Identity
Person No.
29913
Old ROH no.
34888
Service No.
81553596SP
Last Name
First Name
Joao
Initials
J
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
29
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
KIA 14,781
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action, contact with FAPLA forces NE of Techamutete, Angola during Operation Askari. Buffel APC detonated landmine
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
Unit
Unknown
Secondary Unit
Army
Defence Force
SADF 3,815
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
Locality
Cemetery
Grave Reference
Memorial
Memorial
Location
Within the Voortrekker Monument heritage precinct, Pretoria
Address
Coordinates
Panel
On the panel
No. 96
Operation
Operation
Dates
1983-12-09 to 1984-01-19
About
Major SADF operation into southern Angola against SWAPO and, for the first time on this scale, directly-engaged FAPLA forces around Cuvelai and Cahama; unexpectedly heavy FAPLA/Cuban resistance and losses on both sides contributed to the diplomatic track that produced the February 1984 Lusaka Accord.
Awards
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
Husband of Mrs. M. G. Dala. ref. "Die Buffel Struikel" by L. J. Bothma
Research notes
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 11 Jan 2026: 81553596SP Rifleman Joao Dala, 32 Battalion, Killed in Action during a contact with enemy forces in Southern Angola during Ops Askari, age 31. ROH DateDeath is 1984-01-10; age is 29; cause is Buffel APC detonated landmine NE of Techamutete (not overwritten). Same incident as Malonga I. PN 31548.
Citations
Unknown
External References
-
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 11 Jan 2026: 81553596SP Rifleman Joao Dala, 32 Battalion, Killed in Action during a contact with enemy forces in Southern Angola during Ops Askari, age 31. ROH DateDeath is 1984-01-10; age is 29; cause is Buffel APC detonated landmine NE of Techamutete (not overwritten). Same incident as Malonga I. PN 31548.
-
SADF.info Border Roll of Honour
open source ↗
SADF.info Border RoH
- South African War Graves Project open source ↗
-
The War in Angola
open source ↗
War In Angola Roll of Honour (warinangola.com, tabid=1175), pages 57-65 of 143: confirmed, no changes.
-
The War in Angola
open source ↗
War In Angola Roll of Honour, pages 57-65: gives date 1984-01-11 vs ROH 1984-01-10 (SN 81553596SP matches exactly) — confirmed match, not overwritten.
Stories 1
Killed in a Contact 2002-11-25 08:53:52 <a href="main.php?page=
Dedications
No dedications have been added yet.