Renier Coetzee

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use South African English|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox military person |honorific_prefix = Brigadier General |name = Renier Johannes Coetzee |honorific_suffix = {{Postnominals|country=ZAR|SM|PS|MMM}} |image = |caption = |birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1961}}  |death_date =  |burial_label = |burial_place = |birth_place = |death_place = |burial_coordinates =  |nickname = Doibi, CoJack |allegiance = {{RSA}} |branch = {{Army|South Africa}} |service_years = {{ndash}}2021 |rank = Brigadier General |unit = 5 Special Forces Regiment |commands = {{plainlist| * 1 Parachute Battalion * 5 Special Forces Regiment * Chief of Staff Special Forces Brigade * GOC SA Army Training Formation }} |battles = |awards ={{MilAward Stack|SM |PS |MMM |PP |SAM |GSM |Tshumelo |Unitas |MandelaS |MTD40 |GoodServiceG |GoodServiceS |GoodServiceB |size=x12px}}x12px {{Badge Display|SFOpBadge|x20px|NoTable=yes}} {{Badge Display|ParaFreefall|x20px|NoTable=yes}} |relations = |other_work = }}

Brigadier-General '''Renier (Cojack) Coetzee''' {{Postnominals|country=ZAR|SM|PS|MMM}} was a General Officer in the South African Army from the recces.

==Military career== Gen. Coetzee served in 32 Battalion and then in the South African Special Forces, for a long time as the Chief of Staff of the South African Special Forces Brigade. He commanded 5 Special Forces Regiment (formerly 5 Reconnaissance Regiment) from 1998 to 2003,<ref name=FXI>{{cite web|title=Anton Ackerman informs judge of withdraw from trial until he is reimbursed by Justice Department|url=http://www.fxi.org.za/old%20webpages/archives/transcripts/new/28aug2000.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225150710/http://www.fxi.org.za/old%20webpages/archives/transcripts/new/28aug2000.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 25, 2015|website=FXI.org.za|publisher=Freedom of Expression Institute|accessdate=25 February 2015|date=28 August 2000}}</ref> and served in the Mavinga area during Operations Moduler, Packer and Hooper.<ref name=FXI /> From mid-1987 to mid-1988, he was stationed at divisional headquarters, north-west of Mavinga in Angola.<ref name=FXI /><ref name=HotBattle>{{cite book|last1=Polack|first1=Peter|title=The Last Hot Battle of the Cold War: South Africa vs. Cuba in the Angolan Civil War|date=13 Dec 2013|publisher=Casemate Publishers|isbn=9781612001951|edition=illustrated|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LzfEAgAAQBAJ|accessdate=25 February 2015}}</ref>{{Rp|194}} 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 soldiers in the Central African Republic during the Battle of Bangui.<ref>{{cite news|title=SANDF distances itself from vest comments|url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/sandf-distances-itself-from-vest-comments-1.1551502#.VO2ouvmUeSo|accessdate=25 February 2015|work=IOL News|agency=SAPA|date=23 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Taunyane|first1=Omogolo|title=CAR soldier unveils the truth|url=http://www.enca.com/south-africa-africa/car-soldier-unveils-truth|accessdate=25 February 2015|work=ENCA|date=26 July 2013}}</ref> He has spoken as an expert on the utilisation of the SANDF Special Forces as a force multiplier in the SADC region.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Martin|first1=Guy|title=Special forces a force multiplier for SADC military interventions – expert|website=DefenceWeb.co.za|url=http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31331:special-forces-a-force-multiplier-for-sadc-military-interventions-expert&catid=32:military-art-a-science&Itemid=112|publisher=DefenceWeb|accessdate=25 February 2015|date=26 July 2013}}</ref> GOC SA Army Training Formation until his retirement.

== Awards and decorations ==

=== Medals === Gen Coetzee has been awarded:<ref>{{cite web|last1=Helfrich|first1=Kim|title=SANDF medals and decorations|url=http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33847:sandf-medals-and-decorations&catid=111:sa-defence&Itemid=242|website=DefenceWeb.co.za|publisher=DefenceWeb|accessdate=25 February 2015|date=5 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="Battle of Bangui">[http://www.army.mil.za/news/news%202014/feb_2014/Armed%20Forces%20Day%20Recipients.pdf SANDF Armed Forces Day Parade, 21 February 2014 - Decoration and Medal Recipients, Battle of Bangui]</ref><ref name="DefenceWeb 24 Feb 2014">{{cite web|access-date=1 Nov 2022|date=24 February 2014|first=Guy|last=Martin|publisher=DefenceWeb|title=Zuma awards medals to Battle of Bangui soldiers in celebration of Armed Forces Day|url=http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33737:zuma-awards-medals-to-battle-of-bangui-soldiers-in-celebration-of-armed-forces-day&catid=111:sa-defence}}</ref><ref name="MampoerShorts">[http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30316 DefenceWeb Book Review: The Battle in Bangui: The untold inside story. By Helmoed Romer Heitman] (Accessed 3 May 2015)</ref><ref name="Tia Mysoa">[http://tia-mysoa.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-battle-in-bangui-untold-inside.html Tia Mysoa - 'The Battle in Bangui: The untold inside story' – Truth or Propaganda?] (Accessed 3 May 2015)</ref>

* {{MilAward Desc|SM|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|PS|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|MMM|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|PP|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|SAM|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|GSM|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|Tshumelo|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|Unitas|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|MandelaS|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|MTD40|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|GoodServiceG|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|GoodServiceS|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|GoodServiceB|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|BRPMM|country=yes}}

=== Proficiency and qualification badges === Gen Coetzee qualified for the following: {| class="wikitable" |- style="vertical-align:top;" | {{Badge Display|SFOpBadge|100px}} ||{{Badge Display|ParaFreefall|150px}} |}

== Notes == {{notelist|30em}}

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before= Nicolas Mabilu}} {{s-ttl|title= GOC SA Army Training Formation |years=2016{{ndash}}2021}} {{s-aft|after=D.M. Madie}}

{{s-bef|before=Jan D. Malan}} {{s-ttl|title=Director Doctrine and Policy, SA Army Brigade|years=2014{{ndash}}2016}} {{s-aft|after=Nicolas Mabilu}}

{{s-bef|before=Krubert Nel}} {{s-ttl|title=Chief of Staff of the South African Special Forces Brigade|years=2003{{ndash}}2014}} {{s-vac|unknown}} |- {{s-bef|before=Col Julius Englebrecht}} {{s-ttl|title=Officer Commanding 5 Special Forces Regiment|years=1 February 1998{{ndash}}31 December 2005}} {{s-aft|after=Col Johan Spangenberg}} |- {{s-break}} {{s-vac|unknown}} {{s-ttl|title=Officer Commanding 1 Parachute Battalion|years=Unknown{{ndash}} Unknown}} {{s-vac|unknown}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coetzee, Renier}} Category:White South African people Category:South African Army generals Category:Living people Category:1961 births

Renier Coetzee

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