On 15 July, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
15 Jul 1972: Lieutenant Daniel Wynand Serfontein, a Pilot from 25 Squadron, was killed together with his girlfriend Julie in a private motor vehicle accident in the Karoo when their motor vehicle left the road and overturned. He was returning to Air Force Base Ysterplaat after completing a training course in Pretoria when the accident occurred. He was 23.
15 Jul 1981: 78313269BG Rifleman Ettienne Zwanepoel from 1 SAI was accidentally shot dead during a live firing training exercise at the Wepener Training Area. He was 18.
15 Jul 1982: Special Constable Vusi Tsiposa from the South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K (Koevoet) was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 27.
15 Jul 1983: Two members from 2 Special Service Battalion were killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Pretoria while on weekend pass when their private vehicle collided with a furniture truck in Hercules. They were on a weekend pass at the time of the accident. The casualties were:
80350200BG Trooper Pieter Hendrik De Lange. He was 19.
80275258BG Trooper Pieter Ignatius Michael Stassen. He was 19.
15 Jul 1984: Three members from the Special Forces Headquarters Unit were killed when their Unimog Troop Carrier overturned near M’pacha in the Caprivi Strip. The casualties were:
82539701BG Sapper Nicolaas Jacobus Gerhardus Helberg. He was 18.
78531340BG Rifleman Christoffel Booysen. He was 21.
83586925BG Rifleman Marthinus Hendrik Grobler. He was 20.
15 Jul 1994: 65650020PE Warrant Officer Class I Gideon Johannes Swarts from the Army Engineer Formation suffered a heart attack and later died in 1 Military Hospital. He was 45.
15 Jul 1998: 94980240 Private M Ntuli from Army Headquarters was killed after he was struck by a civilian vehicle while walking in Pretoria. He was carrying out official duties at the time of the incident. He was 26.
15 Jul 2003: 97212658 Corporal Ntshengedzeni Moses Matshavha from 2 SAI was accidentally killed while carrying out Peacekeeping Duties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) when he suffered grievous chest injuries sustained after being run over by a SAMIL vehicle. He was 27.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten