Refiloe Johannes Mudimu

Vice Admiral Refiloe Mudimu CLS DMG SM MMM, South African Navy is a South African military commander.

Early life
Johannes Mudimu was born on 6 March 1954, in Sophiatown. He became a member of the African National Congress and Umkhonto We Sizwe (MK) in 1975.

Early career
He received his military training in Angola, East Germany and the then USSR. He successfully completed the commander’s course in 1977. He then served as an instructor in MK camps until 1979 when he was deployed as Chief of Logistics in Luanda, Angola.

He later served in ANC Headquarters in Lusaka, Zambia as the co-ordinator of the ANC Youth Radio Programs as well as a member of the Editorial Board of the Youth Publications. Early in 1985, he was deployed in Harare, Zimbabwe as the ordnance operative.

Later, he was deployed as a commander of the underground units in the Transvaal and Northern Transvaal Provinces. He returned to South Africa in 1991 after the unbanning of the ANC. In 1992, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Personnel and Training and served in the MK High Command until the integration of the forces to form the South African National Defence Force in 1994.

After the integration of the forces, he was appointed to General Siphiwe Nyanda’s office as MK Chief of Staff Personnel and Training. Later he was appointed Director, Integration of the Non Statutory Forces (NSF’s).

Navy career
He was transferred from MK to the South African Navy in 1998 as a Rear Admiral (Junior Grade). Later, he was appointed as the Inspector General (Navy). That same year, he successfully completed the Navy Senior Command and Staff Course as well as the Senior Management Programme at the University of Stellenbosch.

On 1 April 1999, he was transferred to Simon’s Town where he was appointed Chief of Fleet Staff until 30 September 2000. On 1 October 2000, he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and appointed as Chief Director Maritime Support, a post later changed to Chief of Naval Staff. He has successfully completed all military courses prescribed for senior officers since 1994. Vice Admiral Mudimu successfully completed the Joint Staff Course.

In 2005, he was appointed Chief of the South African Navy and promoted to Vice Admiral.

Awards and Decorations
On 19 April 2012, Johannes Mudimu received an Honorary Doctorate from Durban University of Technology.

His list of Military awards include:
 * Conspicuous Leadership Star (CLS)
 * Decoration for Merit in Gold (DMG)
 * Southern Cross Medal
 * Merit Medal in Silver
 * Military Merit Medal
 * Merit Medal in Bronze
 * Operational Service Medal
 * SA Service Medal
 * Service Medal Silver
 * Service Medal Bronze
 * Naval Order of Merit Medal (Brazil)
 * Tamandaré Medal of Merit -
 * Legion of Merit (USA)
 * Légion d'honneur