Constand Viljoen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Constand Viljoen
SSA, SD, SOE, SM, MMM
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Viljoen in 1984
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| Leader of the Freedom Front | |
| In office 1 March 1994 – 26 June 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Party established |
| Succeeded by | Pieter Mulder |
| Member of Parliament | |
| In office 1994–2001 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Constand Laubscher Viljoen
28 October 1933 Standerton, Transvaal, Union of South Africa |
| Died | 3 April 2020 (aged 86) Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga, South Africa |
| Political party | Freedom Front Plus (1994–2001) |
| Other political affiliations |
National Party (pre-1994) |
| Spouse | Christina "Ristie" Heckroodt (1935-2021) |
| Relations | Braam Viljoen (twin brother)
Andries Carel Viloen 1889-1947 (father) Geesie Maria Viloen née Kotzé 1905-1990 (mother) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | University of Pretoria |
| Occupation | Soldier and farmer |
| Profession | Gunner |
| Awards | Star of South Africa Southern Cross Decoration South African Police Star for Outstanding Service Southern Cross Medal Military Merit Medal Order of the Cloud and Banner with Grand Cordon (China) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | South Africa |
| Branch/service | South African Army |
| Years of service | 1956–1985 |
| Rank | General |
| Unit | 4 Field Regiment |
| Commands | Chief of the South African Defence Force Chief of the Army Director General Operations South African Army College School of Artillery Director of Artillery |
| Battles/wars | South African Border War Operation Savannah |
General Constand Laubscher Viljoen (born 28 October 1933 – died 3 April 2020) was an important South African military leader and politician. He helped start the Afrikaner Volksfront and later created the Freedom Front political party. Many people believe he played a big part in preventing serious conflict in South Africa before the first free elections after apartheid.
Contents
Military Career: Serving South Africa
Constand Viljoen finished high school in 1951. In 1956, he joined the South African military after studying military science at the University of Pretoria. He quickly moved up the ranks.
Leading the Army
By 1974, Viljoen was in charge of General Operations for the South African Army. He then became a top advisor to the Chief of the South African Defence Force. In 1977, he was made the Chief of the Army. Later, in 1980, he became the Chief of the entire South African Defence Force. This was the highest military position in the country.
His Role in Angola
General Viljoen was the main military officer who led Operation Savannah in Angola in 1975. He also planned the first big airborne attack in South African military history, known as the Battle of Cassinga. This raid was against SWAPO fighters. Even though he was a high-ranking general, Viljoen was on the front lines during the battle. His brave leadership earned him a lot of respect from his soldiers.
Political Journey: A New Path
Many people believe Viljoen helped white South Africans accept the idea of everyone being able to vote in free elections. He gave a famous speech where he said, in Afrikaans, "If they can fight for South Africa, then they can vote for South Africa!" He was talking about the black South African soldiers in his army.
In 1993, Viljoen and other retired generals formed a group called the Afrikaner Volksfront. This group brought together conservative Afrikaners. However, Viljoen sometimes had disagreements with other right-wing leaders because they thought he was too moderate.
Preventing Conflict in 1994
Before the 1994 general elections, Viljoen had a large group of trained people ready for action. This force was prepared in case they needed to protect Afrikaner interests.
In March 1994, Viljoen led thousands of his group's members to help the president of Bophuthatswana, Lucas Mangope, during a difficult time. Other groups, like the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging, also went into Bophuthatswana, even though they were asked not to. This led to some clashes.
Right after this event, Viljoen decided to leave the Afrikaner Volksfront. He then started a new political party called the Freedom Front and became its leader. His choice to take part in the elections is seen as a key reason why serious armed conflict was avoided. When he retired from politics, the South African government thanked him for helping to prevent bloodshed.
His decision was partly influenced by his identical twin brother, Abraham Viljoen (Braam). Interestingly, Braam was an anti-apartheid activist, while Constand was leading the military.
In the New South Africa
In the 1994 elections, Viljoen's Freedom Front party received 2.2% of the votes and won nine seats in the National Assembly. This made the Freedom Front the strongest party outside of Nelson Mandela's new government.
Even though his supporters often disagreed with the government, Viljoen praised Nelson Mandela when Mandela retired in 1999. He even ended his speech in Parliament by speaking in Mandela's native language, Xhosa, saying: "Go and have yourself a well-earned rest. Go rest in the shadow of a tree at your home."
In 2001, Viljoen decided to retire from politics. He handed over the leadership of the Freedom Front to Pieter Mulder. He said he was frustrated working in a parliament that was mostly controlled by the ANC.
Life After Politics
In 2003, it was discovered that Viljoen had been a target of a right-wing group called the Boeremag. They considered him a traitor for his actions during the transition to democracy.
In 2008, when he was 74 years old, Viljoen bravely fought off two people who tried to rob him. They were later arrested.
His Passing
On 3 April 2020, the current Freedom Front Plus leader, Pieter Groenewald, announced that General Viljoen had passed away. He died peacefully on his farm in Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga, at the age of 86. He was surrounded by his children.
He is survived by his wife, Christina Susanna Heckroodt, four sons, and one daughter.
Awards and Honours
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 (with Cunene Clasp)
Good Service Medal, Gold (30 Years)
Good Service Medal, Silver (20 Years)
Permanent Force Good Service Medal
Order of the Cloud and Banner - with Grand Cordon (2nd Grade) (ORB)(Taiwan)
Qualification: Paratrooper Basic (Basic, Static Line)
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Proficiency: Master Gunner Badge
