Major-General Carlo Gagiano and Rear Admiral Refiloe Mudimu have been appointed chief of the SA Air Force and chief of the SA Navy respectively from February 1 next year, the Department of Defence said yesterday.

Gagiano, currently Chief Director of Policy and Plans, will replace retiring air force chief Roelf Beukes with the rank of lieutenant-general.

Mudimu, the present Chief of Naval Staff, will be promoted to vice-admiral and take over from retiring Johan Retief.

Major-General Sipho Binda has been promoted to lieutenant-general from November 1 and appointed chief of joint support.

Brigadier-General Solly Mollo, previous director of strategy and planning, took up the vacant chief of human resource support post from November 1 with the rank of major-general.

Rear-Admiral George Mphafi has been appointed chief of defence foreign relations from November 1.

Colonel Marius Cornelissen, formation chaplain of the joint training division, was promoted to brigadier-general and appointed chaplain general.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and the Cape Argus.