By BAKANG MOKOTO
The president of Republic of South Africa (RSA), Cyril Ramaphosa mourns the deaths of four South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers. These SANDF members were on duty as part of Operation Vala Umgodi – an operation that deals with illegal mining activities.
According to the SANDF spokesperson, Siphiwe Dlamini, the deceased were deployed on a 24-hour shift at Shaft 3 (a dormant mining shaft) in Orkney, near the disused Harry Oppenheimer Stadium, which has been a hot spot for illegal mining. Dlamini said they were found inside a container structure, which was used as a guard house for those on 24-hours duty on 6 July 2024.
“They were found upon opening the doors of the container, when the next shift was taking over the following day. The police were called in and upon inspection of the scene, all four had died with their rifles on them and their personal items still with them. The district surgeon was called to the scene and examined the bodies and confirmed no injuries.
“A team from the Pretoria FSL Chemistry Unit, also attended the scene and preliminary findings are that the death of the soldiers could have been caused by carbon monoxide poisoning from a possible fire made by them during the cold night inside the container,” he said.
Dlamini further said the bodies of the deceased were ferried to the Klerksdorp State mortuary for further investigation and post-mortem. He added that the names of the deceased will be announced once the families have been informed.
“All processes and formalities have been completed followed with the announcement of the funeral arrangements. The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Bantu Holomisa and Deputy Minister of Military Veterans, Richard Mkhungo, together with the acting Secretary for Defence, Dr Thobekile Gamede and the Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), General Rudzani Maphwanya sent their condolences to the families of the deceased and the entire defence family,” said Dlamini.
He said an inquest has been opened by the police following the deaths.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa said: “I am deeply saddened by the deaths of the deceased who passed away overnight on 5 July 2024, while on duty to combat illegal mining. As Commander-in-Chief of the SANDF, I offer my condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to their commanders and colleagues.
“My thoughts are with the team of soldiers who discovered their deceased colleagues in a container. While police are investigating the matter, the deceased troops, who showed no injuries and were fully kitted and armed, are believed by the police and the SANDF to have died from carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from a fire they made to keep warm.”
The Guardian 