Komatipoort, Mpumalanga – Tragedy struck the Macadamia Military Base near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga in the early hours of Saturday morning, as a member of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) allegedly stabbed two of his fellow soldiers, killing one, before taking his own life.
The incident has prompted a joint investigation by the SANDF and the South African Police Service (SAPS), and has raised concerns about the mental health and well-being of soldiers serving on the front lines.
SANDF spokesperson Prince Tshabalala confirmed that the soldier, who had recently been approved for withdrawal from duty, launched the attack on his colleagues in their accommodation. One soldier died as a result of the stabbing, while the other has since been discharged from hospital.
When his colleagues entered the bungalow and tried to arrest him, the soldier stabbed himself in the neck. He was taken to hospital where he died, Tshabalala said.
Tshabalala told News24 that after he was withdrawn from service, the soldier began attacking his colleagues, stabbing two of them. One of the soldiers died, while the other had since been discharged from hospital, he added.
Rear Admiral (JG) Prince Tshabalala said: “The South African National Defense Force can confirm that an unfortunate incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday at the Macadamia Military Base near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga. A SANDF member, who was approved for withdrawal from duty, attacked fellow soldiers in his accommodation. One member died during the attack. The attacker later died from self-inflicted wounds when he stabbed himself in the neck.”
The SANDF has expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and has deployed military health officials and chaplain services to provide support to affected members at the base. The names of the deceased are being withheld until their families have been formally notified.
Tshabalala urged the public and media to allow the investigation to proceed without speculation and to respect the privacy of the affected families.
The SANDF said one of the soldiers allegedly attacked his colleagues, killing one of them before stabbing himself during Operation CORONA deployment at Macadamia Military Base in Mpumalanga.
“The SANDF and the South African Police Service (SAPS) launched a joint investigation. Military health and chaplain services were sent to support the affected members,” said Tshabalala.
Tshabalala said the minister of defence and military veterans and the chief of the SANDF sent their deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. “They also called for stronger support for mental health and reintegration of SANDF members. The names of the deceased are withheld until their families have been informed," he said.
The Macadamia Military Base is a key location for Operation Corona, which sees SANDF soldiers deployed to protect South Africa's borders. Many of the soldiers stationed at the base near Komatipoort, Mpumalanga, play a crucial role in safeguarding the country's borders.
The incident has prompted calls for a greater focus on mental health support and reintegration programmes for SANDF members, particularly those who are being withdrawn from active duty. The stresses and challenges of military service can take a toll on individuals, and it is essential that adequate resources are available to support their well-being.
While the SANDF grapples with this tragedy, questions continue to be raised about the military's financial priorities, particularly in light of recent revelations about lavish spending on international travel for senior officers.
The military and the department of defence have repeatedly complained about their limited funds over the past few months, however, this hasn’t prevented generals and senior officers from travelling abroad in style.
A delegation of nine senior officers spent an enormous R800 000 on a five-day trip for a meeting in China, and this was after China paid for their hotel accommodation.
The air force, which struggles to keep more than a handful of aircraft operational daily, paid nearly R470 000 for three senior officers to attend an air force symposium in Italy over five days.
Six delegates of SA Air Force chief Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo also recently attended a four-day meeting in Sweden. The total cost for this trip was R520 400.
Military chief General Rudzani Maphwanya led the group that went to China. It was requested that the entire group fly in business class because the flight was longer than eight hours.
The military usually uses long flights as an exception for its “ordinary” travellers, except for generals, who always fly business class. In this case, the nine flight tickets alone cost R737 500.
In the case of the Italy visit, Mbambo wasn’t even part of the trip, and a major general, a brigadier general and a lieutenant colonel attended the symposium.
Mbambo apparently wasn’t part of the Sweden trip either.
The military’s lavish travels come shortly after Defence Minister Angie Motshekga complained again about their financial constraints. She raised the issue on the return of South African soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Aircraft from Air Tanzania have had to transport five groups of returning soldiers so far because the air force has no airlift capability.
Motshekga said the military’s predicament is only getting worse because the department isn’t getting the money it hoped for from Treasury.
Even President Cyril Ramaphosa travelled on a commercial jet to the G7 summit in Canada this past week because his business jet is currently out of action.
The issue of ministers and other high-ranking officials travelling in style while the country’s economy is in a pinch has recently come under scrutiny.
Opposition party ActionSA found that, in the year since the government of national unity was established, the ministers have already accumulated a bill of more than R200 million for foreign travel.
While ActionSA focuses on holding ministers accountable for their alleged waste of state money on pointless foreign trips, the party said the country needs to know what its leaders are doing with taxpayers’ money.
South Africans deserve leadership that puts its people’s interests before perks.
ActionSA
As the investigation into the tragic events at the Macadamia Military Base continues, it is crucial that the SANDF addresses both the immediate needs of those affected and the broader issues of mental health support and financial accountability within the organisation.
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