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Mafuta , Sikhum(buzo) Zett (S Z)

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No photograph available — remembrance poppy
Identity
Person No.
31481
Old ROH no.
34842
Service No.
94783719PE
Last Name
Mafuta 2
First Name
Sikhum(buzo) Zett
Initials
S Z
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1967 (±1 yr) 289
Age at Death
31
Death Record
Date of Death
22 September 1998 100
Cause code
KIA 14,779
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action 14,653
Killed in action, in Operation Boleas, to restore stability in Lesotho at Khatsi Dam
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Lance Corporal
Regiment
44 Parachute Brigade 5
Unit
1 Parachute Battalion insignia 1 Parachute Battalion 50
Defence Force
SANDF 1,025
South African National Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,873
Locality
Gauteng 9,374
Cemetery
SADF WALL OF REMEMBRANCE, VOORTREKKER MONUMENT, PRETORIA 1,926
Grave Reference
Alternative Commemoration until grave found 1,612
Memorial
Memorial
Operation Boleas Virtual Memorial
Location
Maseru, Lesotho
Address
Maseru, Lesotho
Coordinates
-29.31, 27.48 · OpenStreetMap
Panel
Not listed against a numbered panel
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Memorial
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
Not listed against a numbered panel
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Operation
Operation
Operation Boleas
Dates
1998-09
About
SANDF intervention in Lesotho, September 1998, to restore order after a disputed election and mutiny; involved combat against elements of the Lesotho Defence Force in Maseru.
Unit History
Role at time of death
Airborne Infantry
Status
Mixed: 1 Parachute Battalion Permanent Force (Regular); 2 & 3 Parachute Battalion Reserve Force
Part of
44 Parachute Brigade
Pre-2000 name for the same formation as 44 Parachute Regiment (OrgEntityID 2593, pass 2) -- the Brigade was formed April 1978 with 2 and 3 Parachute Battalions added to the already-Regular 1 Parachute Battalion (1961); redesignated a Regiment in 2000.
Notes

From Cofimvaba, Eastern Cape. N-O-K given as Nozuko Mafuta

Research notes


Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 22 Sep 2026: named as one of "Six members from 1 Parachute Battalion, attached to 44 Parachute Brigade... killed in Action in fierce close-quarter fighting during the BATTLE FOR MOKANYANE BASE in Lesotho during Ops Boleas". Exact match. The battle is named here where the record gives only the operation.
25 Sep 2026, Unit2 service-branch sweep: the stored Secondary Unit "Army" was CLEARED as a duplicate. It was not a sub-unit, it was a service-branch word repeating what the Branch column already says. Secondary Unit is for sub-units -- a company, a squadron, a commando -- and this record's branch of service is unchanged at "Army".

Citations
Unknown
External References
Stories

No stories have been added yet.

Dedications 1
on 18 September 2003 · via source
Paratrooper?s Prayer Heavenly Father, King of the world I know that all things are in your hands, whatever happens to me. As a paratrooper I am prepared to suffer hardship. I am ready to endure danger and unrest, pain and hurt. I am willing to be hungry end thirsty. I am prepared to face the enemy fearlessly. Lord I am weak. I cannot depend on my own strength. I do not want to trust in my own abilities. Lord my God; Let me trust in you alone. Give me courage and strength, and, above all, faith to do my work fearlessly ?