In what the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has described as an “unfortunate incident,” an altercation involving soldiers saw one fatally stab another before committing suicide.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning (21 June) at the Macadamia Military Base near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga. The soldiers were deployed there for border protection duties under Operation Corona.
In a statement, the SANDF said one member attacked fellow soldiers in his accommodation. One soldier died while the attacker later succumbed after stabbing himself in the neck.
The SANDF Said it had, in conjunction with the South African Police Service, launched a full investigation into the matter. “The circumstances surrounding the incident remain the subject of ongoing inquiry, and further details will be communicated once officially verified.”
The SANDF expressed its deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the deceased. “This is a deeply painful moment for the organisation and the military community at large,” the SANDF stated.
The SANDF initially reported that two soldiers were shot by a colleague who then committed suicide, but subsequently issued a revised statement indicating only two soldiers had been stabbed to death, before clarifying that one of the deceased was the attacker.
Similar incidents have occurred in the past. For example, on 29 February 2024, two soldiers deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo died in a murder/suicide incident. “The incident occurred when one of them shot and killed the other with their service weapon before turning the weapon on themselves with fatal consequences,” an SANDF statement said at the time.
On 8 July last year, Major Tolla Pieterse was killed when a hand grenade exploded close to his sleeping quarters in the Beni base in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is suspected that he was murdered by colleagues.
On 27 October 2017, Private Elias Mogaki shot and killed his girlfriend while deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade (FIB). Mogaki attempted to commit suicide immediately after the shooting but survived and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He and Private Nomathemba Ngeleka were serving with 5 SA Infantry Battalion.
In February 2002 Corporal Mynette Enoch Nguyuza, deployed in Burundi, committed suicide after wounding two comrades in an argument. Several other incidents were recorded in Burundi: in November 2004 Gunner Elvin Mopani Hendricks was shot dead by a colleague and on 20 May 2005, Rifleman Ingongo Gasa committed suicide after murdering Rifleman Bashin Sejake and wounding four others.
Closer to home, in May 2009 a married South African Army lance corporal deserted his post and murdered his wife, before firing on military police and committing suicide.
Guy Martin
www.defenceweb.co.za
