The maritime service of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) is under the stewardship of an acting chief until a successor to Vice Admiral Mosiwa Hlongwane is appointed – and announced.
The caretaker SA Navy (SAN) Chief is Rear Admiral Monde Lobese, whose appointment became known in a weekend SANDF Directorate: Corporate Communication (DCC) statement. The statement, issued in response to what is called “false social media reports”, confirms the change in Lobese’s position from Deputy Chief in the Pretoria, Visagie Street, SAN Office. It goes on to say there is – as yet – no new appointment in the CNavy post.
With no dates given for either Hlongwane’s exit or Lobese moving into the CNavy suite of offices, it remains unclear when the change in top management took place. A defenceWeb inquiry to the SAN after Hlongwane was supposed to leave office at the end of June received the response that the three-star would remain as CNavy “until further notice”.
The weekend statement, which directs enquiries to the SAN SSO public relations Captain Sam Khasuli, has it SANDF Chief General Rudzani Maphwanya is “concerned” about “false social media reports” regarding Lobese’s apparent appointment as the new CNavy.
“The public is cautioned not to follow or believe such fake news but to rely on official SANDF mediums of communication. The SANDF assures the people of South Africa everything is in order with leadership of the SAN as Rear Admiral Monde Lobese is currently Acting Chief following the retirement of the Chief of the SA Navy, Vice Admiral Samuel Hlongwane, until the leadership of the SANDF pronounces otherwise,” the statement reads.
Lobese, as acting CNavy, is the fifth to take charge of the SAN since formation of the SANDF in 1994.
