Saps investigating the non-violent deaths of four SANDF soldiers at an Orkney mine shaft

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has announced that the South African Police Service (Saps) is undertaking an investigation, in preparation for an inquest, into the deaths of four SANDF members while on duty in the Orkney district of the North West province. The soldiers were part of Operation Vala Umgodi, directed against illegal mining. “The deceased members were found inside a container structure which was used as a guard house for those on 24 hours duty, on the morning of the 6 July 2024, when the next shift was taking over the following day, upon opening the doors of the container,” reported the SANDF in its statement. “Saps was called in and upon inspection of the scene all four had died, with their rifles on them and their personal items still with them.”