Lindile Yam

Lieutenant General Lindile Yam CLS MMS
Yam during a visit to the FIB in the DRC during 2014
Born	(1960-08-08) 8 August 1960 (age 64) East London, South Africa
Allegiance	South Africa
Service / branch	South African Army
Years of service	1981–2022
Rank	Lieutenant General
Service number	94654191PE[1]
Unit	13 SA Infantry Battalion
Commands	South African Military Academy South African Army Infantry Formation South African Army
Awards

Lt General Lindile Yam CLS MMS (born 8 August 1960)[2] is the former SANDF Chief of staff and former Chief of the South African Army.[3]

Career

He joined Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the ANC, in 1981 and became part of the South African National Defence Force in 1994 when all the forces were integrated.

He served as Officer Commanding of 13 South African Infantry Battalion from November 1994 to November 1997.[2]

He attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1995 for a Global Security Strategy Course.[2]

He served as the 18th Commandant of the South African Military Academy from 2009 to 2011.[4]

He was promoted to major general and was appointed as the 3rd GOC South African Army Infantry Formation on 1 November 2011.[1] He formally took over command on 2 March 2012 at a parade at the SA Army College in Thaba Tshwane.

He was promoted to lieutenant general and assumed command of the South African Army in January 2016.[3] In November 2019 he was appointed SANDF chief of staff. He left the SANDF in August 2022.

SANDF VIP Visit FIB DRC 2014.

Awards and decorations

• Conspicuous Leadership Star (CLS)
• Merit Medal (Silver) (MMS)
• Operational Medal for Southern Africa
• South Africa Service Medal
• Unitas (Unity) Medal
• Medalje vir Troue Diens (Medal for Loyal Service) (30 Year Clasp)
• Good Service Medal (Silver (20 Years))
• Service Medal (Bronze)
• Order of Military Merit (Grand Officer - Grande-Oficial)

References

1. Engelbrecht, Leon (24 October 2011). "Appointments and/or promotions of Brig Gen/R Adm (JG) and Maj Gen/R Adm". Defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
2. Meintjies, Engela (June 2009). "The Military Academy appointed its 18th Commandant" (PDF). SA Soldier. 16 (6): 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
3. "Yam takes over from Masondo as Army Chief". defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
4. Makhubela, Itumeleng (2016). "SA Army bids farewell to the former Chief of the SA Army" (PDF). SA Soldier. 23 (3): 20–21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.

Military offices
Preceded by Lt Gen Vusumuzi Masondo	Chief of Staff SANDF 2019–2022	Succeeded by Lt Gen Michael Ramantswana
	Chief of the South African Army 2016–2019	Succeeded by Lt Gen Thabiso Mokhosi
Preceded by Maj Gen Themba Nkabinde	GOC South African Army Infantry Formation 2012–2016	Succeeded by Maj Gen Rudzani Maphwanya
Preceded by R Adm (JG) Derek Christian	Commandant of the South African Military Academy 2009–2011	Succeeded by Brig Gen Lawrence Mbatha