South African National Defence Force Saddened by Untimely Passing of Lieutenant General "DR" Zola Wiseman Songo Dabula
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans has learnt with shock and sadness of the untimely death of the former Surgeon General of the SANDF, Lieutenant General (Retired) Zola Wiseman Songo Dabula. He passed on at his home on Sunday 04 June 2023 after being discharged from hospital in Pretoria. The Minister sends her condolences to the bereaved family
Meanwhile on behalf of the SANDF, the Surgeon General, Lieutenant General (Dr) Ntshavheni Peter Maphaha would like to expresses his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Lieutenant General (Dr) Dabula, as well as all stakeholders of the SAMHS.
The death of Lieutenant General (Retired) Dabula, has robbed the medical fraternity of a military Doctor who possessed a wealth of medical knowledge and played an important role in the development of military health service.
Gen Dabula was born on 20 October 1956 in the Eastern Cape, South Africa where he did his primary and secondary education. In 1976, he started his medical degree (MBChB) at the University of Natal, which he completed in 1982. During his student days he worked as an underground operative of Umkhonto Wesizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress into which he was recruited in 1974.
The retired Surgeon General was appointed as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 1 Military Hospital on 1 September 2005. In November 2011, he was appointed as the GOC of Tertiary Military Health Formation. In February 2013, he was promoted to the rank of Major General and became the Chief Director Military Health Force Preparation. He also served as the Strategic Commander of the Presidential Medical Unit (PMU) of the Republic of South Africa.
In November 2019, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and became the Surgeon General of the SANDF, the post he occupied until he retired on 29 October 2021.
General Dabula, is survived by his wife Mrs Linda Dabula and his four children.
Enquiries:
Mr Siphiwe Dlamini
Head of Communication
Cell: 083 410 1257
