Appointment of new Chief of the South Africa Air Force

C SANDF has pleasure in announcing the appointment of Major General Fabian Zimpande (ZAKES) Msimang as the new Chief of the South Africa Air Force with effect from 01 October 2012.

Maj Gen Msimang intergrated into the South African National Defence Force in 1994 after the first democratic Elections as a qualified pilot on the Mi 8 and Mi 25 helicopters. He received his flying training at Frunze 1 Central Officers Training Center -Kirghizstan, in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from 1986 to 1991.

He graduated from the institution with a diploma in Command & Tactics of Military Aviation. During his career he has flown the Mi 8, Mi 25 Allouette III, Oryx helicopters and also did a factory conversion onto the A 109E at Agusta Westland in Italy.

He was a member of the Armed Wing of the African National Congress, Umkhonto We Sizwe (MK). He has been in combat as an MK cadre in Angola in 1986. Post 1994 he has been an operational pilot at maritime and inland squadrons. He has also been deployed on several occasions as a Military Liaison Officer.

In 1994, he completed the Air Force of Zimbabwe's Junior and Staff Course. In 2000, he was appointed as the Assistant Project Officer on Project Flange in Italy. This was an acquisition project of the Agusta A109 LUH which replaced the Allouette III helicopter. Whilst in Italy, in 2002 he successfully completed the Senior Staff Course at the Italian Air Force War School. In 2003 successfully completed the Joint Senior Command and Staff Programme at the South African War College, having to do specific modules in joint warfare.

Upon his return from Italy in 2003, he was appointed Officer Commanding of the Helicopter Flying School at Air Force Base Bloemfontein. In 2005 he was appointed as Officer Commanding Air Force Base Bloemspruit and promoted to the rank of Colonel. In 2006, he completed the Executive National Security Programme at the South African National Defence College.

After a two and a half year tour as Officer Commanding Air Force Base Bloemspriut he was transferred to the Air Command in June 2007 appointed as Director Helicopter Systems and promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. In November 2010 he was appointed as Chief Director Air Policy and Plans and promoted to the rank of Major General responsible Air Force strategy, policies, capabilities and resource allocation and also serves as a Non-Executive Director to the Air Traffic and Navigation Systems Board.

Major General Fabian Msimang is married to Afrika and has four sons.

The leadership in the SANDF wishes to congratulate Maj Gen Msimang on his new appointment and trust that he will carry on executing his duties to the best of his ability inline with the SANDF’s constitutional mandate. With the same breath the leadership of the SANDF extend gratitude to thank General Gagiano for his dedication and contributions to the development of the SAAF in particular the SANDF in general.

Further enquiries may be directed to Director Defence Corporate Communications, Brig Gen Xolani Mabanga, at Tel: 012 355 6303.