Constand Viljoen

Home » Ramaphosa Expresses Condolences for Former Army Chief, General Constand Viljoen

Ramaphosa Expresses Condolences for Former Army Chief, General Constand Viljoen

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences at the passing of Freedom Front Plus founding leader and former Chief of the then South African Defence Force, General Constand Viljoen. Aged 86, Viljoen passed away peacefully on Friday afternoon at his farm in Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga. The President offered his sincere condolences to Risti Viljoen and the […]

By SAPeople
04-04-20 11:25
in Eish!
Constand Viljoen

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences at the passing of Freedom Front Plus founding leader and former Chief of the then South African Defence Force, General Constand Viljoen.

Aged 86, Viljoen passed away peacefully on Friday afternoon at his farm in Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga.

The President offered his sincere condolences to Risti Viljoen and the immediate and extended family of the late general, as well as his friends and political associates.

“Gen Viljoen’s principal contribution was his success in demobilising conservative resistance to the transition in our country at a critical point in our history. He risked alienation by his community and longstanding supporters by mobilising conservative groupings to participate in the political and constitutional negotiations, which yielded our democratic dispensation,” said the President in a statement on Friday.

President Ramaphosa said Viljoen will be remembered for influencing conservative movements into abandoning plans for military resistance to the democratic transition.

“His transition from a military commander to a voice in our democratic Parliament illustrated the inclusive, diverse and tolerant character of our constitutional dispensation and body politic,” said President Ramaphosa.

Tony Leon, former Ambassador to Argentina and founding leader of the DA, said: “Very sorry to learn of death of General Constand Viljoen. He played such a key and positive role in the transition here to democracy and was a major figure in our first democratic parliament after 1994. A warm hearted and generous human being as well. RIP.”

DA Leader John Steenhuisen sent condolences and said: “Viljoen played an integral role in defusing the possible threat of armed violence ahead of our nation’s first democratic elections in 1994 and also made his mark in the political arena as one of the co-founders of the Freedom Front.”

Steenhuisen said Viljoen is survived by his wife, Christina Heckroodt, and his 5 children.

SAPeople follower Mariaan Viljoen said: “There will be many who won’t agree with me but I am saddened by the news of General Contand Viljoen’s (no relation) passing. A true soldier, an excellent leader, always a gentleman and a man with an impeccable character, he was a great contributor to Democracy in SA. Far-right South Africans may consider him a turncoat for going against a military coup in 1994 but thousands of lives were saved by his decision not to join the Far Right in a civil war. RIP General. ???”