SANDF soldier shoots and kills two colleagues, before turning gun on himself
A soldier from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) fatally shot two fellow soldiers before turning the gun on himself at the Macadamia Military Base near Komatipoort, Mpumalanga, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
SANDF spokesperson Prince Tshabalala told News24 that both the SANDF and police had launched full investigations.
'The circumstances surrounding the incident remain the subject of ongoing inquiry, and further details will be communicated once officially verified,' said Tshabalala.
'The SANDF expresses its deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the deceased members. This is a deeply painful moment for the organisation and the military community at large.'
Tshabalala urged the public and media to allow the investigation to proceed without speculation and to respect the privacy of the affected families during this difficult time.
More to follow.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
34 minutes ago
- CNN
Suspect in Minnesota lawmaker attacks was a ‘prepper' who had drafted a ‘bailout plan' for wife, according to court filing
The man charged in the killings of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband one week ago was a 'prepper' and had at some point given his wife a 'bailout plan' in case of 'exigent circumstances,' according to an FBI agent investigating the case. The term 'prepper' refers generally to someone who stockpiles materials and makes plans to survive some future disaster or doomsday event. In a newly unsealed affidavit obtained by CNN affiliate WCCO, FBI agent Terry Getsch wrote that Boelter and his wife were preppers and that Boelter's established 'bailout plan' instructed his wife to go to her mother's home in Wisconsin. The affidavit does not imply that Boelter's wife knew about her husband's alleged plans to attack the lawmakers, and she has not been charged with any crime. After last Saturday's shootings, Boelter's wife was pulled over by law enforcement 'while traveling with her four children to visit friends northwest of the metro area,' Getsch wrote. She consented to a search of their car, in which investigators found two handguns, passports for Boelter's wife and their children and about $10,000 in cash. During an interview, Boelter's wife said that she received a group text message from Boelter in a thread with their kids. 'Dad went to war last night … I don't wanna say more because I don't wanna implicate anybody,' one text from Boelter to members of his family read, according to a federal complaint unsealed earlier this week. The affidavit also revealed that at roughly 9 a.m. on Saturday, Boelter visited a bank in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, and withdrew all $2,200 he had in a bank account in his name. A third party whose name is redacted in the affidavit drove Boelter from the bank. Boelter was driven to the bank by a person listed as 'Witness 1' in a previously unsealed court document, the same person who authorities say sold Boelter an electric bike and Buick sedan, which was found during the 43-hour manhunt last weekend. Authorities said earlier this week Boelter is believed to have carried out the attacks on lawmakers alone, but noted investigators would 'fully explore' to ensure that was the case. CNN reached out to the Brooklyn Park Police Department for an update on the investigation. Boelter, 57, faces both federal and state charges. Investigators found 'voluminous writings' in Boelter's home and car, but no clear manifesto has been uncovered, according to Acting US attorney Joseph Thompson. The notebooks contained the names of more than 45 Minnesota state and federal public officials, 'mostly or all Democrats,' according to the complaint. Some listed had ties to Planned Parenthood and the abortion rights movement. Boelter made his first appearance in federal court on Monday. He faces six federal charges, including murder, stalking and firearms offenses. He has not yet entered a plea and CNN has reached out to the federal public defender representing him for comment. Boelter is scheduled to appear in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota, for a preliminary detention hearing on Friday.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
More Russian servicemen released as part of prisoner exchange with Ukraine
Russia's Defense Ministry said Friday that it had received another group of released Russian servicemen as part of a prisoner swap agreed with Ukraine during peace talks in Istanbul.
