After 43 years, a door has closed on a successful chapter for Brigadier General Fikile Basil Konjwayo, General Officer Commanding SA Army Intelligence Formation.

The Change of Command Parade took place at Johan Du Randt Stadium (Kopanelo), followed by a farewell function at the Potchefstroom Army Support Base on May 30, during which a new General Officer Commanding, Brigadier General Josephine Molatelo Motau, was handed over the reins. She officially started in her new position on June 1.

Konjwayo’s legacy includes serving as Officer Commanding of 1 Tactical Intelligence Regiment and the School of Tactical Intelligence, establishing the Airborne Squadron as well as co-founding the Barney Molokoane Intelligence Regiment.

Senior military officers, veterans, soldiers who have served under his command, and local community leaders attended the event.

The parade was also conducted with military precision befitting his stature.

He started his journey as part of MK. His training was from the clandestine bases of MK inside South Africa and later in Uganda and Tanzania. Amongst many operations, he launched operations from a safe house in Namibia into South Africa. Zambia was the transit camp where they were divided as to who would go to school and who would go for military training. He eventually returned to South Africa in 1994, where he integrated into the South African National Defence Force.

He led the 1 Tactical Intelligence Regiment from 2012 to 2016. Here, he cemented his legacy as a commander who built capability, inspired loyalty, and demanded excellence. Following this regimental command, he was appointed second-in-command of the School of Tactical Intelligence in Potchefstroom from September to December 2016.

In January 2017, he ascended to the position of Officer Commanding of the School of Tactical Intelligence. For six years, until 2023, he commanded the very institution that once trained him.

Shaping the minds and doctrine of the Army’s intelligence corps, this appointment represented the full circle of a soldier’s journey – from student to master, from learner to custodian of knowledge.

Konjwayo’s exemplary leadership and visionary command were further recognised in 2023 with his appointment as General Officer Commanding of the South African Army Intelligence Formation, a responsibility he has shouldered with strategic acumen and unwavering dedication.

“As I stand before you today, the first thing I must do is give thanks to Almighty God. It is by His grace that I stand here today still alive, still strong, and still honoured to have worn this uniform in the service of my country.”

“From MK to the South African National Defence Force. From the bush to command, to units and finally Formation Headquarters,” he said.

Konjwayo also said that women were deployed into operational environments for the first time, something that he takes great pride in. According to him, strength is measured in competence, not gender.

“We ensured that competence, qualifications and operational capability were prioritised over seniority alone.”

“I have watched soldiers come in tired from long operations, uniforms covered in dust, eyes carrying stories they cannot easily speak about, yet still reporting for duty the next morning without hesitation. Today I retire with a clear conscience. I did not tell lies. I did not claim victories that were not earned. I built soldiers. I built leaders. I built people who will carry this Corps long after my footsteps fade.”

“To the incoming General Officer Commanding, Brigadier General Motau, I extend my congratulations and my respect. You are not stepping into comfort. You are stepping into a living institution that already carries strength, history, and expectation.”