Brigadier-General Renier (Cojack) Coetzee was a General Officer in the

South African Army The South African Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the South African Air Force, South African Navy and South African Military Health Servi ...

from the

recces The South African Special Forces Brigade, colloquially known as the Recces (from "reconnaissance"), is South Africa's principal Special forces, military special operations unit specialising in various types of operations, including counter-ins ...

Military career

Gen. Coetzee served in 32 Battalion and then in the

South African Special Forces The South African Special Forces Brigade, colloquially known as the Recces (from "reconnaissance"), is South Africa's principal military special operations unit specialising in various types of operations, including counter-insurgency, counte ...

, for a long time as the Chief of Staff of the

South African Special Forces Brigade The South African Special Forces Brigade, colloquially known as the Recces (from "reconnaissance"), is South Africa's principal Special forces, military special operations unit specialising in various types of operations, including counter-ins ...

. He commanded 5 Special Forces Regiment (formerly 5 Reconnaissance Regiment) from 1998 to 2003, and served in the

Mavinga Mavinga is a municipality in Angola, and the capital of Cuando Province since that province's creation in 2024. It is one of the three municipalities in Angola whose inhabitants are predominantly Mbunda. The municipality had a population of 27, ...

area during Operations Moduler, Packer and

Hooper ''Hooper'' may refer to: Place names in the United States: * Hooper, Colorado, town in Alamosa County, Colorado * Hooper, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Hooper, Nebraska, town in Dodge County, Nebraska * Hooper, Utah, place in Weber Cou ...

. From mid-1987 to mid-1988, he was stationed at divisional headquarters, north-west of

Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...

. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 2014 and was appointed as Director Doctrine and Policy. Col. Coetzee was embroiled in a controversy about the use of body armour (bullet proof vests) by

SANDF The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The Chief of the SANDF is appointed by the President of South Africa from one of the armed services. They are in turn accountable to the Minister of ...

soldiers in the

Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to Central African Republic–Chad border, the north, Sudan to Central African Republic–Sudan border, the northeast, South Sudan to Central ...

during the

Battle of Bangui Battle of Bangui may refer to: *Battle of Bangui (2013) *Battle of Bangui (2021) On 13 January 2021, during the Central African Republic Civil War, ongoing civil war in the Central African Republic, around 200 rebels from the Coalition of Patrio ...

. He has spoken as an expert on the utilisation of the SANDF Special Forces as a force multiplier in the SADC region. GOC SA Army Training Formation until his retirement.

Awards and decorations

Medals

Gen Coetzee has been awarded:SANDF Armed Forces Day Parade, 21 February 2014 - Decoration and Medal Recipients, Battle of Bangui
/ref>DefenceWeb Book Review: The Battle in Bangui: The untold inside story. By Helmoed Romer Heitman
(Accessed 3 May 2015)
(Accessed 3 May 2015) * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Proficiency and qualification badges

Gen Coetzee qualified for the following:

Notes

References

, - , - White South African people South African Army generals Living people 1961 births {{SouthAfrica-mil-bio-stub