« Previous

Conga , Johannes (J)

Next »
No photograph available — remembrance poppy
Identity
Person No.
29824
Old ROH no.
34863
Service No.
76915420SP
Last Name
Conga 1
First Name
Johannes
Initials
J
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1959 (±1 yr) 444
Age at Death
20
Death Record
Date of Death
12 September 1979 155
Cause code
KIA 14,778
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action 14,654
Killed in action during a contact with enemy forces in Zambia; deliberately drew enemy fire upon himself to save the life of his wounded commander, 2/Lieutenant Nicky Coetzee. Posthumously awarded the Honoris Crux
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
Unknown
Corps
South West African Territory Force 376
Unit
31 Battalion 34
Later renamed 201 Battalion (1980)
Secondary Unit
"C" Coy.
Defence Force
SADF 3,848
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,872
Locality
Gauteng 9,374
Cemetery
SADF WALL OF REMEMBRANCE, VOORTREKKER MONUMENT, PRETORIA 1,926
Grave Reference
Alternative Commemoration until grave found 1,612
Memorial
1978 SAA (Hitchens–Human, Wolmarans) to 1979 SAA (Akaando–Djolomien, Maarman–Saal)
Names on 1978-1979 SAA Hitchens-Saal
Memorial
SADF Wall of Remembrance
Location
On a koppie at the Voortrekker Monument, overlooking Pretoria
Address
Voortrekker Monument, Eeufees Road, Groenkloof, Pretoria, 0181, South Africa
Coordinates
-25.77639, 28.17583 · OpenStreetMap
Panel
1978-1979 SAA Hitchens-Saal
On the panel
1979 Army. Left column. 19th name from the top (Conga J., HC on the wall)
Awards
Honoris Crux (1975)
Honoris Crux (1975) (HC)
South Africa · awarded 1979-09-12
Posthumously awarded the Honoris Crux (1975) for actions on 12 September 1979 with 31 Battalion. Killed in action in Zambia by taking fire onto himself, thereby saving his lieutenant’s life (Lt. Coetzee). Listed among Honoris Crux (1975) recipients: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honoris_Crux_(1975)
Pro Patria Medal
Pro Patria Medal
South Africa
Pro Patria Medal warrant, Government Gazette No. 5171 (25 Jun 1976), Rule 5, as amended by GG No. 5575 (3 Jun 1977); discontinued by GG No. 25213 (25 Jul 2003, Schedule corrected by GG No. 26778, 17 Sep 2004) for service on/after 27 Apr 2003. Gazette extracts: https://rohsa.co.za/award.php?id=24
Notes

Son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Condo

Research notes

SADF Wall of Remembrance (Voortrekker Monument): named on photograph "1978 SAA (Hitchens–Human, Wolmarans) to 1979 SAA (Akaando–Djolomien, Maarman–Saal)". 1979 Army. Left column. 19th name from the top (Conga J., HC on the wall). | Willem Steenkamp, Borderstrike! South Africa into Angola 1975–1980, 3rd ed. (Just Done Productions, 2006, ISBN 978-1-920169-00-8): Appendix B Honoris Crux recipient no. 65, Rifleman J. Conga (P), 31 SA Infantry Battalion (76915420SP).
7 Sep 2026: Regiment/Unit fields were combined ("31 (Bushman) Battalion, "C" Coy."); split so Regiment holds only the battalion and Unit holds the company, per John's request.

10 Sep 2026: Moved "C" Coy. from Unit to Unit2; cleared Regiment 31 (Bushman) Battalion; set Unit by Mike Sandham dating rule. Avoid Bushman label.
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 12 Sep 2026 / Bushwar Books Lest We Forget 12 September (https://www.warbooks.co.za/posts/lest-we-forget-12-september/ 76915420SP Rfn Johannes Conga HC (P), C Coy 31 Battalion (later 201 Battalion SWATF), KIA Zambia drawing fire to save 2Lt Nicky Coetzee, age 25. CauseDeath enriched (wounded commander). HC already on file (AwardID 5). Unit 31 Battalion + Unit2 "C" Coy. already match the 10 Sep Sandham dating rule; 31->201 alias already on OrgEntityAlias. CONFLICT flagged, not changed: Graham+Bushwar age 25 vs stored Age 20. Bushwar omits "(P)" and "wounded". Nicky Coetzee survived — not added.
Mike Sandham's research log ("List 1"), imported 16 Sep 2026, credited to The South Africa War Graves Project unless his entry says otherwise: gives Age 25 against this record's 20. This record has no date of birth, so there is nothing to adjudicate with. Flagged, not changed.

