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6 October 2023
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Runaway veldfire claims the lives of six South African National Defence Force soldiers
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Six South African National Defence Force soldiers died and three are in hospital with third-degree burns after raging veld fires swept through Kathu in the Gamagara Municipality District in Northern Cape and spread to the South African Army’s Combat Training Centre (CTC) at Lohatla on Friday, 6 October 2023.
“The members who met their untimely death following the unfortunate incident are: Staff Sergeant Abraham Desember Morajane, Staff Sergeant Sipho Berrington Cele, Corporal Sithembiso Wiseman Ndwalane, Corporal Noxolo Faith Ngubane, Lance Corporal Prince Michael Mthethwa and Lance Corporal Londiwe Purity Zulu,” said the South African Army in a statement. “The departed warriors will be fondly remembered for their fearlessness, sacrifice and defiant spirit throughout their military careers, and they will be sorely missed in the South African Military fraternity.”
Four men and one woman died at the scene and one woman died in hospital. The South African National Defence Force said 1 300 personnel had lost shelters, vehicles and personal belongings.
The fire began mid-morning on Friday near the Khumani and Beeshoek mines. Strong winds and a heat wave exacerbated the fire and carried it to the base, according to the Department of Defence.
Department of Defence spokesman Siphiwe Dlamini said a fire from a nearby mine rolled into the western part of the CTC in the Northern Cape on the afternoon of 6 October 2023, driven by strong winds that reached up to 70km/h.
The Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs said the fire spread from Kathu in the Gamagara Local Municipality to Lohatla. Department spokesperson Tshenolo Meruti said the Northern Cape has called for national intervention. “Our disaster unit has escalated the matter to the head of the National Disaster Management Centre for their intervention. The South African National Defence Force activated their own choppers to extinguish the fire. The Fire Protection Association will work closely with them.”
Not enough time to evacuate
SANDF spokesperson Major-General René Mercuur said safety precautions were in place but the fire was unpredictable and had changed direction. At 70km/hour and with flames five to 10 metres tall, they didn’t have enough time to evacuate the whole base, the spokesperson said.
The incident happened during preparations of the forthcoming South African Army Exercise Vuk’uhlome, which will culminate in November 2023.
Dlamini said the Chief of the South African Army was on site to personally take charge of the situation and more information will be determined as the investigation continues into the cause of fire from the nearby mine.
Gift of the Givers teams are preparing aid packages in response to requests from the SANDF to assist their members who lost “everything” in the devastating fire. “The SANDF made an urgent request for clothing including underwear, hygiene packs, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, face cloths, hand towels, sanitary pads, energy drinks and blankets. Gift of the Givers teams are loading our truck in Johannesburg with the items requested whilst team members are sourcing additional supplies from wholesalers this morning before embarking on the seven-hour journey,” said Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman.
Sooliman offered his condolences. “Remove the uniforms and they are just ordinary human beings with loved ones depending on them for a livelihood and a stable family,” he said.
Department of Defence Head of Communication Siphiwe Dlamini said the SANDF deeply appreciates the material support offered by the Gift of the Givers, along with the compassion expressed by members of the public.
“We wish to reassure all concerned South Africans that in spite of our dire financial circumstances, the SANDF works hard to adhere to our military doctrine pertaining overall logistics support to our troops with respect to our deployments,” Dlamini said in a statement on Monday morning.
“We respectfully want to correct reports that the South African [National] Defence Force has asked for assistance in this regard. We have not approached or requested anyone, individuals or corporate for material support. Furthermore, the SANDF is not only concerned about bringing relief to its members only, we are equally concerned about the plight of neighbouring communities at the Lohatla military base which were victims of this killer veld fire.
“The SANDF will not hesitate to empty its stores to bring relief to the affected communities and not to SANDF members only. Even under this tragic loss of life, our constitutional responsibility to guarantee the safety of South Africans remains our priority,” Dlamini concluded.
South African National Defence Union (SANDU) National Secretary Pikkie Greeff expressed the organisation’s heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. “Yet another tragedy has now claimed the lives of South African soldiers bringing to total 12 soldiers lost in the past three weeks,” SANDU noted, after three submariners died on 20 September 2023, when they were washed overboard the SAS Manthatisi and four soldiers died in a Samil truck accident while en route to Lohatla that same day.
SANDU said a Board of Inquiry (BOI) will be convened by the SANDF to determine among other things the circumstances leading to the loss of personnel and equipment as well as the value of the equipment losses (which by social media footage seem substantial).
Veldfires are common at this time of year; the South African Weather Service reported multiple fires in the Northern Cape this week amidst a heatwave. This is not the first time a veld fire has caused damage at Lohatla, with for example at least one similar incident in the 1980s causing the loss of several vehicles.
The same fire that swept through Lohatla is also believed to have destroyed at least five houses and burnt an area of 400 000 hectares, claiming grazing land and livestock.
Major General Rene Mercuur said on behalf of South African Army Headquarters that the Army is currently assessing the situation on the ground and further information regarding this incident will be communicated in due course as the investigation is still under way.
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thandi Modise, Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thabang Makwetla, Acting Secretary for Defence, Dr Thobile Gamede, Chief of the South African National Defence Force, General Rudzani Maphwanya and Chief of the South African Army, Lieutenant General Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha, extend their deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the six South African Army members who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty, the South African Army said.
