Gabriel Ramushwana

Gabriel Ramushwana (1 July 1941 – 12 January 2015) was a head of state of the Bantustan of Venda.

Gabriel Ramushwana
3rd Head of State of Venda
In office 5 April 1990 – 25 January 1994
Preceded by	Frank Ravele
Succeeded by	Tshamano Ramabulana[1]
Personal details
Born	Gabriel Ramushwana (1941-07-01)1 July 1941 Musina, Transvaal, Union of South Africa
Died	12 January 2015(2015-01-12) (aged 73)[2] Thaba Tshwane Military Hospital, Tshwane, Gauteng, South Africa[3]
Political party	ANC (Military)[4]

Military career

He joined the SAP in Welkom as a Constable in 1960 and was seconded to the SADF 112 Infantry Battalion as a Warrant Officer in 1973. After being rushed^{[citation needed]} through SADF OCS, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant and a Company 2 i/c^[a] in 112 Infantry Battalion in 1977. Promoted to Captain in 1980 and made Battalion Intelligence Officer. He was made the CO of the 1 Venda Battalion in 1981, and the deputy commanding officer of the Venda Defence Force in 1984.^[5]

On 8 February 1994, he was made Major-General of the National Peacekeeping Force.^[6]: 18

Biography

On 5 April 1990, he led the overthrow of the democratically elected government of President Frank Ravele and established a military government.^[7]

Ramushwana died on 12 January 2015 at the age of 73.^[2]

Notes

1. 2nd in Command

References

1. "South African homelands".
2. "Jacaranda FM - Former army general dies". jacarandafm.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
3. "Ex-army general Ramushwana dies". IOL. 19 January 2015.
4. "Former Venda head of state laid to rest". limpopomirror. 30 January 2015.
5. "the Second Applicant : Mutheiwana Gabriel Ramushwana". justice.gov.za. Truth and Reconciliation Commission - Amnesty Committee. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
6. Anglin, Douglas G. (1995). "The Life and Death of South Africa's National Peacekeeping Force". The Journal of Modern African Studies. 33 (1): 21–52. ISSN 0022-278X.
7. Who's who of Southern Africa. 1994. ISBN 9780958390217.

Political offices
Preceded by Frank Ravele as President	Head of State of Venda Chairman of the Council of National Unity 1990 – 1994	Succeeded by Tshamano Ramabulana