SANDF soldiers acted ‘improperly and irregularly’ in Collins Khosa death
Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has told the National Assembly that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers implicated in the death of Collins Khosa were found to have acted “improperly and irregularly”.
The 40-year-old man from Alexandra was assaulted and killed, allegedly by members of the SANDF, during lockdown patrols in the township, north of Johannesburg, in April.
Khosa was allegedly beaten to death by members of the army when they saw a glass of alcohol in his yard.
The findings of an internal SANDF inquiry cleared the four soldiers of any wrongdoing.
A supplementary investigation was then conducted by the Military Ombud.
The Ombud’s report was finalised earlier this month.
“During the enforcement of the lockdown, there was never an instruction that there must be an abuse of South African citizens and I did make the point that once the report comes out we will make a statement and we will take consequences,” Mapisa-Nqakula told MPs on Wednesday.
“Remember the investigation by the Military Ombuds does not deal with the criminal investigation. The criminal investigation is dealt with by the law enforcement, but the Military Ombuds has a responsibility of investigating the behaviour of members of the South African National Defence Force at a particular time, whether the code of conduct was observed, whether the rules of the game were confirmed.”
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She added the soldiers acted outside of the scope of the army.
“He has made a finding that in the light of evidence which was obtained from those who agreed to cooperate with the Ombuds that in fact the soldiers, in entering the Khosa residence for search and seizure of liquor, they did that in the absence of the JMPD and the South African Police Service and therefore that was outside the scope of the South African National Defence Force.
“In the process of conducting the search for alcohol, various acts of misconduct were committed by, unfortunately, the soldiers.”
Various recommendations were made by the Ombuds in his report.
“The Ombuds therefore recommends that appropriate disciplinary measures should be taken against the commander of the platoon who was on the ground but also who were with the commander.”
Mapisa-Nqakula said she welcomed the recommendations made in the report.
Listen to Mapisa-Nqakula below: