor General of the Union of South Africa merged the two organisations with effect from 1 Septem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1994 South African General Election
General elections were held in South Africa between 26 and 29 April 1994. The elections were the first in which citizens of all races were allowed to take part, and were therefore also the first held with universal suffrage. The election was conducted under the direction of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), and marked the culmination of the four-year process that ended apartheid. Millions queued in lines over a four-day voting period. Altogether, 19,726,579 votes were counted, and 193,081 were rejected as invalid. As widely expected, the African National Congress (ANC), whose slate incorporated the labour confederation COSATU and the South African Communist Party, won a sweeping victory, taking 62 percent of the vote, just short of the two-thirds majority required to unilaterally amend the Interim Constitution. As required by that document, the ANC formed a Government of National Unity with the National Party and the Inkatha Freedom Party, the two other parties ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Apartheid
Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was characterised by an authoritarian political culture based on '' baasskap'' (boss-hood or boss-ship), which ensured that South Africa was dominated politically, socially, and economically by the nation's minority white population. According to this system of social stratification, white citizens had the highest status, followed by Indians and Coloureds, then black Africans. The economic legacy and social effects of apartheid continue to the present day. Broadly speaking, apartheid was delineated into ''petty apartheid'', which entailed the segregation of public facilities and social events, and ''grand apartheid'', which dictated housing and employment opportunities by race. The first apartheid law was the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
White South African
White South Africans generally refers to South Africans of European descent. In linguistic, cultural, and historical terms, they are generally divided into the Afrikaans-speaking descendants of the Dutch East India Company's original settlers, known as Afrikaners, and the Anglophone descendants of predominantly British colonists of South Africa. In 2016, 57.9% were native Afrikaans speakers, 40.2% were native English speakers, and 1.9% spoke another language as their mother tongue, such as Portuguese, Greek, or German. White South Africans are by far the largest population of White Africans. ''White'' was a legally defined racial classification during apartheid. Most Afrikaners trace their ancestry back to the mid-17th century and have developed a separate cultural identity, including a distinct language. The majority of English-speaking White South Africans trace their ancestry to the 1820 British, Irish and Dutch Settlers. The remainder of the White South African popu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Freedom Front
The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus; af, Vryheidsfront Plus, ''VF Plus'') is a right-wing political party in South Africa that was formed (as the Freedom Front) in 1994. It is led by Pieter Groenewald. Its current stated policy positions include abolishing affirmative action, replacing it with merit based appointments, and being firmly against the proposed expropriation without compensation land reform movement to protect the rights and interests of minorities, especially Afrikaners and Afrikaans speaking Coloureds. The party also supports greater self-determination for minorities throughout South Africa, and expressly has adopted Cape Independence as an official party position. History Origins as the Freedom Front (19942003) The Freedom Front was founded on 1 March 1994 by members of the Afrikaner community under Constand Viljoen, after he had left the Afrikaner Volksfront amidst disagreements. Seeking to achieve his goals through political means, Viljoen registered the Free ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Afrikaner Volksfront
The Afrikaner Volksfront (AVF; ) was a separatist umbrella organisation uniting a number of right-wing Afrikaner organisations in South Africa in the early 1990s. History The AVF was formed by General Constand Viljoen and three other generals from the South African Defence Force (SADF), and launched on 7 May 1993. The other three generals were Major General Tienie Groenewald, a former chief of military intelligence, Lieutenant General Koos Bischoff, former chief of operations of the SADF, and Lieutenant General Cobus Visser, a former head of investigations of the South African Police. The AVF President was Dr Ferdi Hartzenberg, leader of the Conservative Party, and the chief secretary was Colonel Piet Botha. The AVF existed as an umbrella group for right wing groups rather than a party in itself. Other groups involved included the Boerestaat Party, the Herstigte Nasionale Party, and the Oranjewerkers. The AVF aimed to disrupt the 1994 elections. The AVF established a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Order Of The Cloud And Banner
The Order of the Cloud and Banner () also known as the Order of the Resplendent Banner is a military award of the Republic of China. It was instituted on June 15, 1935 and is awarded in nine grades for contributions to national security. The insignia of the order features a fluttering yellow flag, surrounded by white clouds on a blue field. This image is surrounded by golden rays. Grades The order is divided into nine grades, they are as follows: Recipients International * Edward McGill Alexander * John R. Allen * Henry H. Arnold * Claude Auchinleck * Robert O. Bare * Gilbert Bartholomew RAF British Air Attaché to China 1943-46 * John Birch (missionary) * Alan Bruce Blaxland * Charles Bond (pilot) * Leslie Bonnet * Wilburt S. Brown * Joseph J. Cappucci * Bernard Chacksfield * Prince Charles, Count of Flanders * Levi R. Chase * Claire Lee Chennault * Philip Christison * Vasily Chuikov * Gareth Clayton (RAF officer) * William T. Clement * Henry Crowe (RAF officer) * And ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Military Merit Medal (South Africa)
The Military Merit Medal, post-nominal letters MMM, is a military decoration which was instituted in the Republic of South Africa on 9 October 1974 as the Chief of the Defence Force's Commendation Medal. It could be awarded to all ranks of the South African Defence Force for service of a high order.South African Medal Website - Post-nominal Letters (Accessed 28 April 2015) The South African military The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912 and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1958. On 27 April 1994, it was integrated with six other independent forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southern Cross Medal (1952)
The Southern Cross Medal of 1952, post-nominal letters SM, is a South African military decoration which was instituted by the Union of South Africa in 1952. It was awarded for outstanding devotion to duty and was originally available to all ranks, but from 1967 until July 1975, when it was discontinued, it was reserved for officers.South African Medal Website - Post-nominal Letters (Accessed 28 April 2015) The South African military The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912 and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1958. On 27 April 1994, it was integrated with six other independent forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South African Police Star For Outstanding Service
The South African Police Star for Outstanding Service was a decoration that existed between 1979 and 2004. Recipients are entitled to the post-nominal letters SOE, standing for , the Latin form of the name. Instituted on 1 May 1979, the SOE took over the dual role previously played by the SA Police Star for Distinguished Service, and was awarded for particular gallantry, or for outstanding service, resourcefulness, leadership, or sense of responsibility and personal example. It was discontinued as a gallantry decoration when the SA Police Cross for Bravery was expanded to three classes in 1989, but continued to be granted for outstanding service until it was superseded by the SA Police Service Gold Medal for Outstanding Service on 4 May 2004. The SOE is a silver-gilt cross, the arms made up of multiple rays, with pointed rays between the arms. In the centre is a stylised aloe plant. The reverse displays the national coat of arms and the words . Its ribbon is yellow, with gre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southern Cross Decoration
The Southern Cross Decoration, post-nominal letters SD, is a South African military decoration for merit which was instituted by the Republic on 1 July 1975. It was awarded to officers of the South African Defence Force for outstanding service of the highest order and utmost devotion to duty.South African Medal Website - Post-nominal Letters (Retrieved 28 April 2015) /ref>Alexander, E.G.M., Barron, G.K.B. and Bateman, A.J. (1986). ''South African Orders, Decorations and Medals''. Human and Rousseau.Monick, S, (1988). ''South African Military Awards 1912-1987''. South African National Muse ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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