When Vice Admiral Johannes Mudimu steps down as SA Navy chief on March 31 his deputy, current Rear Admiral Samuel Hlongwane, will become the country’s most senior sailor.
This is one of four top naval appointments announced via a Navy Bulletin.
With only a week left in uniform before Flag Officer Fleet (FOF) Rear Admiral Philip Schoultz retires next Friday, his farewell parade has now been changed to a handover of command.
The parade, in Simon’s town, will see Rear Admiral (JG) Bravo Mhlana become a full rear admiral and the senior officer of the SA Navy fleet.
Current Chief Director: Maritime Strategy Rear Admiral Hanno Teuteberg will become Navy Deputy Chief on April 1. He has been managing maritime strategy for the seaborne arm of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) from the Navy Office in Visagie Street, Pretoria, for just on a year.
Rear Admiral SL Pillay will take over from Teuteberg.
Fifty-two-year-old Hlongwane joined the military wing of the ANC in 1982 and was trained in Angola and the former USSR. Immediately prior to integration he was MK logistics chief in Tanzania.
Following integration he went the maritime route because of naval training done in Azerbaijan as an MK operative where he completed the naval ship command course in navigation. After a tour of duty on SAS Umgeni, Hlongwane re-mustered to intelligence, rising to the rank of captain and the position of SSO Operations Counter Intelligence.
A three year term of defence attaché to the DRC and the Republic of Congo followed before he came back to South Africa and was promoted to Rear Admiral (JG) and appointed Chief of Fleet Staff.
Mudimu is retiring and has been Navy Chief since March 2005.
