The chairperson of parliament’s portfolio committee on defence and military veterans, Dakota Legoete, has sent condolences to the families of soldiers who died last week.
The four members of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning in Orkney, the North West, on Friday.
“The four defence force members were found inside a container that was being used as a guard house for those deployed on 24-hour duty as part of Operation Vala Umgodi,” Legoete said in a statement.
The operation was set up to combat illegal mining in the area.
Ramaphosa sends his condolences
“The committee notes that it is possible that the deaths might be due to a fire made by SANDF soldiers inside the structure to keep warm during the cold night.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa also expressed his sadness over the deaths of the four soldiers.
Said Ramaphosa on Thursday: “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 troops were stationed on a 24-hour shift at shaft 3, a dormant mining shaft in Orkney, close to the abandoned Harry Oppenheimer Stadium, which has been a hotspot for illegal mining, according to Siphiwe Dlamini, the spokesperson for the SANDF.
Investigation under way
Dlamini said the deceased were found inside a container structure on Saturday morning, when the next shift was taking over.
When the police arrived, they discovered that all four of the soldiers had passed away, still carrying their rifles and personal belongings.
According to Dlamini, a district surgeon was dispatched to the scene, looked over the bodies, and determined there were no wounds.
According to Dlamini, the bodies of the deceased were taken to the state mortuary in Klerksdorp for a post-mortem and additional investigation.
