May 11 2004 at 03:22AM
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| By Graeme Hosken | |
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A seventh South African has been killed in Iraq, but unlike the others the latest victim was employed to help rebuild the strife-torn country.
The man, who was employed by a well-known Gauteng construction company, was killed in an ambush.
The South African, who lived with his wife and young daughter outside Pretoria, is the seventh South African to have been killed in Iraq since January. The other South Africans were involved in the security industry.
Last Thursday two South Africans were killed by Shi'a insurgents in separate attacks on United States-coalition forces in Basra and Fallujah. The latest fatality occurred in Kirkuk.
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'Only those working in a security capacity in a conflict zone would be prosecuted'
The South African, whose name has yet to be released by the department of foreign affairs, was killed on his way to the shops.The South African who was travelling with a New Zealander, also employed as a construction worker, was killed along with his Iraqi driver when they were ambushed.
The New Zealander died of his wounds a short while later.
According to the news agency AP, the South African and New Zealander were working on a construction project in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk.
The construction company was contracted by the US Government.
It is believed the two were part of a road and installation construction project in the area.
In a statement released on Monday, the department of foreign affairs confirmed that a South African had died in the attack.
The statement said the South African diplomatic mission in Kuwait had confirmed the death.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said the government extended its heartfelt condolences to members of the family.
He said they were reiterating the call made earlier by the Minister of Foreign Affairs for South Africans to avoid going to Iraq, "given the potential danger facing them there and the fact that it is a conflict region".
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