Lieutenant-General Vusumzi Ramalaka Masondo

Lieutenant-General Vusumzi Masondo is the Chief of the South African Army, a position he has held since October 2011. He completed his matric and diploma courses in secretarial and computer studies while in exile, and holds a certificate in Defence Management from the University of the Witswatersrand, a certificate in Labour Relations from the University of Pretoria and a BCom degree from the University of South Africa.

Lieutenant-General Masondo received basic military training in Angola in 1977 and air defence artillery training in the former Soviet Union the following year. He served in the ranks of Umkhonto weSizwe in various capacities until his return to South Africa in 1992. Leadership roles include serving as the co-chairperson of the Inspection Work Group in the Joint Military Coordinating Council, and as staff officer Class 2 Personnel at the Army Logistics Command. He has more than 15 years’ experience working in the SANDF, where he has been promoted to various positions in the field of human resources. In 2007 he was promoted to the rank of major-general and appointed as chief of Army Force Preparation.