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Tshuma, Johani (J)

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Identity
Person No.
40488
Service No.
649222
Last Name
First Name
Johani
Initials
J
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
37
Military Service
Rank
Private
Secondary Unit
"A" Coy.
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause of Death
Died of wounds, gunshot wounds sustained in a shooting incident at the Essexvale Battle Camp, Op Tangent. Upon returning from R&R on that Monday, twenty members of this Company had drawn rifles and live ammunition for retraining purposes. They assembled at the end of a football field, where they stripped their weapons for cleaning prior to moving to the rifle range for firing practice. Once the group had stripped their FNs, a Pte Robert Nyamini Mapfumo suddenly cocked his rifle and opened fire on automatic at his fellow soldiers. As Mapfumo's 20 round magazine emptied, and before he could replace it with a fully charged one, Privates Mawonda and Zevezene overpowered and disarmed Mapfumo. Tragically though, four lay dead and four were seriously wounded. Cpl Stephen Randall of Bulawayo, L/Cpl Michael Wall of Que Que, Sgt Kevin Bicknell of Hartley and Pte John Tshuma of Bembesi had lost their lives. Sgt Vic Anderson, Cpl Malcolm Partridge, L/Cpl Rob Garitzio and Pte David Chiremba had been wounded. In spite of claiming insanity, Mapfumo was found guilty of murder in the High Court in Bulawayo and sentenced to death
Grave Reference
Additional Information
Notes

ref. "Rhodesian African Rifles Roll of Honour" by Adrian Haggett and Gerry van Tonder.

Citation

For actions or awarded 4 September 1979

External Source
Unknown
South African War Graves Project

southafricawargraves.org — record #40488