RELEASE LOHATLHA REPORT

The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms. Lindiwe Sisulu, has confirmed that the report into the death of nine soldiers in a shooting accident in Lohatlha in 2007 has been completed. She also said that since 2005, 21 members of the Defence Force have died during training (7) and exercises (14). She was replying to a question of Pieter Groenewald of the Freedom Front Plus in Parliament. In the reply it is stated that due to the sensitivity of the incident in Lohatlha, the chief of the Defence Force will personally inform the Minister about the findings, should she request it. At the time a 35mm anti-aircraft gun lost control and the operator killed nine colleagues.

"The Minister should make the report known immediately. Her predecessor, Mosiuoa Lekota at the time gave an undertaking in Parliament that the investigation into the Lohatlha shooting would be transparent and that nothing would be hidden away. The release of the report is necessary to ensure that Parliament fulfils its oversight role. The public is also entitled to know what went wrong and which preventative measures have been taken to ensure that a similar incident does not happen again," Pieter Groenewald chief spokesperson on Defence for the Freedom Front Plus says.

"There are many unanswered questions as to what had gone wrong and whether there had been any negligence and who was responsible for it. It was said that the mechanical safety pin of the gun had broken but the gun also has static safety pins which pegs the firing area down. If there was any negligence someone has to be held responsible and accountable for it. I will today be submitting at Parliament an official question to the Minister about the report," Groenewald said.

"What is further worrying is that in eight of the deaths since 2007, the Board of Inquiry into the incidents have not been finalised. This includes three parachute soldiers. If the investigation into the cause has not been finalised, the same mistake can be repeated and more soldiers could die during training. The Minister will also have to answer as to why these investigations have not been finalised," Groenewald said.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

QUESTION 754

Mr P J Groenewald (FF Plus) to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans

(1) How many (a) members of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) were killed during peace-keeping operations (i) in (aa) 2005, (bb) 2006, (cc) 2007, (dd) 2008, (ee) 2009 and (ff) 2010 and (ii) during the period 1 January 2011 up to the latest specified date for which information is available and (b) of these deaths in each specified period were caused by (i) foreign or (ii) friendly forces;

(2) (a) how many members of the SANDF were killed (i) in (aa) 2005, (bb) 2006, (cc) 2007, (dd) 2008, (ee) 2009 and (ff) 2010 and (ii) during the period 1 January 2011 up to the latest specified date for which information is available, in South Africa during (aa) training and (bb) exercises and (b) what was the reason for each specified death;

(3) whether a board of enquiry was instituted into each specified death during such training and exercises; if not, why not; if so, what were the findings, in each case;

(4) whether she will make a statement on the matter?

 NW769

REPLY:

(1) (a)(i)(aa)(bb)(cc)(dd)(ee)(ff)(ii)

(b) (i)(ii)

(2) (a)(i)(aa)(bb)(cc)(dd)(ee)(ff)(ii)(aa)(bb)

(b)

TOTAL NUMBER OF MEMBERS KILLED: 21

NUMBER OF MEMBERS KILLED DURING TRAINING: 7

NUMBER OF MEMBERS KILLED DURING EXERCISES: 14

(3) Yes, the findings are provided in a Reply to part 2 of this question

(4) Not at this stage

Statement issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus Chief Spokesperson: Defence, May 10 2011

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