List of South African military chiefs
Chief of the Army
The Chief of the South African Army is the professional head of the Army. There was no separate army commander until 1948.

List of South African military chiefs

Section Title: Chief of the Army
Table Section Text: The Chief of the South African Army is the professional head of the Army. There was no separate army commander until 1948.

№	Chief of the Army	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Ref

1	Christiaan du Toit DSO	Brigadier Christiaan du Toit DSO (1901–1982)	10 November 1948	15 March 1950	1 year, 125 days

2	Hendrik Klopper DSO	Brigadier Hendrik Klopper DSO (1903–1977)	16 March 1950	30 April 1953	3 years, 45 days

3	Pieter Grobbelaar SSA, DSO	Major general Pieter Grobbelaar SSA, DSO (1908–1988)	1 May 1953	24 September 1958	5 years, 146 days

4	Nick Bierman SSA, SM, CBE	Major general Nick Bierman SSA, SM, CBE (1910–1977)	25 September 1958	31 October 1959	1 year, 36 days

5	Sybrand Engelbrecht SM	Major general Sybrand Engelbrecht SM (1913–1994)	1 November 1959	3 March 1963	3 years, 122 days

6	Petrus Jacobs SSA, SM	Major general Petrus Jacobs SSA, SM (1910–1967)	4 March 1963	31 December 1965	2 years, 302 days

7	Charles 'Pop' Fraser SSA, SM	Lieutenant general Charles 'Pop' Fraser SSA, SM (1915–1994)	1 January 1966	30 November 1967	1 year, 333 days

8	Willem Louw SSA, SM	Lieutenant general Willem Louw SSA, SM (1920–1980)	1 December 1967	30 June 1973	5 years, 211 days

9	Magnus Malan SSA, OMSG, SD, SM	Lieutenant general Magnus Malan SSA, OMSG, SD, SM (1930–2011)	1 July 1973	31 August 1976	3 years, 61 days

10	Constand Viljoen SSA, SD, SOE, SM, MMM, ORB	Lieutenant general Constand Viljoen SSA, SD, SOE, SM, MMM, ORB (born 1933)	1 September 1976	6 October 1980	4 years, 30 days	—

11	Johannes Geldenhuys SSA, SD, SOE, SM, MMM, GCIH, ORB	Lieutenant general Johannes Geldenhuys SSA, SD, SOE, SM, MMM, GCIH, ORB (1935–2018)	7 October 1980	30 October 1985	5 years, 23 days

12	Andreas Liebenberg SSAS, SD, SOE, SM, MMM	Lieutenant general Andreas Liebenberg SSAS, SD, SOE, SM, MMM (1938–1998)	1 November 1985	28 February 1990	4 years, 119 days	—

13	Georg Meiring SSA, SD, SM, MMM, ORB	Lieutenant general Georg Meiring SSA, SD, SM, MMM, ORB (born 1939)	1 March 1990	31 October 1993	3 years, 244 days	—

14	Hattingh Pretorius SD, SM, MMM	Lieutenant general Hattingh Pretorius SD, SM, MMM (1942–2008)	1 November 1993	31 December 1994	1 year, 60 days	—

15	Reginald Otto SD & Bar, SM, MMM	Lieutenant general Reginald Otto SD & Bar, SM, MMM (born 1943)	1 January 1995	30 June 1998	3 years, 180 days	—

16	Gilbert Ramano SSAS, SD, MMS, MMM, MMB	Lieutenant general Gilbert Ramano SSAS, SD, MMS, MMM, MMB (born 1939)	1 July 1998	31 May 2004	5 years, 335 days	—

17	Solly Shoke OMBG, SBS, MMS, OMS	Lieutenant general Solly Shoke OMBG, SBS, MMS, OMS (born 1956)	1 June 2004	1 May 2011	6 years, 334 days	—

18	Vusumuzi Masondo MMM	Lieutenant general Vusumuzi Masondo MMM (born 1957)	1 October 2011	31 January 2016	4 years, 122 days

19	Lindile Yam	Lieutenant general Lindile Yam (born 1960)	1 February 2016	Incumbent	3 years, 58 days

Sentence(s)

Lieutenant General Reginald Otto SD & Bar SM MMM (born 1943) was the Chief of the South African Army.
Lieutenant General Reginald Otto SD & Bar SM MMM was a Chief of the South African Army.
Lieutenant General Reginald Otto SD & Bar SM MMM was born on 9 July 1943, and held the post of Chief of the South African Army.

final_sentence: Lieutenant General Reginald Otto SD & Bar SM MMM (born 1943) was the Chief of the South African Army.
final_sentence: Lieutenant General Reginald Otto SD & Bar SM MMM was a Chief of the South African Army.
final_sentence: Lieutenant General Reginald Otto SD & Bar SM MMM was born on 9 July 1943, and held the post of Chief of the South African Army.