Refiloe Johannes Mudimu
- Chief of the South African Navy
- Chief of Naval Staff
- Chief Director Maritime Support
- Chief of Fleet Staff
- IG SA Navy
![Conspicuous Leadership Star CLS](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/Ribbon_Conspicuous_Leadership_Star.png/40px-Ribbon_Conspicuous_Leadership_Star.png)
![Decoration for Merit DMG](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Ribbon_-_Decoration_for_Merit_in_Gold.png/40px-Ribbon_-_Decoration_for_Merit_in_Gold.png)
![Southern Cross Medal SM](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Ribbon_-_Southern_Cross_Medal_%281986%29.gif/40px-Ribbon_-_Southern_Cross_Medal_%281986%29.gif)
![Merit Medal MMS](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Ribbon_-_Merit_Medal_in_Silver.png/40px-Ribbon_-_Merit_Medal_in_Silver.png)
![Military Merit Medal MMM](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Ribbon_-_Military_Merit_Medal_%28South_Africa%29.png/40px-Ribbon_-_Military_Merit_Medal_%28South_Africa%29.png)
![Merit Medal MMB](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Ribbon_-_Merit_Medal_in_Bronze.png/40px-Ribbon_-_Merit_Medal_in_Bronze.png)
![Operational Medal for Southern Africa '](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Ribbon_-_Operational_Medal_for_Southern_Africa.png/40px-Ribbon_-_Operational_Medal_for_Southern_Africa.png)
![South Africa Service Medal '](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Ribbon_-_South_Africa_Service_Medal.png/40px-Ribbon_-_South_Africa_Service_Medal.png)
![Unitas (Unity) Medal '](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Ribbon_-_Unitas_Medal.gif/40px-Ribbon_-_Unitas_Medal.gif)
![Medalje vir Troue Diens (Medal for Loyal Service) '](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Ribbon_-_Medalje_vir_Troue_Diens.gif/40px-Ribbon_-_Medalje_vir_Troue_Diens.gif)
![Service Medal '](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Ribbon_-_Service_Medal_in_Silver.png/40px-Ribbon_-_Service_Medal_in_Silver.png)
![Service Medal '](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Ribbon_-_Service_Medal_in_Bronze.png/40px-Ribbon_-_Service_Medal_in_Bronze.png)
![Service Medal '](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Ribbon_-_Service_Medal_in_Bronze.png/40px-Ribbon_-_Service_Medal_in_Bronze.png)
![Order of Naval Merit '](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Order_of_Naval_Merit_-_Grand_Officer_%28Brazil%29_-_ribbon_bar.png/44px-Order_of_Naval_Merit_-_Grand_Officer_%28Brazil%29_-_ribbon_bar.png)
![Tamandaré Medal of Merit '](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Medalha_do_M%C3%A9rito_Tamandar%C3%A9.png/44px-Medalha_do_M%C3%A9rito_Tamandar%C3%A9.png)
![Legion of Merit LOM](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/US_Legion_of_Merit_Commander_ribbon.png/44px-US_Legion_of_Merit_Commander_ribbon.png)
![Legion of Honour '](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Legion_Honneur_Officier_ribbon.svg/44px-Legion_Honneur_Officier_ribbon.svg.png)
![Order of May (Naval Merit) '](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Order_of_Naval_Merit_%28Argentina%29_-_ribbon_bar.png/44px-Order_of_Naval_Merit_%28Argentina%29_-_ribbon_bar.png)
Vice Admiral Refiloe Mudimu CLS, DMG, SM, MMS, MMM, MMB, SAN (Rtd) is a former South African military commander, who served as the Chief of the Navy before his retirement in 2014.
Early life
Johannes Mudimu was born on 6 March 1954,[1] in Sophiatown. He became a member of the African National Congress and uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in 1975.
Early career
Mudimu received his military training in Angola, East Germany and the then USSR. He successfully completed the commander's course in 1977.[2] He then served as an instructor in MK camps until 1979 when he was deployed as Chief of Logistics in Luanda, Angola.[3]
Mudimu later served in ANC Headquarters in Lusaka, Zambia as the co-ordinator of the ANC Youth Radio Programs as well as a member of the editorial board of the Youth Publications. Early in 1985, he was deployed in Harare, Zimbabwe as the ordnance operative.[3]
Later, Mudimu was deployed as a commander of the underground units in the Transvaal and Northern Transvaal Provinces. He returned to South Africa in 1991 after the unbanning of the ANC.[4] In 1992, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Personnel and Training and served in the MK High Command until the integration of the forces to form the South African National Defence Force in 1994.[3]
After the integration of the forces, he was appointed to General Siphiwe Nyanda’s office as MK Chief of Staff Personnel and Training. Later he was appointed Director, Integration of the Non Statutory Forces (NSF's).
Navy career
Mudimu was integrated into the South African Navy in 1998 from MK as a rear admiral (junior grade).[5] Later, he was appointed as the Inspector General (Navy). That same year, he successfully completed the Navy Senior Command and Staff Course as well as the Senior Management Programme at the University of Stellenbosch.[3]
On 1 April 1999, Mudimu was transferred to Simon's Town where he was appointed Chief of Fleet Staff until 30 September 2000. On 1 October 2000, he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral and appointed as Chief Director Maritime Support,[6] a post later changed to Chief of Naval Staff. He has completed all military courses prescribed for senior officers including the Joint Staff Course 41/99.
