President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed sadness at the deaths of four South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members who passed away on Friday while on duty to combat illegal mining.

The troops were part of Operation Vala Umgodi which is directed at combating illegal mining.

Ramaphosa said while police are investigating the deaths of SANDF members, the deceased troops, who showed no injuries and were fully kitted and armed, are believed by the police and the SANDF to have died from carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from a fire they made to keep warm.

Spokesperson to the President Vincent Magwenya said the President’s thoughts were with the team of soldiers who discovered their deceased colleagues in a container at a disused mine shaft at Orkney in the North West province.

“As Commander-in-Chief of the SANDF, President Ramaphosa offers his condolences to the families of the victims as well as to their commanders and colleagues,” Magwenya noted.