Ramaphosa pays tribute to Gen Constand Viljoen
President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed condolences at the passing of General Constand Viljoen, founding leader of the Freedom Front Plus and former Chief of the (then) South African Defence Force.
Aged 86, Viljoen passed away on Friday on his farm in Mpumalanga.
"The President has offered his sincere condolences to Mrs Risti Viljoen and the immediate and extended family of the late general, as well as his friends and political associates," said the Prediency in a statmenet.
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President Ramaphosa says Gen Viljoen will be remembered for influencing conservative movements into abandoning plans for military resistance to the democratic transition.
President Ramaphosa said: “Gen Viljoen’s principal contribution was his success in demobilising conservative resistance to the transition in our country at a critical point in our history. He risked alienation by his community and longstanding supporters by mobilising conservative groupings to participate in the political and constitutional negotiations that yielded our democratic dispensation.
“His transition from a military commander to a voice in our democratic Parliament illustrated the inclusive, diverse and tolerant character of our constitutional dispensation and body politic.”