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26 August 2008

The Minister of Defence, Mr Mosiuoa Lekota, regrets to announce that the Secretary for Defence, Mr January Boy Masilela has passed on, following a motor vehicle accident on the N4 highway near Bronkhorstspruit, during the early hours of Sunday, 24 August 2008.

Minister Lekota and a delegation of senior Department of Defence officials and military officers visited the family of Mr Masilela and expressed condolences on behalf of the Department of Defence. The Chief of the South African National Defence Force, General Godfrey Ngwenya, has also expressed his condolences to the family.

Mr Masilela joined the Department of Defence in December 1999 and has served his office with loyalty and dedication until his untimely death. As the Head of the Department of Defence, he has played an important role in the signing of various International Agreements.

Mr Masilela was born in Middelburg, Mpumalanga on 23 February 1955, where he grew up and did his secondary school education until he left the country for exile. While in exile he trained in Angola, Soviet Union, the then German Democratic Republic and Cuba. He was a Commissar (Deputy Commander) in the Umkhonto WeSizwe Headquarters in Angola and Chairman of Regional Political Military Council in Botswana.

On returning from exile he held the following senior positions: 1994-1997, MEC for Local Government in Mpumalanga; from 1997 to 1999, MEC Department of Agriculture in Mpumalanga. In December 1999 he was appointed the Secretary for Defence (Director-General) in the Department of Defence.

The memorial service and the funeral arrangements will be announced once confirmed by the family.

Enquiries:
Mr Sam Mkhwanazi
Cell: 083 628 0858

Issued by: Ministry of Defence
26 August 2008