Hendrik Bernardus (Hennie) Heymans was born in 1946 in Durban in Natal, where he went to school and matriculated in 1963. He started his Tertiary Education at the University of Natal and obtained and later proceeded to the Rand Afrikaans University in Johannesburg, where he completed a BA (Hons) in 1982, and a Masters degree in National Strategy in 1990. In 1988 he was delegated to attend a 3-months course in Political Warfare at the Fu Hsing Kang College in Taiwan.

His career in the SAP started off in 1964 as a Constable in the Uniform Branch at the SAP Wentworth, Durban. He proceeded through the ranks until his promotion to Brigadier in 1991, and retired from the SAP in 1993. From 1970-1984 he joined the structures of the Security Branch of the SAP, first in Natal and from 1978 at the SAP Headquarter in ohannesburg (John Vorster Square). His postings included the Atomic Energy Board, with three months at the Valindaba Nuclear Power stations, Commanding Officer of the Intelligence Section Johannesburg and Section Head at the Security Head Office. During that period, in 1974, he was seconded to the British South Africa Police (BSAP) Special Branch for three months at Magunji, then Rhodesia. From 1984-1986 he was also seconded to the State Security Council as SAP representative and Strategic Planner, and served on various national inter-departmental committees. During the years 1987-1989 he held positions as Section Head at the security Branch, the Nodal Point, and Community Relations, all at the SAP Head Office Johannesburg. In March 1990 he was appointed District Commissioner of the SAP in Welkom, and from January 1992 he served as the Regional Commander of the Uniform Branch of the SAP in Soweto, followed by his appointment to Chief Liaison and Research, at the Internal Stability Division of the SAP until 1993.