Fienie Grobler
The SA National Defence Force confirmed reports on Friday that the lieutenant who killed seven people at Tempe military base in Bloemfontein was absent without leave from August 30 to September 9.
SANDF Free State spokesperson, Lieutenant Emoret Serfontein, said that 28-year-old Sibusiso Madubela took leave from August 23 to August 27 to attend his father's funeral. Madubela was supposed to return to work on August 30, but only returned on September 9.
Serfontein confirmed his salary was withheld due to an absence longer than three days.
SANDF chief Siphiwe Nyanda, speaking in Pretoria on Friday, said that Madubela had wanted to see his commander about a pay problem before going on the shooting spree.
Nyanda said Madubela was told the commanding officer was on a course and would only be back on Monday. Madubela declined to raise his problem with the second in command officer.
"He went to draw his weapon because he was going on an exercise. Then he came back and started shooting. That's all we know," said Nyanda.
Madubela, a former liberation fighter, gunned down seven whites: six soldiers and a civilian woman as he walked from building to building at 1 SA Infantry Battalion at Tempe military base in Bloemfontein.
He wounded another five people before he was killed in a shoot-out.
People should not jump to conclusions that the shooting was racially motivated, although circumstances might suggest that was the motive, stressed Nyanda.
Free State police earlier said that family members of those killed will visit the murder scene on Friday afternoon.
Johlene van der Merwe, speaking for the police, said the special task team investigating the incident met the family members to update them on the investigation.
"It was their request to visit the murder scene," she said.
The relatives apparently still have to decide on whether they want a funeral with full or semi-military honours, or a civilian burial.
Meanwhile, there is no reported improvement in the condition of Major Zirk Coetsee, who was critically wounded when he was shot in the chest.
The commander of 3 Military Hospital, Colonel Ras Venter, said on Friday afternoon that there is a "flickering of hope".
Venter said two of the injured, quadriplegic Captain Johannes de Jager and Warrant-Officer Aldo Mattheus, were discharged from hospital on Friday.
Major Wiehan van Noordwyk, who was also wounded in the chest, is to be transferred from Pelonomi Hospital to 3 Military Hospital on Monday.
Captain Jan-Harm Steenkamp was moved from a high care ward to a general ward in 3 Military Hospital. Venter said he will stay a few more days in order for doctors to monitor his shoulder wound.
Political parties condemned the incident, with the New National Party demanding an immediate investigation.
The Democratic Party requested a parliamentary debate which would be held as soon as it was known when defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota will be available to attend the debate.
The United Democratic Movement said a lack of speedy transformation in the defence force could lead to incidents such as Thursday's massacre.
The Boere Weerstandsbeweging labelled the incident as racist and said it has become a "survival struggle for the white man". - Sapa