HOEDSPRUIT: AFB bids farewell to General Malinga

The officer commanding Airforce Base Hoedspruit, Colonel Avin Ramchuran expressed his sincere gratitude to leadership of the South African Airforce (SAAF), and in particular Deputy Chief of SA Air Force, Major General Gerald Malinga on April 7.

Major General Malinga left South Africa in 1976 for Military training in exile and was selected in the beginning of 1977 to be a part of a group of APLA cadres (Aviation) in Nigeria where he qualified as a pilot and later obtained his Commercial Pilot License Diploma in 1980.

General Malinga studied in the USA and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Business Administration (Double Major), from Stillman College (1991) in Tuscaloosa Alabama. At Stillman College, the General became a member of the Cordell Wynn Honors Program and was listed among the Who’s Who in the American Colleges and Universities. Upon returning to South Africa from exile, General Malinga integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) with the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) while in the SAAF.

In 1995, he joined and flew at 41 Squadron and in 1996, he became the Squadron Commander in 1998. The General did the Senior Command and Staff Course at the South African Air Force College in 2000. In 2001, he was posted to and flew at 21 Squadron and was then promoted to Colonel, where he became

Commander of 21 Squadron in 2002.

He also did the Executive National Security Programme in 2002. In January 2004, he was promoted to a rank of Brigadier General and appointed as Director Education, Training and Development in the South African Air Force.

In March 2005, he was promoted to Major General (Maj Gen), and was appointed Chief Director Force Preparation in the SAAF. Gen Malinga was then posted to Joint Operations Division Headquarters in June 2006 as the Chief Director Operations Development. In November 2010, he was appointed as the General Officer Commanding Air Command at the South African Air Force Headquarters. He is currently on the post of a Deputy Chief of the SA Air Force since November 2011. General Malinga is married to Faith and are blessed with two children.

Col Ramchuran wished General Malinga a well-deserved rest in his retirement. General Malinga will leave his office on the 01 June 2017, making way for his incumbent, Brigadier General Buthelezi to assume duty as the next Deputy Chief of the South African Air Force. A humbled General Malinga, while accompanied by Brigadier General Buthelezi and members of his staff, urged members of the base to remain committed, be patient, loyal, tolerant and have integrity in all they do, despite the scaling down of the budget in the SAAF. Gen Malinga made an appeal to members of Air Force Base Hoedspruit to do their best with honor with the little resources they have to sustain the organization.

“I have hope and believe that even when I am retiring, the South African Air Force is in safe hands. When the sun rises, the SAAF will shine, said General Malinga. “Despite all challenges you come across, you must continue to serve the organization with passion, professionalism, discipline and dedication”, he further stated.

General Malinga was grateful for the support he received from members of the base and told them that he was proud to serve the organisation with honor and diligence. He reminded them that even when he retires he will remain a member of the military community.