An autopsy to establish the cause of death of a soldier who died at Oudtshoorn army base has been performed.
|||Cape Town - An autopsy to establish the cause of death of a soldier who died during the night at Oudtshoorn army base last Thursday was carried out on Monday.
The results were, however, not yet available, said police spokesman Captain Malcolm Pojie.
Private Sikwane Walter Masamba, 27, was from Venda and was the seventh person to have died in the past four years at the base, according to the SA National Defence Union (Sandu).
Sandu chairman Pikkie Greeff said the death appeared to have been due to hypothermia. He accused the command at Oudtshoorn of failing to check on soldiers while they were on guard duty.
“We are saying that if proper protocol was followed the death could have been prevented,” he said.
Defence ministry spokesman Brigadier-General Xolani Mabanga said the soldier had been found dead in a tent.
“To suggest that there was no radio contact between the soldier and the commander is nonsensical.”
Mabanga talked of “individuals who will always try to discredit the SANDF”.
Greeff, in turn, said “it is neither I nor Sandu who seeks to discredit SANDF, your bosses do a pretty good job of that all by themselves”.
Mabanga said the SANDF would not comment further since it was now a matter between the family, the police and the doctor who conducted the autopsy.
daneel.knoetze@inl.co.za
Cape Argus