Godfrey Ngwenya

General Godfrey Nhlanhla Ngwenya (born 1950) is a former South African military commander and diplomat. He served as Chief of Joint Operations from 2001 to 2005, and Chief of the South African National Defence Force from 2005 until 2011.

Early life Godfrey Ngwenya was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 28 April 1950. He attended Orlando High School, where he matriculated in 1970. He joined the ANC and the ANC's Military Wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), at the height of the student uprisings in South Africa in 1976. While in exile he underwent military training in Angola and passed his further commanders' courses in the then German Democratic Republic and the Soviet Union. He has been married to his spouse Busi since 1984 and has 3 children, one of which is cult figure Duma Ngwenya.

Military career Ngwenya joined Umkhonto weSizwe (MK), the military wing of the African National Congress, in 1976, and commanded MK forces in Angola from 1983 to 1989. He transferred to the South African National Defence Force when MK was incorporated into it in 1994 and he was appointed as major general and served as Deputy General Officer Commanding of Witwatersrand Command in Johannesburg from 1994 to 1996.

From 1996 to 1998, Ngwenya was General Officer Commanding of the North West Command in Potchefstroom and from 1998 to the end of September 1999 Chief Director Force Preparation in the Army Office. He served as Deputy Chief of Joint Operations from 1 October 1999 to 31 December 2000. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general on 1 January 2001 and appointed as Chief of Joint Operations to 2005, when he was promoted to Chief of the South African National Defence Force.

Ambassador to Angola After retirement from the army, Ngwenya was appointed Ambassador to Angola.

Awards and decorations Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General Ngwenya, render honours during the playing of their respective national anthems at the Pentagon, 20 May 2010. In May 2010, Ngwenya was awarded the United States Legion of Merit by then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen. The award recognised Ngwenya's leadership during a time of transition in the South African military and his country's support of vital United Nations peacekeeping operations in Sudan, Burundi and Congo.

In addition, Ngwenya has been awarded the following medals and decorations: