On 30 July, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Final Roll Call.
30 July 1978: 73311037BG Private Anthony John Chinery from the Air force Gymnasium died in 1 Military Hospital as a result of multiple injuries sustained in a private motor cycle accident in Pretoria. He was 20. He was the Brother of Lieutenant Bruce Charles Chinery from 40 Squadron who was killed in an aircraft crash on 12 July 1983.
30 July 1979: 70448782BG Sapper Colin Stephen Rees from the School of Engineers died from a gunshot wound accidentally sustained while stationed at Kroonstad. He was 24.
30 July 1982: 78332558BG Rifleman Daryl Peter Croeser from 1 SA, attached to 61 Mechanised Battalion Group was Killed in Action in Southern Angola during Ops Meebos when his Ratel 90, Callsign 72 detonated a double boosted Yugoslavian TMA-3 Cheese Anti-Tank Mine while escorting a logistics convoy near Mupa. He was 19.
30 July 1983: 83890465SWK Rifleman Vusimana Kamundiro of 202 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents near the Cut-line. He was 24
30 July 1986: 84917731SWK Lance Corporal R.H. Makaranga from 202 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. He was 25.
30 July 1987: 81187023BG Rifleman Johannes Petrus Wessels Groenewald from 8 SAI was critically wounded and paralysed on 14 July 1983 when a Claymore Mine was accidentally detonated near Beacon 35 while in the process of being made safe. He was evacuated to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria and after a long period of recuperation in hospital, he was discharged and placed into a care facility. Three years after this incident, complications arose as a result of the injuries he had received and gangrene set in. He was re-admitted to 1 Military Hospital for treatment where he sadly succumbed on 30 July 1987. He was 24.
30 July 1988: A beautiful young Civilian Lady, Maryanne D'Oliveira Netto Serrano was killed when a Soviet SPM Limpet Mine, planted by MK operatives in the Wimpy Bar at the Benoni Plaza exploded. Another fifty nine people were injured in the blast, nine of them seriously. She was 21. The four MK operatives responsible for the bombing, Tebogo Kebotlhale, Molwedi Mokoena, Phumzile Sigasa and Elgas Mabore Ndhlovu, applied for amnesty to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for the bombing in Benoni as well as an ambush outside Lindela Hostel in Katlehong during 1988. They alleged that they had targeted the Wimpy Bar because they believed it was a regular meeting place for police officers. All four men were granted amnesty in 1999.
30 July 1994: 87775755PE Corporal Bradley Paul August from 515 SAAF Security Squadron at Air Force Base Louis Trichardt was accidentally killed while travelling as a passenger when his Rhino Armoured Personnel Carrier overturned while on a patrol in Venda. He was 25.
30 Jul 1994: 94073541PY Private Peter Pono Leeu, an ex MK member temporarily attached to the South African Army Wallmannsthal Assembly Area was killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Soweto. He was 33.
30 Jul 1998: 92660067 Lance Corporal K A Motsoaedi from 1 SAI died of disease in 3 Military Hospital. He was 41.
30 Jul 1998: 91712885 Rifleman P.B.B. Mtshweni from 121 Battalion died of disease at Morettele. He was Absent Without Leave (AWOL) at the time of his death. He was 46.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten