28 November, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
28 Nov 1976: 73509275BB Corporal Terence Paul Leonard from 2 SAI was killed when the vehicle in which he was traveling in a convoy from Grootfontein to Walvis Bay overturned 5km outside Grootfontein on the Tsumeb road and he was crushed underneath the vehicle. He was 19.
28 Nov 1976: 72213168BA Rifleman Friedrich Erwin Abraham Kuhn from Infantry School was killed in a private motorcycle accident at Rawsonville in the Cape while on weekend pass. He was 20.
28 Nov 1977: 74239856BG Rifleman Lawrence Dennis Kretzmann from 11 Commando Regiment attached to 53 Battalion, was critically injured on 11 November 1977 when his Unimog Troop Carrier overturned after striking an animal in the road north of Oshakati while carrying out escort duties. He was pinned under all the sandbags that were on the rear of the vehicle. He was evacuated to 1 Military Hospital where he sadly succumbed to his injuries on 28 November 1977. He was 19.
28 Nov 1978: 72408487BG Lance Corporal Waldemar Heinrich Grobler from 5 SAI was Killed in Action 2 km from Elundu Base when his 32-man patrol clashed with a large group of approximately 180 SWAPO/PLAN insurgents that had just crossed the Cut-line into South West Africa. During this engagement, a White Phosphor Hand Grenade that was attached to his battle jacket harness was struck by an enemy bullet and exploded, killing him instantly. He was 22.
28 Nov 1978: 75404568BG Rifleman Robert Sentefol from 2 SAI was killed instantly after being struck by lightning during a thunderstorm while he was on patrol in the Etosha Pan. He was 18.
28 Nov 1980: 76538701BG Private David Wayne Sivell, a Dog Handler from Air Force Base Waterkloof was killed in a private motor vehicle accident while on a weekend pass. He was 20.
28 Nov 1980: 06317010HC Pioneer Kaptou Visser from the Quartermaster General attached to 11 Supply & Transport Depot in Wynberg, suffered a fatal heart attack at his home. He was 58.
28 Nov 1980: Four SAAF members from the Air Defence School in Pretoria were killed in a private aircraft crash while on a weekend pass. While flying from Rand Airport to Riversdal, the aircraft crashed on the northern slope of the Fouriesberg Mountains, 10 km West of the Robinson Pass. The Casualties were:
78329729BG Private Pieter Barand De Villiers. He was 18.
76541499BG Private Gabriel De Wet van Eeden. He was 20.
72240567BG Private Leonard Wilhelm Kruger. He was 24.
77510527BG Private Abraham Daniel Roux. He was 19.
28 Nov 1983: 76409937BT Corporal Gary Richard Milne from Western Province Command was killed in a military vehicle accident at Garries. He was 23.
28 Nov 1984: 74233305PE Sergeant Morris Melville Bekker from Natal Command Headquarters Unit died in the Addington Hospital from injuries sustained when his military motorcycle was struck by a civilian motor vehicle in Argyle Road, Durban. He was 26.
28 Nov 1986: 83580449BG Rifleman Gregory Bruce Gerald Marshall from Infantry School was killed in a private motorcycle accident near Uniondale while on a weekend pass. He was 19.
28 Nov 1988: 76341650BG Lance Corporal Izak Johannes van Rooyen from the Medical Base Depot was killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Springs. He was 28.
28 Nov 1992: Four APLA Gunmen burst into the King William's Town Golf Club as 55 members of the King Wine Circle, a wine-tasting club that included much of the town gentry, were having their annual Christmas dinner. Five guests were killed instantly when the men sprayed the room with AK-47 automatic weapons fire and lobbed in hand grenades. Three hand grenades exploded in the dining room, the bar and in a shed outside the clubhouse. Fifteen diners and two waitresses were wounded, some seriously by the gunfire, shrapnel and flying glass. The four APLA operatives, Thembelani Thandekile Xundu, Malusi Morrison, Thobela Mlambisa and Lungisa Ntintili subsequently escaped by vehicle. All four were later granted amnesty for this attack. The five civilian fatalities in this senseless attack were:
Mr Ian MacDonald. He was 62.
Mrs Rhoda MacDonald. She was 56.
Mr David Davis
Mrs Gillian Davis
Mrs Marjorie Dickenson
28 Nov 1993: 93653012AR Rifleman Champion Bafo Ngcobo from 5 SAI was killed while off duty when he was being attacked and stabbed multiple times by persons unknown while walking on the road near the Transnet Compound in Howick. He was 28.
28 Nov 1998: 86760519 Sergeant M S Mdhluli from 15 SAI was killed in a private motor vehicle accident at Thohoyandou. He was 37.
28 Nov 1998: 93463180 Rifleman W Scheffers from 3 SAI was killed in a private motor vehicle accident at Kathu. He was 28.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.