Cloete , Joseph Johannes (J J)

I (Rfn G S Pretorius, 843243BG) was at this stage the ops clerk in the operations room at Sector 10 HQ Unit (Oshakati). I was ordered to report to the ops room to man the radios by Col. E Viljoen, the second in command of the unit, who informed me that two troopers of 1 SSB (seconded to the 10th Panser Troopers) walked into a "kraal", unaware of two enemy soldiers that was hidding in one of the huts. The two troopers, Cloete and van Heerden, received fatal shots from the enemy within the hut after identifying themselves to the local population of the kraal. Van Heerden was apparently shot through the forehead with a Makarov pistol and died instantly. Cover fire was laid down by the 10th Panser Troopers which killed the enemy soldiers in the subsiquent battle that took place. I wrote the incident report down for the ops officer on duty who forward it to Army HQ (Pta) in sitrep form.

I was standing in the chow line that morning, it was hot and muggy, as always, standing in front of me was Van Heerden. Little did I know that later that day, I would be called out to attend the incident, as I was crew commander on 6x6 Muscle, ratel "re-action force" 10 panzer, along with my buddy's from "A" squadron, We arrived at the infamous kraal, where my two brothers in arms were lying dead, having been shot by a TURR, supposedly seated in the darkness of a kraal, holding a pistol at the door, as the two walked in. I will never forget firing my first round at the Kraal, with my turrent mounted five "0" browning, it was unfortunately my last as well, as the second round jammed in the breach-block, and that was the end of that, I grabbed my R5, and continued firing at the kraal, as the remaining 4 noddy's fired with all they had, flattening the trees around the kraal, and enveloping the entire kraal area, and its structures in huge leaping flames, as everyone cried, tears streaming down their faces, firing away. The heat emminating from the kraal was so intense, and we where all soo close, we had to retreat slightly, as the flames lept higher and higher. The only thing that survived from the kraal, was a stray cat, I saw it running away, from my elevated position from the ratel. I return the next day, with the CMDNT, and the story that was going to be spun to their parents, was that they died having discovered a munitions cache under the pig stye pit, thereby presenting thier folks with a credible fabrication, that would ease the reasons from their son's death. We drove back to Oshakati, were assembled by the ranking CPT, and had an "Op-Fok" session for 3 hours, we were forced to crawl through the KAK GAT, but many refused. The CPT offered water in jerry cans, and promptly kicked the precious liquid onto the ground in front of us, ..only to be met with laughter and clapping, from the squadron..well done CPT !! We apperently had to learn our lesson for being too relaxed in the operational area, somehow I doubt that the CAPT's methods were the correct way of achieving this. To Cloete and Van Heerden, I didn't know you well, but will never froget you guys, "Hamba Gathle", god bless, and thanks for watching our backs. Wayne Sardinha L/CPL - 1SSB (1987-1988) 2005-04-17 00:08:07 <td clas

I Bazil Johnson (2Lt) 1987. Reading the story of the two troops that were shot while searching a kraal is still so vivid in my memory. I was the ops-officer on duty that day when the call came through to the control room that the platoon had drawn fire and that two boys were down. The speed that myself and the signalers reacted to get the major in the ops room and to contact the choppers for a casavac was amazing. This was the first time in my 2 years national service that I visibly saw empathy in the voice and face of a PF company commander as he was speaking to the platoon commander. I had to repeatedly ask the chopper pilots to get out there, to no avail. They refused stating that they will not fly their machines where the possibility exists that they could be taken out. The value of a chopper was more than a national serviceman's life. I would for the rest of my life from that day have no respect for chopper pilots. My task thereafter was to right the casavac and situation reports to be sent to pretoria, etc. The shocking realisation for me was the age of only 18 or 19 years of each of them. And they were dead and I was only 20 and had on many occasions with my platoon from 2 SAI Infantry, residing in the same base, inspected kraals just like this one. Rest in peace my fellow soldiers from that time. If only we were in that war for the right reasons!!! bazil johnson

I bleieve this is Johan Cloete from Rustenburg who i knew and thought was a great guy.

This was my cousin Johan Cloete. His date of birth is 10-10-1968. He went to the Tecnical High School in Rustenburg. He was definitely a great person and died way too young and absolutely for NOTHING!

I first me J.J. Cloete when I did my basic training at 1 SS B. To this day, I do not forget my two fallen friends J.J. Cloete and Z.J. Van Heerden. Rest in peace. You will never be forgotten. D.J.