   general magnus andrÃ© de merindol malan  (30 january 1930 â 18 july 2011) was the minister of defence in the cabinet of president p. w. botha, chief of the south african defence force (sadf) and chief of the south african army. ==personal life== malan's father was a professor of biochemistry at the university of pretoria and later a member of parliament (1948â1966) and deputy speaker and chairman of committees (1961â1966) of the house of assembly. he started his high school education at the afrikaanse hoÃ«r seunskool but later moved to dr danie cravenâs physical education brigade in kimberley, where he completed his matriculation. he wanted to join the south african armed forces immediately after his matric, but his father advised him first to complete his university studies. as a result of this advice, malan enrolled at the university of stellenbosch in 1949 to study for a bachelor of commerce degree. however, he later abandoned his studies in stellenbosch and went to university of pretoria, where he enrolled for a b.sc. mil. degree. he graduated in 1953. in 1962 malan married magrietha johanna van der walt; the couple had two sons and one daughter. ==military career== at the end of 1949, the first military degree course for officers was advertised and malan joined the permanent forc
1930_births 2011_deaths Afrikaner_people Apartheid_government Defence_ministers_of_South_Africa Members_of_the_House_of_Assembly_of_South_Africa National_Party_(South_Africa)_politicians People_from_Pretoria South_African_Army_generals South_African_anti-communists South_African_military_personnel_of_the_Border_War South_African_people_of_Huguenot_descent Stellenbosch_University_alumni University_of_Pretoria_alumni