Ramaphosa mourns deaths of four troops in NW
President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent his condolences to the families of four SANDF soldiers who died over the weekend.
The soldiers were deployed to the North West as part of Operation Vala Umgodi, an initiative that aims to tackle illegal mining activities in South Africa.
The members were deployed on a 24-hour shift at Shaft 3, a dormant mining shaft situated near the disused Harry Oppenheimer stadium, which has been a hot spot for illegal mining.
“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,” said the Presidency’s Vincent Magwenya on Tuesday.
"The president’s thoughts are with the team of soldiers who discovered their deceased colleagues in a container at a disused mine shaft at Orkney in the North West Province," said Magwenya.
ALSO READ:
