
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. |