Dr Amanda Brand | Senior Researcher at the Centre for Evidence-based Health Care in the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics with Stellenbosch University 

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said an inquest has been opened by the South African Police Service (SAPS) following the death of four of its members on Saturday, July 6 in Orkney in the North West.

In a statement released on Sunday, the SANDF said the soldiers were on duty as part of Operation Vala Umgodi - an operation that deals with illegal mining activities.

The soldiers were deployed to a 24-hour shift at Shaft 3, a dormant mining shaft in Orkney near the disused Harry Oppenheimer stadium which has been a hotspot for illegal mining.

“The deceased members were found inside a container structure which was used as a guard house for those on 24-hour duty on the morning of July 6, 2024, when the next shift was taking over the following day, upon opening the doors of the container.

“The SAPS was called in and upon inspection of the scene, all four had died, with their rifles on them and their personal items still with them,” the SANDF said.