News24
an hour ago
- News24
Short-term leases leave Randburg's international sports facility in limbo
Randburg Sports Complex faces decay due to decade-long lease renewal delays, causing sponsorship losses and leaving clubs unable to maintain safety, infrastructure, or facilities. Local sports codes, residents, and a petition demand long-term leases to restore the facility. The City of Johannesburg has promised to address the issue through the Johannesburg Property Company, but progress remains stalled, prompting local advocates to escalate their efforts to provincial and national levels. Johannesburg residents braved the cold last Thursday evening to speak about the Randburg Sports Complex, an internationally recognised sports facility, which they claim has not renewed its leases for the last 10 years. News24 was told that the various sporting disciplines, or 'codes', that use the facility can only renew their licences monthly. The facility has hosted several international tournaments over the years but is now losing out on sponsorships because sponsors cannot be guaranteed that the various sporting codes will still be around in the next few months if the City denies them an extension on their leases. People who attended Thursday's event said they could no longer afford the upkeep of their fields, fences, lighting, and security. The knock-on effect is that the facility is no longer a safe space. At the meeting, coaches spoke about vehicles being stolen or hijacked as parents waited for their children to finish coaching, children being held up with weapons and having their valuables stolen, and coaches being beaten up by thieves inside the facility. Now, a petition with over 1 600 responses demands that the City immediately grant 'fair, long-term leases' to the clubs 'who have kept this place alive against all odds'. 'For over 10 years, clubs and sports codes have been denied leases, leaving them powerless to invest or restore. What was once a safe, thriving space for families, athletes, and youth is now falling into disrepair, overrun by crime and unsavoury activity,' the petition states. 'With commitment and community, we can rebuild, revive, and protect the future of Randburg.' The petition is headed by Ward 102 Councillor Lucinda Harman, who said that the sports complex, once the heartbeat of the community, was crumbling. 'This is more than just a sports facility. It's part of Randburg's identity. Its decline is dragging down surrounding businesses, property values, and community safety. We refuse to watch our shared space rot away while bureaucracy stalls progress,' the petition states, a sentiment repeated by the various sporting codes which spoke on Thursday. The City of Johannesburg, however, said that the city sport and recreation director recently engaged with Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), which conducted a site visit to the facility. 'The process is ongoing as JPC considers extending the duration of the existing agreements to accommodate the clubs' needs,' the City said, adding that a workshop with JPC was 'scheduled soon to address and finalise issues related to all current agreements'. The City said all clubs and entities operating at the complex enter into annual or seasonal usage agreements with sport and recreation. 'These agreements stipulate that each club is responsible for securing and maintaining their respective clubhouses and playing fields, as well as settling utility bills for water and electricity. 'Following the expiry of these lease agreements, sport and recreation submitted applications for permission to build and occupy through the JPC. This initiative aims to support the clubs by providing an opportunity to establish long-term occupancy arrangements,' it stated. READ | Officials cut Komani sports field tender period, disregarded top bidder – Public Protector The sports complex hosts a wide variety of sporting codes, including astro hockey, five-a-side and six-a-side soccer, soccer development, K9 dog school, pigeon racing, basketball, diggers rugby, baseball, running, social tennis, and netball. On Thursday, Harman told the gathered that the complex was an 'international sports facility precinct and needs to be respected as such'. Despite being invited to the meeting, the City's Department of Community Development, JPC, and the Department of Culture, Sports and Recreation failed to attend. 'The fact that the City is not here is an insult - when it comes to 2026, [residents] will repay the insult,' Harman said. All attendees to the event were given an opportunity to speak. Andrew Collison, chair of the Diggers Rugby Club, said the club had around 900 members and had been at the complex since 1990. 'We desperately need a lease so we can invest in our grounds. Staff, lighting, and security all need to be paid for. We need investment which [will come from the] private [sector], but I've been part of the exco for 10 years and have only seen month-to-month leases. Potential sponsors won't get involved unless we up security, etc,' he said. We don't want to close down. When the complex becomes unsafe, the entire area becomes unsafe. Sheila Brown from the SA Hockey Federation spoke passionately about the Randburg Sports Complex. Brown is a hockey legend who played in the 1970s and has helped host several international games at the facility. Unlike the other disciplines, hockey has been given a long-term lease of the facility through the province. Brown attended to support the codes less fortunate than the Hockey Club. She said the All Africa Games were held at the complex in 1999, and a synthetic surface, often referred to as astro turf after the manufacturer of the most popular synthetic surface, was set down for the games. The council relayed the surface in 2006. 