The chief of the South African army, lieutenant-general Thabiso Collin Mokhosi, died on Tuesday morning at Unitas Hospital following a short illness.
Mokhosi was promoted to the position on November 1.
The South African National Defence Force said via a media statement that further information would be communicated in due course, and that condolences were extended to Mokhosi's family by the ministry of defence and the entire military command council.