Soldiers recount terrifying escape from vicious veld fire

“We had to run for our lives. We saw people being swallowed by fire. We could not outrun that fire.”

These were the anguished stories of the soldiers who survived that vicious veld fire last week Friday at the South African Combat Centre at Lohatla in the Northern Cape.

Walking through what was a training camp, you see burned-out veld, with some tent structures that survived the fire.

Three-quarter bed structures, at least a dozen magazines, helmets, trunks and backpacks are seen as one walks closer to the scene. Boxes of milk, onions, peppers, cereal and bread are some of the foods that survived the fire.

Six soldiers lost their lives, while one soldier was recovering in hospital.

Flames fanned by winds

Chief of the SA National Defence Force Rudzani Maphwanya said the flames were fanned by winds of up to 74km/h… and the wind’s direction kept changing, which meant the fire changed course rapidly, resulting in extensive damage.

“By the time we turned our fire bowsers to the area where we started, we were found wanting because it turned again and that’s why it was difficult,” he said.

In a quest to find out what happened, The Citizen spoke to soldiers who survived the fire.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one soldier said despite being in the army for many years, this was the first time he experienced something like that.

“If it were at night, no-one would have survived,” he said.

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“We saw people being swallowed by the fire. I am a soldier but I could not outrun the fire. We were colliding with trees and soldiers were colliding with each other.”

Another soldier said the only belongings he was left with was the uniform he was wearing.

“We had no chance to even take anything,” he said.

“Our phones and all the belongings we had burnt during the fire. Other soldiers are still hospitalised because of smoke inhalation. Even now when I cough, my back becomes very painful. We are still traumatised.”

A relative Dumisani Zulu said he lost his 25-year-old niece Londiwe Zulu.

Soldier left daughter behind

“It’s very difficult because we don’t even know what happened because we only arrived today. Even back home, they are asking and we don’t know what to tell them,” he said.

He said Londiwe left her four-year-old daughter behind.

“She has no idea what is happening because she is still very young,” said Zulu.

“We will have to see how we explain to her because she is still very young. I will now have to raise her.”

One of the family members said the incident happened last week Friday but they were only officially told on Tuesday this week that their loved one had died.

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He said they learned from the colleagues of their loved ones and on social media that there was a fire at the military base.

“When people were coming to pass their condolences to us, we didn’t even know what to say had led to their passing,” he said.

Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise said she had spoken to the family and promised that she would find out why the communication was fine with the other families except this one. “I have apologised because one family said it wasn’t treated well,” she said.

“I did not point wrongdoing at anybody because when you lead you take responsibility. If I do find that this family was singled out for ill-treatment, we will deal with it.

“If I find there was a misunderstanding or whatever, we will still do what is right by that family. I will personally go and apologise to that family after finding out exactly what has happened.”

Tough challenges faced by soldiers

Modise said despite the tough challenges faced by soldiers in the camp and the fire, they did not withdraw the soldiers at the training camp.

“Life is indeed difficult here but training from this particular area is prestigious. It’s difficult and it’s not nice, but it’s what makes soldiers soldiers, and we will continue with that,” she said.