The police in North West have opened an inquest after four soldiers were found dead inside a container structure that was used as a guard house for those on 24-hour duty in Orkney on Saturday. In a statement today, the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) said the deceased soldiers were on duty as part of Operation Vala Umgodi, an operation to curb illegal mining activities.

THEY WERE FOUND BY COLLEAGUES 

SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said the deceased soldiers' bodies were discovered when the next shift was taking over the following morning. "The bodies had no injuries, and the soldiers' rifles and their personal items were still with them. SAPS was called in, and upon inspection of the scene, all four had died,' Dlamini said in the statement, adding that the police have opened an inquest.

SUSPECTED CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING  

Dlamini said the four were deployed on a 24-hour shift at Shaft 3, a dormant mining shaft located in a hotspot for illegal mining. "The district surgeon was called to the scene, examined the bodies, and confirmed no injuries. A team from the Pretoria Forensic Science Laboratory chemistry unit also attended the scene, and preliminary findings are that the deaths could have been caused by carbon monoxide poisoning from a possible fire made by the members during the cold night inside the container structure," said Dlamini. He added that the bodies of the deceased were transported to the Klerksdorp state mortuary for further investigation and postmortem.

CONDOLENCES 

The minister of defence and military veterans, Angie Motshekga, has sent her condolences to the families of the deceased and the entire defence family. The names of the deceased will be announced once the families have been informed. "All processes and formalities have been completed, followed by the announcement of the funeral arrangements," said Dlamini.