SURGEON GENERAL OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MILITARY HEALTH SERVICE (SAMHS) Lieutenant General (Dr) V.I. Ramlakan, DMG, MMS, MMB, OStJ

Lieutenant General Vejaynand Indurjith Ramlakan, popularly known as 'Vejay', was born in Durban in 1957. He started schooling in Durban and matriculated at Naidoo Memorial High in Umkomaas in 1974. He obtained his basic medical degrees from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in 1980. His further health qualifications include a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Service Management as well as training by the IRCT in Copenhagen, Denmark, to counsel victims of political violence.

Lt Gen Ramlakan's non-medical qualifications include an Executive Course in Defence Management from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1998 and a certificated Programme in Financial Management from UNISA in 2002. He first joined Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) as an underground operative in KZN in 1977. During this period, he underwent general military training in South Africa and in Swaziland. At the University of KZN, Lt Gen Ramlakan served as the President of the MSRC from 1979 to 1980.

From 1981 until 1983, he was Vice President and General Secretary of the Natal Health Worker’s Association, and also a founding member of the United Democratic Front (UDF). As part of the command structures of MK in the then province of Natal, Lt Gen Ramlakan was involved in MK Operation BUTTERFLY. He also held office as a member of the first APMC inside South Africa.

His continued military and active political involvement saw him being incarcerated on Robin Island between 1987 an 1991, where he was a member of the Central Political Education Committee. General Ramlakan served as Medical Commander at the ANC National Conference in 1991 and CODESA between 1991 and 1992 before he became Medical Commander for the President Mandela Guard in 1992. Between 1993 and 1994, he served as Deputy Chief of MK Health Service and led the MK military health team for integration into the NPKF and later the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

In the SANDF, he held the following positions: Director Planning of the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS) between Oct 1994 and Nov 1995; Inspector General of the SAMHS from Dec until Feb 2000; GOC Area Military Health Formation from Feb 2000 until Nov 2000; Inspector General DOD from Nov 2000 until Dec 2004; and SANDF's Chief Director Strategic Planning from Jan 2005 to date.

Since the establishment of the SANDF, Lt Gen Ramlakan successfully completed the following IT courses: Officers' Formative Course in 1995; Battle Handling in 1995; Junior Command & Staff Duties Course (JCS) in 1996; SMC & SD (including PSO and Joint Ops Certificate) as well as the Joint Staff Course ('ENSP') in 1997. Lt Gen Ramlakan was awarded the following military medals: Unitas; Order of St John (UK) 3 Merit Medals: Bronze, Silver and Gold; Internal RSA Operational Medal and the External to RSA Operational Medal. His other special awards include the Edgar Brookes Award for Outstanding Contribution to Human Freedom and Endeavour. As IG DOD, Lt Gen Ramlakan received the international ISO 9001:2000 award. This was the first ever awarding of this prestigious quality award by the ISO to a South African Government Division.

General Ramlakan is married and blessed with three lovely children.