Citations

Posthumously awarded the Honoris Crux (1975) for actions on 12 September 1979 with 31 Battalion. Killed in action in Zambia by taking fire onto himself, thereby saving his lieutenant’s life (Lt. Coetzee). Listed among Honoris Crux (1975) recipients: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honoris_Crux_(1975)

External References
Stories 5
by Killed in a Contact Unknown on 21 November 2002 · via source
Killed in a Contact Unknown Unknown@unknown.com 2002-11-21 17:11:27
on 14 October 2003 · via source
We were on a seek and destroy operation in Zambia searching for SWAPO bases, when crossing a Omaramba at mid day in the heat of the African sun, we took shade on the other side and set down to rest (Charlie Company). Our Company comander ordered small patrols to do a reccie of the area ahead as he suspected possible movement, Lt. Heinlien took a patrol to north west and just after he left Lt Coetzee took one to the North. SWAPO were watching us the whole time as we had stopped just short of their ambush, which we vastley outnumbered, Lt. Coetzee walked right into the ambush, on seeing SWAPO Johannes positioned himself infront of Lt. Coetzee and took a bullet in the chest. All hell broke loss, as SWAPO fled and ran into a ambush of Lt. Heinlien. On leaving the TB to support the fire fight of Lt. Heinlien, I found Johannes in the care of a panicking medic and assisted him by cutting a drip to pieces to use the plastic as a blockage for the chest wound, but could already see Johannes was slipping away. On returning back to the TB with our wounded and the 10 SWAPO's killed we found that Johannes had sadly passed away, which was a great loss to Charlie Company as being such a jolly person he was always around the leader group to share a joke and mess around, which always made the long patrols shorter. He received the Honorus Crux for his deed and will always be remembered by the members of Charlie Company of 1979. Unknown
by Ziggy Hentze on 09 June 2009 · via source
The Hotel California piece is that he wanted to learn English and I told him it meant Good Morning, he would greet everyone with a “Hotel California” in the mornings… "Hotel California - Koporal" etc....
by John Dovey on 21 January 2010 · via source
The citation for Johannes Conga's deed of bravery which merited the Honoris Crux (Postumous) reads: On 12 September, 1979, a security patrol of section strength was sent from a company base to secure a particular area. The platoon commander was 2/Lt. G.M. van Niekerk. Two men from another platoon accompanied them, 2/Lt. Coetzee and Rifleman Johannes Conga. The Patrol moved in formation, with the two men alongside the platooncommander, when they were ambushed by about 50 of the enemy. Heavy machine-gun and rifle fire poured into them. The two officers were pinned down and could not exercise control over the situation or reply to the fire. Rifleman Conga then stood up and began shooting, while moving sideways, so drawing the enemy fire away from the officers onto himself, to allow the officers to reorganize the defence. The enemy machine-gun had switched from the officers to Conga when he bravely stood up and took them on. Lance Corporal McGrath then managed to shoot the PLAN machine-gunner. The tables were turned and ten of the enemy killed. Conga was mortally wounded and was posthumously awarded the Honorix Crux.
by Graham Du Toit on 12 September 2014 · via source
12 Sep 1979: 76915420SP Rifleman Johannes Conga from "C" Company, 31 Battalion was Killed in Action during a contact with enemy forces in Zambia. During this action, he deliberately drew enemy fire upon himself in order to save the life of his Officer, Lieutenant Coetzee. Rifleman Conga was posthumously awarded the Honoris Crux Decoration for his unselfish act of self-sacrifice. He was 25.
Dedications 3
by Ziggy Hentze on 14 October 2003 · via source
Johannes was a very witty bushman soldier who died by taking fire onto himself thereby saving his Lt's life (Lt. Coetzee) of Charlie Company and received the Honorus Crux for this.
on 23 July 2008 · via source
"Welcome to the hotel california" Gone but not forgotten Ben Wolff
by Ziggy Hentze on 10 January 2009 · via source
Yes it will be 30 years ago that this brave man gave his life to save another, The saddest part is that these bushmen were used by the SADF and they were abandoned to live a life of booze and poverty in the Kimberley area.... I feel they were "used and abused"... a real sad scenario!

Source: https://rohsa.co.za/person.php?PersonNumber=29824&pdf=1

© 2026 Roll of Honour Project — All Rights Reserved

South African Roll of Honour — Remembering those who served and fell. Lest We Forget.