In 2005, Mudimu was appointed Chief of the South African Navy and promoted to vice admiral.[3][7]
Vice Admiral Mudimu retired on 31 March 2014.[8]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/US_Navy_110812-M-UH963-206_Secretary_of_the_Navy_%28SECNAV%29_the_Honorable_Ray_Mabus_visits_with_the_Chief_of_the_South_African_Navy_Vice_Adm._Johanne.jpg/220px-US_Navy_110812-M-UH963-206_Secretary_of_the_Navy_%28SECNAV%29_the_Honorable_Ray_Mabus_visits_with_the_Chief_of_the_South_African_Navy_Vice_Adm._Johanne.jpg)
Armscor
On 20 March 2014 it was announced that Vice Admiral Mudimu was due to become the next Chairman of Armscor.[9] He resigned from Armscor in 2018 due to ill health.[10]
Awards and decorations
On 19 April 2012, Johannes Mudimu received an Honorary Doctorate from Durban University of Technology.[11]
![]() |
Black on Thatch beige, Embossed Internal Audit Investigation |
His list of Military awards includes:[12][13]
Conspicuous Leadership Star (CLS)
Decoration for Merit (Gold) (DMG)
Southern Cross Medal (1975) (SM)
Merit Medal (Silver) (MMS)
Military Merit Medal (MMM)
Merit Medal (Bronze) (MMB)
Operational Medal for Southern Africa
South Africa Service Medal
Unitas (Unity) Medal
Medalje vir Troue Diens (Medal for Loyal Service) (30 Year Clasp)
Service Medal (Silver)
Service Medal (Bronze)
Service Medal (Bronze)
Order of Naval Merit (Grand Officer) [a] (Brazil) [14][15]
Tamandaré Medal of Merit [b] (Brazil) [16][17]
Legion of Merit (Commander) (LOM) (USA)
Legion of Honour (Officer) [c] (France) (Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur) [18]
Order of May (Naval Merit) (Grand Cross) [d] (Argentina)
Military offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by | Chief of the South African Navy 2005–2014 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by Position renamed | Chief of Naval Staff 2000–2005 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Chief Director Maritime Support 2000–2000 | Succeeded by Position renamed |
Post re-established | IG South African Navy 1998–1999 | Succeeded by John Barker |
Business positions | ||
Preceded by | Chairman of ARMSCOR 2014–2018 | Succeeded by Thutukile Skweyiya |
See also
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
Notes
- ^ Portuguese: Ordem do Mérito Naval - Grande-Oficial
- ^ Portuguese: Medalha do Mérito Tamandaré
- ^ French: Légion d'honneur - Officier
- ^ Spanish: Orden de Mayo (Al Mérito Naval) - Gran Cruz
References
- ^ "Johannes Mudimu". Who's Who SA. 2012.
- ^ "V Adm Refiloe Johannes Mudimu". Fact files. DefenceWeb.
- ^ a b c d e Vice Admiral Refiloe Johannes Mudimu | South African History Online
- ^ "SA Navy Vision & Mission". RSA Department of Defence. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Mokone, Tumo (3 March 1998). "Navy swims steadily towards integration". City Press. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- ^ "SENIOR PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS IN THE SANDF". South African Government. 27 September 2000. Archived from the original on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
- ^ Maluleka, Slindile (16 April 2012). "Plea to Africa to invest in navies". Independent Online. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
SA Navy chief Vice-Admiral Johannes Mudimu has called on African countries to invest more in protecting their seas from piracy.
- ^ Helfrich, Kim. "Hlongwane named new Navy Chief". Defenceweb. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ^ Helfrich, Kim. "Defence Review approved, new Armscor chairman named". DefenceWeb. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
- ^ "Former ambassador Skweyiya is new Armscor chair". DefenceWeb. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- ^ Durban Univ Technology to honour Navy Chief - Daily News | IOL.co.za
- ^ "CV of the Chief of the Navy". SA Navy.
- ^ Hendricks, Lisa (September 2007). "Brazil honours SANDF members for meritorious service" (PDF). SA Soldier: 23.
- ^ "Medals of Brazil". Orders, Decorations & Medals. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- ^ "Tamandaré Medal of Merit" (PDF). SA Soldier. 12 (3): 16. March 2005.
- ^ Zulu, N.C. LS. "Seafarer bestowed Medal of Merit". navy.mil.za. Navy, RSA Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- v
- t
- e
1922 – 1932
- Norman Rankin
- Robert F.U.P. Fitzgerald
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Flag_of_South_Africa.svg/75px-Flag_of_South_Africa.svg.png)
1940 – 1942
1942 – 1951
- James Dalgleish
- Frederick Dean
1951 – 1955
- Frederick Dean
- Pieter de Waal
- Hugo H Biermann
1955 – 1966
1966 – Present
- Hugo H Biermann
- James 'Flam' Johnson
- J Charl Walters
- Ronald A. Edwards
- Andries P "Dries" Putter
- Glen Syndercombe
- Andries P "Dries" Putter
- Lambert J “Woody” Woodburne
- Robert Simpson-Anderson
- Johan Retief
- Refiloe Johannes Mudimu
- Samuel Hlongwane
- Monde Lobese