30 December, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
30 Dec 1974: W60263R Constable Albertus Boshoff from the South African Police who was serving in Rhodesia, was Killed in Action after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest during a contact with insurgents near Mount Darwin. He was 20.
30 Dec 1975: 01196807PE Major Hendrik Matthee from the School of Armour suffered a fatal heart attack while on duty at Grootfontein. He was 38.
30 Dec 1976: 73531899BC Corporal Peter Vaughan Phipson from the Equestrian Regiment Died of Wounds in 1 Military Hospital after being critically wounded near Etale when his horse detonated a Soviet Anti-Tank Mine during anti-insurgent operations in mid-October 1976. He was flown back to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries on 30 December 1976 after developing complications. He was 19.
30 Dec 1980: 77494953BG Rifleman Jacob Adriaan Theron from 8 SAI sustained critical head injuries in a private motor vehicle accident in Klerksdorp on 27 December 1980. He was evacuated by air to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria where he sadly succumbed to his injuries on 30 December 1980. He was 19.
30 Dec 1988: 85520070BG Airman Johan Nicolaas Nel from the 70 Mobile Radar Unit was accidentally electrocuted while serving at 140 Squadron, AFB Ondangwa. Johan was on standby duty and a call was received to scramble. All on duty personnel rushed to the trailers, one of which was not earthed properly. Johan was barefooted at the time as it had been raining. There was a short circuit on the trailer door and as he tried to open the door, he was killed instantly. He was 19.
30 Dec 1989: 89513998BG Private Douglas Emmanuel De Freitas from 72 Motorised Brigade Headquarters was killed instantly while on guard duty at the Brigade Headquarters when he was struck by a bullet resulting from an accidental discharge from a fellow soldier’s rifle. He was 19.
30 Dec 1993: Three Azanian People's Liberation Army APLA) operatives entered a popular student venue, the Heidelberg Tavern, located on Station Road in Observatory, Cape Town, and opened fire with AK-47 Assault Rifles, killing six students and injuring two more. The three APLA operatives - Humphrey Luyanda Gqomfa, Vuyisile Brian Madasi and Zola Prince Mabala were convicted in November 1994 for what became known as the Heidelberg Massacre. On 16 July 1998, the Truth and Reconcilliation Commission (TRC) granted amnesty to all three men. The six casualties in this incident were:
Lindi-Anne Fourie
Bernadette Sharon Langford
Rolande Lucielle Palm
Jose’ Nosolino Cerqueira
Alan Deglon
Quentin Cornelius
The Two Civilians Wounded in this incident were:
Michael Jacob January
Benjamin Braude
30 Dec 1996: One member from 111 Battalion was killed and one member critically injured while travelling as passengers when their Samil 20 overturned at Mahamba. The casualties were:
89728695PE Rifleman Amos Nkambule. He was 25.
89729016PE Rifleman Ndoda Samuel Mango later succumbed to his injuries in the Piet Retief Hospital. He was 35.
30 Dec 1998: 95654034 Signaller B.A. Gumbi from the South African Corps of Signals died of disease in St. Aiden’s Hospital. He was 28.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.