Condolences for Gen Viljoen

Saturday, April 4, 2020

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences at the passing of Freedom Front Plus founding leader and former Chief of the then South African Defence Force, General Constand Viljoen.

Aged 86, Viljoen passed away on Friday at his farm in Mpumalanga.

The President offered his sincere condolences to Risti Viljoen and the immediate and extended family of the late general, as well as his friends and political associates.

“Gen Viljoen’s principal contribution was his success in demobilising conservative resistance to the transition in our country at a critical point in our history. He risked alienation by his community and longstanding supporters by mobilising conservative groupings to participate in the political and constitutional negotiations, which yielded our democratic dispensation,” said the President in a statement on Friday.

President Ramaphosa said Viljoen will be remembered for influencing conservative movements into abandoning plans for military resistance to the democratic transition.

“His transition from a military commander to a voice in our democratic Parliament illustrated the inclusive, diverse and tolerant character of our constitutional dispensation and body politic,” said President Ramaphosa. – SAnews.gov.za