Cape Town - Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has sent her condolences to the family of an SANDF member, Preston Titus.
He was allegedly stabbed to death during a break-in at what is apparently a
military-owned house in
Oudtshoorn.
“Any incident that occurs to an SANDF member, particularly such as this one, is shocking,” said SANDF spokesperson Mafi Mgobozi.
“It is sad that someone can lose their life in such a terrible incident.”
He said it had been alleged that there were intruders who entered the house, but it was not clear how they got access to the property.
“Our officer who was on duty at the military base there went to the house after being alerted to the incident, and found him already dead.
“They called they SAPS. The house is a military house but is situated outside the base,” said Mgobozi. Titus, who was married to a prominent Oudtshoorn ANC councillor, Magdaleen Titus, was found with multiple stab wounds on just before midnight on Friday.
A cellphone, a gold wrist watch and electronic tablets were taken from the house, according to police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie.
“I spoke to the investigating officer earlier. His (Titus’s) daughter was out for the evening and at around midnight when she returned, she asked her dad to open the door, but there was no response.
“She also also phoned him on his cell, she could hear the cellphone ring.
“While she was trying to get in, her mother answered. Subsequently they discovered his body in the room with multiple stab wounds to the back, the arm and also under his chin.
“He was already dead and the room was covered with blood. The tablets of both ladies and the deceased, a gold watch and a cellphone were taken,” he said.