Johannes Geldenhuys facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Johannes Geldenhuys
Johannes Jacobus Geldenhuys
Born	(1935-02-05)5 February 1935 Kroonstad, South Africa
Died	10 September 2018(2018-09-10) (aged 83) George, South Africa
Allegiance	South Africa
Service/branch	South African Army
Years of service	1954–1990
Rank	General
Commands held	Chief of the South African Defence Force (1985–90) Chief of the Army (1980–85) South West Africa Territorial Force (1980) South West Africa Command (1977–80)
Battles/wars	South African Border War
Awards	Star of South Africa Southern Cross Decoration South African Police Star for Outstanding Service Southern Cross Medal Military Merit Medal

General Johannes Jacobus (Jannie) Geldenhuys, SSA, SD, SOE, SM, MMM (5 February 1935 – 10 September 2018) was an important South African military commander. He served as the Chief of the South African Defence Force from 1985 to 1990. This was the highest military position in South Africa at the time.

Early Life of Jannie Geldenhuys

Jannie Geldenhuys was born in a town called Kroonstad on February 5, 1935. He later finished high school at Hoërskool Voortrekker in Bethlehem.

Military Career and Leadership

Geldenhuys joined the army on January 4, 1954, as a candidate officer. He studied at the University of Pretoria and earned a military degree in 1956. After that, he joined a special army unit.

From 1965 to 1968, he worked at the South African Embassy in Luanda, Angola. There, he served as a Vice-Consul. Later, he held important roles as the Army Chief of Staff for Intelligence and then for Operations.

High Command Positions

Geldenhuys moved up to very high positions in the South African Army.

• From 1977 to 1980, he was the commander of South West Africa Command.
• In 1980, he briefly became the General Officer Commanding the South West African Territorial Force.
• Later in 1980, he became the Chief of the Army.

On October 31, 1985, Geldenhuys was promoted to general. He then took on the role of Chief of the South African Defence Force. In this top job, he played a part in talks that helped end the South African Border War in 1989. This war had lasted for 23 years.

Role in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

After the end of Apartheid, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission looked into past events. The commission found that General Geldenhuys and General Ian Gleeson had received information about certain incidents. However, they did not share this information with the Attorney-General or the police. The commission concluded that their actions were unhelpful in these investigations.

Later Life and Passing

General Geldenhuys passed away on September 10, 2018. He died due to the effects of Alzheimer's disease. He was survived by his wife, Marié, and his daughters, Anna-Marié and Lollie, and his son, Bruwer. Another son, Martin, had passed away before him.

Medals and Decorations

• 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)
• Chilean Grand Officer II Class