Themba Matanzima

Lieutenant General Themba Matanzima is a former South African Army officer, serving as Military Ombudsman.

He was born on 2 February 1953 in Cofimvaba. He joined the Transkei Defence Force in January 1977.

Army career

Matanzima transferred to the South African National Defence Force on integration in 1994. After a period on the Joint Military Coordinating Committee that oversaw the integration process, he then became General Officer Commanding Eastern Province Command in 1996. In 1998 he became Chief of Army Personnel.

In 1999 he was appointed Chief of Personnel and promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. In 2000, the SANDF restructured and he was appointed into a newly created post of Chief of Joint Support.

In 2004, he was appointed Chief of Corporate Staff until 2005, when he became Chief Human Resources.

He was appointed Chief of Joint Operations on 1 September 1, 2007 after the death of Lt Gen Sipho Binda in car accident in 2006.

In 2010, he served as acting Secretary for Defence and Acting CSANDF on a number of occasions.

Honours and awards

He has been awarded the following: