Today, 16 May, we salute and honour the following men & woman who sacrificed their lives whilst standing in the defence of what they held dear at the time and against evil and tyranny.
SOUTH AFRICAN BORDER WAR
16 May 1964: Six members of the SADF were killed when their Military Vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Military Recovery vehicle while returning from a sports event at Uniondale. The casualties were:
- P/23670 Staff Sergeant Abraham Carel Prinsloo from Infantry School. He was 30.
- P/47351 Sergeant Johannes Hendrik August Agenbach from 1 Special Service Battalion. He was 22.
- 47320 Corporal Pieter Johannes Kotze from 2 SAI. He was 22.
- P/25771 Trooper Izak Sybrand Visagie 1 Special Service Battalion. He was 20.
- P/48357 Bombardier Johannes Adrianas Du Toit from 4 Field Regiment. He was 21.
- P/52689 Rifleman Johannes Frederick Wepener from 4 Field Regiment. He was 18
16 May 1981: 05693015PE Warrant Officer Class II Isak Phillipus Venter from North West Command Headquarters was accidentally killed at Stilfontein when he was knocked down by a civilian vehicle during the Republic Day preparation festivities. He was 47.
16 May 1981: 76349216BG Rifleman Benjamin Buys from 16 Maintenance Unit was killed when his private motor vehicle overturned at Grootfontein. It appears that he had fallen asleep behind the wheel. He was 20.
RHODESIAN BUSH WAR
1971 – Constable DZVIMBO, Uniform BSAP, killed on active service. Died from head injuries in a road accident on the Gatooma/Hartley road. He was 25 years old and is buried in Gatooma where he was stationed.
1978 – Field Reservist Panganayi NYANHANDA, Police Reserve, BSAP, murdered. Killed whilst off duty by CTs in the Cashel area, Op Thrasher. His private funeral was held at St Patrick's Mission, Cashel, on 18 May.
1979 – Guard R. ISAKI (not his surname), RHQ Charlie, Op Repulse, Guard Force, killed on active service. This would almost certainly not have been his surname, but his first name - a not uncommon habit back then of clerical "errors." Sadly, we may never know his surname, which is so important in tracing our black soldiers' tribal background.
1979 – Trooper Kenneth Herman "Ken" MYBURGH, Support Commando, 1st Battalion, RLI, KIA. Killed in CT action.
† Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten †
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