The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been dealt two massive blows in one week.
On Wednesday, a navy vessel incident off the coast of Kommetjie claimed the lives of three submariners.
On the same day, in Upington in the Northern Cape, four SANDF officials were killed in a motor vehicle accident.
Officials said an inquiry into the accident that saw the South African Navy officials being swept off the SAS Manthatisi Submarine off the coast of Kommetjie on Wednesday will be convened in due course.
The submarine was making its way to Table Bay Harbour to take part in a navy festival this weekend, but that event was since cancelled.
National Secretary of the South African National Defence Union (SANDU) Pikkie Greeff said this highlighted the risks that SANDF members place their lives at daily.
Greeff discussed the aim of the inquiry into the incident.
“The purpose of a board of inquiry is to establish the circumstances surrounding an incident and what possibly could have led to an incident taking place, and whether any individual or individuals should be held accountable or whether there’s some system failure in terms of the command structure or procedures, regarding that specific exercise or protocol that was followed.”
Greeff said this was to make the SANDF a better and safer place to operate in.
“What you would typically find is that this board of inquiry will call witnesses who can testify to what happened at the scene and in the background simultaneously, and then it must make findings and recommendations to the chief of the SANDF.”