By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thandi Modise attended the memorial service of six SANDF members who died in a fire at the Lohatla Army Combat Training Centre in the Northern Cape.
The six died when a veld fire raced through the base.
The six soldiers have since been identified as staff-sergeant Abraham Desember Morajane, staff-sergeant Sipho Berrington Cele, corporal Sithembiso Wiseman Ndwalane, corporal Noxolo Faith Ngubane, lance-corporal Prince Michael Mthethwa and lance-corporal Londiwe Purity Zulu.
Three others suffered severe burns.
The victims were part of a group of 1,300 soldiers who were at the combat training centre preparing for an annual army exercise, Vuk’uhlome, set to take place at the end of the year.
Addressing the media on Thursday, Modise said the incident was “a lesson” and pointed out the training skills such as fire drills would need to be intensified.
The minister said it was not necessary to move the military training base to another area despite frequent fire incidents in recent times.
“Are we unnecessarily putting the soldiers at risk because we have fires that are unprecedented? I don’t think we are. Even before the fires, soldiers are sent here deliberately because this is a tough military training site. If the soldiers run away then what about the communities in this area? Should we uproot the communities too?” Modise said.
She highlighted that more preventative measures are needed in order to handle such incidents in a preferably better manner.
“What we need to do is carefully relook at the situation and plan accordingly… that’s why I spoke about damming to make sure we have enough water at the base.
“In fact it might also get us into the space of using greywater for reuse because then we will be able to save resources and other things. I don’t think we should stop training [because] becoming a soldier is not like opting to sit behind a desk and even those who sit at the desk in the military face the risk,” the minister said.
Modise also said the SANDF was feeling the effects of budget cuts as it leaves less money for training and maintenance.
“Yes, [National] Treasury does not have an infinite pocket. Yes, we must relook at our priorities to [find out] what is of utmost importance to focus our resources at.”
She disputed the notion that the damage to military equipment due to the fire would leave South Africa vulnerable to attacks.
They will have to think again because we will moer them back. There is enough [equipment] we can go draw on to defence this country.”
The minister stressed that investigations into the incident are underway.
Three weeks ago three submariners died in Cape Town after a wave struck them during an exercise.
Days later four members of the SANDF died in a car accident in the Northern Cape. Eleven others were taken to hospital.