Sources: Daile Maverick, Defence Web
“The members who met their untimely death following the unfortunate incident are: Staff Sergeant Abraham Desember Morajane, Staff Sergeant Sipho Berrington Cele, Corporal Sithembiso Wiseman Ndwalane, Corporal Noxolo Faith Ngubane, Lance Corporal Prince Michael Mthethwa and Lance Corporal Londiwe Purity Zulu,” said the South African Army in a statement. “The departed warriors will be fondly remembered for their fearlessness, sacrifice and defiant spirit throughout their military careers, and they will be sorely missed in the South African Military fraternity.”
Four men and one woman died at the scene and one woman died in hospital. The South African National Defence Force said 1 300 personnel had lost shelters, vehicles and personal belongings.
The fire began mid-morning on Friday near the Khumani and Beeshoek mines. Strong winds and a heat wave exacerbated the fire and carried it to the base, according to the Department of Defence.
Department of Defence spokesman Siphiwe Dlamini said a fire from a nearby mine rolled into the western part of the CTC in the Northern Cape on the afternoon of 6 October 2023, driven by strong winds that reached up to 70km/h.
The Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs said the fire spread from Kathu in the Gamagara Local Municipality to Lohatla. Department spokesperson Tshenolo Meruti said the Northern Cape has called for national intervention. “Our disaster unit has escalated the matter to the head of the National Disaster Management Centre for their intervention. The South African National Defence Force activated their own choppers to extinguish the fire. The Fire Protection Association will work closely with them.”
Not enough time to evacuate
SANDF spokesperson Major-General René Mercuur said safety precautions were in place but the fire was unpredictable and had changed direction. At 70km/hour and with flames five to 10 metres tall, they didn’t have enough time to evacuate the whole base, the spokesperson said.
The incident happened during preparations of the forthcoming South African Army Exercise Vuk’uhlome, which will culminate in November 2023.
Dlamini said the Chief of the South African Army was on site to personally take charge of the situation and more information will be determined as the investigation continues into the cause of fire from the nearby mine.
Gift of the Givers teams are preparing aid packages in response to requests from the SANDF to assist their members who lost “everything” in the devastating fire. “The SANDF made an urgent request for clothing including underwear, hygiene packs, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, face cloths, hand towels, sanitary pads, energy drinks and blankets. Gift of the Givers teams are loading our truck in Johannesburg with the items requested whilst team members are sourcing additional supplies from wholesalers this morning before embarking on the seven-hour journey,” said Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman.
Sooliman offered his condolences. “Remove the uniforms and they are just ordinary human beings with loved ones depending on them for a livelihood and a stable family,” he said.
Department of Defence Head of Communication Siphiwe Dlamini said the SANDF deeply appreciates the material support offered by the Gift of the Givers, along with the compassion expressed by members of the public.
“We wish to reassure all concerned South Africans that in spite of our dire financial circumstances, the SANDF works hard to adhere to our military doctrine pertaining overall logistics support to our troops with respect to our deployments,” Dlamini said in a statement on Monday morning.
“We respectfully want to correct reports that the South African [National] Defence Force has asked for assistance in this regard. We have not approached or requested anyone, individuals or corporate for material support. Furthermore, the SANDF is not only concerned about bringing relief to its members only, we are equally concerned about the plight of neighbouring communities at the Lohatla military base which were victims of this killer veld fire.
“The SANDF will not hesitate to empty its stores to bring relief to the affected communities and not to SANDF members only. Even under this tragic loss of life, our constitutional responsibility to guarantee the safety of South Africans remains our priority,” Dlamini concluded.
South African National Defence Union (SANDU) National Secretary Pikkie Greeff expressed the organisation’s heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. “Yet another tragedy has now claimed the lives of South African soldiers bringing to total 12 soldiers lost in the past three weeks,” SANDU noted, after three submariners died on 20 September 2023, when they were washed overboard the SAS Manthatisi and four soldiers died in a Samil truck accident while en route to Lohatla that same day.
SANDU said a Board of Inquiry (BOI) will be convened by the SANDF to determine among other things the circumstances leading to the loss of personnel and equipment as well as the value of the equipment losses (which by social media footage seem substantial).
Veldfires are common at this time of year; the South African Weather Service reported multiple fires in the Northern Cape this week amidst a heatwave. This is not the first time a veld fire has caused damage at Lohatla, with for example at least one similar incident in the 1980s causing the loss of several vehicles.
The same fire that swept through Lohatla is also believed to have destroyed at least five houses and burnt an area of 400 000 hectares, claiming grazing land and livestock.
Major General Rene Mercuur said on behalf of South African Army Headquarters that the Army is currently assessing the situation on the ground and further information regarding this incident will be communicated in due course as the investigation is still under way.
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thandi Modise, Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thabang Makwetla, Acting Secretary for Defence, Dr Thobile Gamede, Chief of the South African National Defence Force, General Rudzani Maphwanya and Chief of the South African Army, Lieutenant General Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha, extend their deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the six South African Army members who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty, the South African Army said.
Sources: Daile Maverick, Defence Web
