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1st Black Leader Heads South African Military

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<i> Associated Press</i>

Gen. Siphiwe Nyanda became the first black to head South Africa’s military Friday, receiving a ceremonial sword and a salute from his white predecessor, Georg Meiring.

In his speech at a military base outside the capital, Pretoria, Nyanda struck a tone of conciliation as he took the helm of a military that had sought to kill him when he commanded African National Congress guerrillas just a few years ago.

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