Army to brief family of soldier killed in DRC
The SANDF has completed its investigation into the death of Corporal Simanga Khuselo
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has concluded its investigation into the death of Corporal Simanga Arthur Khuselo, who was killed in friendly fire in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on 3 June 2021.
After months of not knowing the exact events that led to Khuselo’s death, the family is still struggling to come to terms with it.
Colonel Louis Kirstein, the acting director of SANDF corporate communications, said: “The board of inquiry has been completed, and has been handed over to the general officer commanding joint operations headquarters.”
After studying the findings and recommendations, the report will be given to “the legal division to determine the recommendations made” in the report, Kirstein said in late December 2021.
Khuselo’s wife, California, says her youngest daughter still asks when her father will be back from work. She says the loss of her husband has taken an emotional toll; she struggles to sleep, has lost weight and has battled with depression.
“I guess it is just a phase of life that I need to pass,” said California. “Life will get better as time goes on, I think.”
The Mail & Guardian reported in September last year that Khuselo died just before a military operation in Kilia village, near the city of Beni in North Kivu province, was to commence.
The SANDF and the Tanzania People’s Defence Force — one of whose soldiers shot Khuselo — are part of the Force Intervention Brigade in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC.
Mangaliso Jephry Khuselo, the brother of the slain soldier, previously claimed the incident was not an accident. He said the family has enough reason to believe there was discord between Khuselo and the man who shot him.
Mangaliso claimed the Tanzanian soldier, whose name is known to the M&G, did not complete his tasks or work as part of the team Khuselo headed. He claims that Khuselo and the Tanzanian soldier had a dispute three days before his death.
Both the SANDF and the UN confirmed to the M&G that each will investigate the circumstances of Khuselo’s death.
On Tuesday 4 January, Mangaliso received confirmation that the family would be briefed by the SANDF on the outcome of the investigation. The briefing is expected to take place on Friday 14 January in Pretoria.
Although the SANDF has completed their probe, the UN has not elaborated on the matter.
Mathias Gillmann, a UN spokesperson in the DRC, said in September last year that the mission’s investigation was ongoing “so we would not be able to share any details at this stage”. He said the peacekeeping force conducted an investigation into any fatality during a mission but he was unaware of the SANDF investigation.
Towards the end of last year, Khuselo’s family was told that the UN paid the SANDF about R1.2-million that is intended for Khuselo’s family.
The UN did not elaborate on the amount or outcome of their probe into the corporal’s death.
“We have no further information to share at this stage,” Gillmann said in response to an inquiry, referring the M&G to the SANDF.
Mangaliso Khuselo hopes that the briefing on the outcome of the SANDF’S investigation will bring closure to his brother’s death. “It’s been a long time,” he said.