'We have a good relationship at the national level, and we got a [long-term] lease with Gauteng Sports and Recreation,' she said. Because of the artificial surface, hockey is played all year round, with around 5 000 people using the facility. She said the Southern Gauteng League had played at the facility, but the Premier League had not been able to play there lately because the field's surface needed replacing. 'Currently, we oversee day-to-day maintenance, but the big projects are looked after by council - that's surfaces changerooms - the costs are enormous,' she said, adding that the facility catered for many schools and clubs with players from 7 to 77 years old. 'The surfaces have outlived their guarantee,' she said. Brown said in the 80s and 90s, tournaments at the stadium brought R48 million to Randburg within four years, and the complex was first built to host hockey events. 'We had the Belgium team ask when the surface will be fixed because they want to come and play - this will bring money to Randburg and then into the province,' she said. Chase Bernic, MD at Fives Premier League, a five-a-side soccer club, said that at full capacity, the club had 16 teams on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, with about 300 children, excluding families who come to watch. '[The Fives Premier League] easily brings 200 people to watch. It's a place where people come to connect. We've been competing at the complex since 2016, and we've seen kids play at the academy and local football and become professional [players],' he said. He said the venue was more than just a sports facility; it was a place where friendships were forged, where people ate together and got healthy together. 'Month-to-month [contracts] make it hard to plan or get funding - how can people fix lighting if they don't know if the lease will be renewed? Even if there were 11 to12 month leases, we could have funding - this would renew sponsorship, and we could have a world-renowned place once again, expanding our offering and creating more jobs,' Bernic said, adding that the complex wasn't 'just a facility - it's a heartbeat'. The Randburg Mets Baseball Club were also represented at the meeting. The club is most famous for producing Gift Ngoepe, who debuted for the Pittsburgh Pirates in American Major League Baseball in 2017. Ngoepe's mother, Maureen, worked at the clubhouse where the two lived when Gift was growing up. The club has lost two major sponsorship deals because they could not guarantee they wouldn't lose the lease. Their fields were last upgraded in 1999, so Boksburg is now the only club out of three in Gauteng to meet international standards. All major games go to Boksburg now instead of Randburg, costing Johannesburg millions in tourism. The Mets have put up new fencing, but they lost an overhead mast, which means they can no longer train at night. Randburg Football Club chairperson Kevin Mudie said the club had 600 players and had seen six people move from the development club to the South African football ranks. He lamented that the lack of long-term leases meant they did not have sponsorship to fix their fence, which had been broken for two years after a car crash. He said a child from the club had recently had a knife to his throat and his bag stolen. Tony Marsay from ADI Driving School said security was the issue, but the school did not have permission to build a fence. As a result, he said vagrants were now sleeping in the yard. The school is 22 years old, and Marsay said a lease would make a big difference to the school, 'but we're at the mercy of council'. He added that he had received a call from 'someone' who 'asked if we could rent the space for a Chicken Licken to move in - so I said 'No'. There is a chance now that they go to council [to ask for permission] and that's something I worry about,' he said. The Randburg Cricket Club said people had had their vehicles stolen from the sports complex, but it was not financially viable for them to put up fencing, which would cost R800 000 without sponsorship. It recently had its pitch covers, which cost R50 000 each, stolen. SuperKids, a facility for children to develop sporting skills before moving into teams, said it had to let go of three corporate social investments (CSIs) funding opportunities worth R26 million, R18 million and R5 million because of the leasing issue. Teachers and principals from schools in the area were also present in the room. One head teacher said it would be detrimental for their school to lose a sports ground because it did not have its own. A teacher said they were in a similar position, but the school she taught at had installed a synthetic hockey field at another sports complex in exchange for using the facility. She said their investment came with a 10-year guarantee because that is how long the field would be insured for. Ending the evening, Harman said residents and sporting codes would 'have to fight' to ensure they received their long-term leases to keep the centre alive. She said she would hand the petition to council and would question the lease agreements in council. 'The more light that goes on a situation, the more difficult it is to suppress the issue. We need to stand together - sports codes, parents interested parties,' she said. She said she would keep going to council to query the leases and eventually go to the province and Parliament if the answer did not come. 'It will get to a point where it gets embarrassing [for the City],' she said.
