Constand Viljoen
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Constand Viljoen SSA, SD, SOE, SM, MMM, MP |
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|---|---|
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| Leader of the Freedom Front Plus | |
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In office 1 March 1994 – 26 June 2001 |
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| Succeeded by | Pieter Mulder |
| Member of Parliament | |
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In office 1994–2001 |
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| President | Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Constand Laubscher Viljoen 28 October 1933 Standerton, Transvaal, South Africa |
| Nationality | South Africa |
| Political party | Freedom Front Plus |
| Other political affiliations |
National Party (pre-1994) |
| Spouse(s) | Christina "Ristie" Heckroodt |
| Relations | Braam Viljoen (Twin brother) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | University of Pretoria |
| Religion | Dutch Reformed |
| Awards | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 South Africa South Africa
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| Service/branch |
.png){kind=small} South African Army
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| Years of service | 1956-1985 |
| Rank | General |
| Unit | School of Artillery |
| Commands |
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| Battles/wars | South African Border War |
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Constand Viljoen SSA SD SOE SM MMM MP (born 28 October 1933) is a former South African military commander and politician. He is partly credited with preventing the outbreak of armed violence by disaffected white South Africans prior to post-apartheid general elections. He is married to Christina Susanna Heckroodt and has four sons and a daughter.
Viljoen matriculated at Standerton High School in 1951. He joined South Africa's pre-republic Union Defence Force in 1956 upon receiving a degree in military science at the University of Pretoria. By 1974, Viljoen had been named the South African Army's Director of General Operations, subsequently serving as the Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of the South African Defence Force. He was appointed as Chief of the Army in 1977 and succeeded Magnus Malan as SADF chief in 1980.
Viljoen was the senior SADF military officer directing Operation Savannah in 1975. He is also credited with planning the first major airborne assault in South African military history, Cassinga, a raid carried out against SWAPO insurgents. Despite his rank, Viljoen was present during the battle, offering what was described as a "swashbuckling" front-line leadership, which won him the respect of many fellow Afrikaners.
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