Johannesburg – An inquest has been opened into the death of four soldiers deployed to prevent illegal mining at a dormant mining shaft situated in Orkney, North West Province.
On Saturday, a relieving shift found the dead soldiers inside a container structure used as a guardhouse.
“An inquest has been opened by the South African Police Service (SAPS) following the death of four members of the South Africa National Defence (SANDF), who were on duty as part of Operation Vala Umgodi – an operation that deals with illegal mining activities,” the SANDF said in a statement Sunday.
“The members were deployed on a 24-hour shift at Shaft 3, a dormant mining shaft situated in Orkney, North West Province, near the disused Harry Oppenheimer stadium, which has been a hot spot for illegal mining.
“The deceased members were found inside a container structure which was used as a guard house for those on 24-hour duty on the morning of 6 July 2024, when the next shift was taking over the following day upon opening the doors of the container.”
SAPS was called in and upon inspection of the scene, all four had died, with their rifles on them, and their “personal items” were still with them.
“The district surgeon was called to the scene and examined the bodies and confirmed no injuries,” the statement said.
A team from the Pretoria FSL Chemistry Unit, also attended the scene and preliminary findings are that the death of the members could have been caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, from a possible fire made by the members during the cold night inside the container structure.
“The bodies of the deceased were transported to the Klerksdorp State mortuary for further investigation and post-mortem,” the SANDF said.
“The names of the deceased will be announced once the families have been informed and all processes and formalities have been completed followed by the announcement of the funeral arrangements.”
The statement said Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga, Deputy Ministers Bantu Holomisa and Richard Mkhungo, together with Acting Secretary for Defence Dr. Thobekile Gamede, and SANDF Chief General Rudzani Maphwanya, send their “condolences to the families of the deceased and the entire defence family”.
