An infantry soldier died and 14 others were injured when a bus was involved in a road crash in Mpumalanga on Tuesday.
This is the third bus crash where SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members have died since August 2016.
This week’s crash, according to SANDF Director: Corporate Communications Brigadier General Mafi Mgobozi, happened at around 15:30 on the Hectorspruit road between Malelane and the Macadamia military base.
The bus was carrying 4 SA Infantry Battalion members from Nelspruit back to Macadamia when the crash happened. No information was given about other vehicles involved apart from stating the 17 injured military personnel were taken to Tonga Hospital.
In July last year a bus ferrying soldiers from Kimberley to Saldanha overturned on the N12 highway leaving one dead, four with serious injuries and another 38 with minor injuries.
The year before a bus transporting 42 SANDF personnel to the Golden Gate Highlands Park in eastern Free State crashed and rolled down an embankment killing 11 serving woman.
Members of the public who see military vehicles bring driven dangerously and/or recklessly can and should report such incidents.
“All suspected disciplinary and criminal offences involving SANDF and Department of Defence (DoD) personnel can be reported,” Mgobozi said.
He appealed to the public to provide as much detail as possible when reporting incidents to 0800 222 091.
“Calls to that number will automatically be directed to the relevant Military Police office,” he said.
Update: The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) announced the name of the memb er who died as Corporal Mgongeni Hlekwane (43). He was working at 4 South African Infantry Battalion in Middelburg, Mpumalanga and was originally from Kwa Mashu, Kwazulu Natal. He leaves behind his wife and five children.
