SANDF Probes Tragic Deaths of Four Soldiers at Orkney Mine Site

• The SANDF is investigating the death of four of its soldiers at a dormant mineshaft in Orkney, in the North West
• The four, who were part of Operation Vala Umgodi, were on a 24-hour shift in a container used as a guard house
• An inspection revealed that the soldiers hadn’t suffered any injuries, and their weapons were still on site

Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has launched a probe into the death of four soldiers in Orkney in the North West.

Operation Vala Umgodi

According to EWN, the four were found dead inside a container used as a guard house on 6 July 2024. The SANDF said the soldiers were on a 24-hour shift at the dormant mine shaft, which was an illegal mining hotspot. They were part of Operation Vala Umgodi, which tackled unlawful mining activities.

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The military’s spokesperson, Siphiwe Dlamini, told the news agency that the police were notified about the incident:

"Upon inspection of the scene, all four had died with their rifles on them and their items still with them. The district surgeon was called to the scene and examined the bodies, and confirmed no injuries.”

Mzansi weighs in

South Africans shared their opinions and theories about the incident on social media.

@Ma_LoJ

“Kodwa, we are naked as a country.”

@MahlatjiMm

“Hollowed-out & defunded @SANDF_ZA.”

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Source: Briefly News