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Khiwa

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Identity
Person No.
48604
Service No.
Unknown
Last Name
Khiwa 1
First Name
Unknown
Initials
Unknown
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1957 (±1 yr) 426
Age at Death
25
Military Service
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
5 Reconnaissance Regiment 53
Unit
5 Reconnaissance Regiment 23
Secondary Unit
Army
Defence Force
SADF 3,296
South African Defence Force
Death Record
Date of Death
18 August 1982 116
Cause code
KIA 14,313
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action 14,232
Killed in action, approximately 40 miles inside Matabeleland during Operation Drama, a clandestine mission in Zimbabwe. Force of 18 SADF members ambushed by Zimbabwean Army forces; conflicting reports of KIA versus captured and later murdered; Zimbabwean government later said it had disposed of the bodies as next-of-kin had failed to claim them. No known grave
Location
Country
South Africa 23,022
Locality
Unknown
Cemetery
Unknown
Grave Reference
Unknown
Notes
Unknown
Research notes

Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 18 Aug 2026: Rifleman Khiwa, 5 Reconnaissance Regiment (ex Selous Scout), Reported Missing during Operation Drama in Matabeleland, age 25. Graham gave no first name beyond Khiwa and no service number. Same ambush as Berry P.D. PN 29413, Beech R.T. PN 29375 and Wessels J.A. PN 33837. New ROH record (not on SAWGP at research time). Did not invent a first name. | Mike Sandham 18 Aug 2026 omissions: no SAWGP record. TRC Volume 2: four former Rhodesians killed 40 miles inside Matabeleland — Sgts Beech, Berry, Wessels and a black serviceman known only as Private Khiwa; SADF acknowledged the three whites but never admitted Khiwa. Fireforce Ventures FB: tracker Private Khiwa Sibanda carried wounded Sgt Wessels to a ditch, escaped, evaded ZNA 3 days; many believed him dead until TRC when he resurfaced and attempted to testify. Same incident as Berry P.D. PN 29413, Beech R.T. PN 29375, Wessels J.A. PN 33837. Name left as Khiwa (Graham/TRC); did not add Sibanda to Name. Left on the roll (Graham/TRC treat as death; Fireforce claims he survived).

Citations
Unknown
External References
  • Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post
    Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 18 Aug 2026: Rifleman Khiwa from 5 Reconnaissance Regiment (ex Selous Scout) was Reported Missing during Operation Drama in Matabeleland. He was 25. Graham gave no service number. New ROH record (not on SAWGP at research time).
  • Mike Sandham
    OMISSIONS 18 Aug 2026: no SAWGP. TRC: Private Khiwa, fourth Op Drama casualty, SADF never admitted. Fireforce: Khiwa Sibanda survived and later testified. Name left Khiwa.
  • Other web source
    TRC Volume 2 ch 2 p 45: four former Rhodesians killed 40 miles inside Matabeleland. Sgts Robert Trevor Beech, Peter David Berry, John Andrew Wessels and a black serviceman known to the Commission only as Private Khiwa. SADF acknowledged the three whites; never admitted Khiwa.
  • Other web source
    Fireforce Ventures: Sgt Wessels gunshot to the leg; carried to a ditch by tracker Private Khiwa Sibanda. Khiwa escaped and evaded ZNA 3 days. Many believed him dead until TRC when he resurfaced and attempted to testify.
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