Lambert Moloi

General Lambert Moloi, born Lehlohonolo Moloi OMSS MMM, was a South African military commander, and a former commander of the African National Congress's military wing, Umkhonto weSizwe.

Lieutenant General Lambert Sekenku Ntsike Lehlohonolo Moloi OMSS MMM
Born	(1932-12-25)25 December 1932 Quting, Basotholand British Protectorate
Died	December 23, 2013(2013-12-23) (aged 80) Johannesburg
Allegiance	South Africa
Service / branch	South African Army Umkhonto we Sizwe
Years of service	1962–1994 Umkhonto we Sizwe 1994–1999 South African National Defence Force
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	Chief of Service Corps Umkhonto we Sizwe
Awards

Military career

General Moloi was born in 1932, in Quting, Lesotho. In 1940 his family moved to South Africa to join his father, who was a railway worker in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. He attended school in Soweto until 1963, when he left the country to join the African National Congress's armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). He returned to Lesotho, where he lived in exile, and worked there with assassinated South African Communist Party general secretary Chris Hani until he was transferred to Lusaka in the early 1980s. He served as an MK commander the entire time. Moloi worked in MK's operations department, responsible for the deployment and infiltration of members into the country. On his return to South Africa, he played a major role in the negotiations to ensure MK members were integrated into the then newly-formed SANDF, which he joined as a general officer.^[1] At the time of his death Moloi was a member of the newly-established Defence Service Commission, which was formed to look after the conditions of service of members.^[2]

Chair of Cell C

Moloi Co-founded the Cell C, CellSAF and 3C Telecommunications company in 1998 and was appointed as its chairman.^[3]

Awards and decorations

• Order for Meritorious Service (Silver) (OMSS)
• Military Merit Medal (MMM)
• Operational Medal for Southern Africa
• South Africa Service Medal
• Unitas (Unity) Medal
• Service Medal (Gold)
• Service Medal (Silver)
• Service Medal (Bronze)

References

1. "Zuma confirms continuing honours for military veterans". defenceWeb. defenceWeb. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
2. "Fact file: Chiefs of the SA Service Corps". Mail&Guardian. 24 December 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
3. Holomisa, Bantu. "Major General (Ret)". UDM. United Democratic Movement. Retrieved 27 August 2020.

Military offices
Preceded by New	Chief of SANDF Service Corps 1995–1998	Succeeded by Andrew Masondo