Gabriel Ramushwana

Gabriel Ramushwana was a head of state of the Bantustan of Venda.

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 through SADF OCS, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant and a Company in 112 Infantry Battalion in 1977. Promoted to Captain in 1980 and made Battalion Intelligence Officer. He was made the CO of the Venda Battalion">Venda (Bantustan)">Venda Battalion in 1981, and the deputy commanding officer of the Venda Defence Force in 1984.
On 8 February 1994, he was made Major-General of the National Peacekeeping Force.

Biography

On 5 April 1990, he led the 1990 Venda [coup d'état|overthrow] of the democratically elected government of President Frank Ravele and established a military government.
Ramushwana died on 12 January 2015 at the age of 73.