Missing SANDF Soldier’s Family Prepared for the Worst Amid Pleas to Trace Him: “Help Us Find Him”

Missing SANDF Soldier’s Family Prepared for the Worst Amid Pleas to Trace Him: “Help Us Find Him”

  • The family of a missing SANDF soldier are pleading for him to be found after going missing a month ago
  • Luntu Basil Hatta, 53, was reportedly last seen on Thursday, 30 May, at the Lohatla SANDF base near Postmasburg
  • His relatives have urged the SANDF, whom Briefly News has contacted for comment, to step in to try to find him
Missing SANDF soldier's family seek closure
The desperate family of a SANDF soldier is prepared for any eventuality after he went missing a month ago. Image: Roger Sedre
Source: Getty Images

POSTMASBURG — The family of a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier who went missing a month ago in the Northern Cape is pleading for his return — whether dead or alive.

Luntu Basil Hatta, 53, reportedly went missing on Thursday, 30 May, at the Lohatla SANDF base near Postmasburg.

SANDF soldier last seen leaving base

He was last seen leaving the base at about 05:00, reportedly wearing blue jeans and a black jacket.

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Postmasburg police opened a missing person case following his disappearance.

"The investigation continues," police spokesperson Lt-Col Sergio Kock said.
"Anyone with information on his whereabouts can call Detective Captain Hans Brendall on 082 495 0796."

Hatta's brother, Sithembile, in a TimesLIVE interview, said the family was told different stories about the alleged disappearance.

Sithembile said they were desperate for the SANDF's assistance to bring the family the closure they seek.

“We hope we find him [and] are pleading with the defence force [for the necessary help]. Even if he is dead, we want to see his body," he said.
“[The SANDF] must do something. His children are not coping, and it's painful for the family. We are now where we're uninterested in what [might have] happened [to him]."

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Family want body if soldier found dead

Given the time since Hatta went missing, he said the family was prepared for the worst.

"We just want to see his body if he is dead."

Sithembile added that the family only received a call on 2 June informing them that Luntu had gone missing on May 30.

The last contact they had with Hatta was during election week.

"He called us, notifying us he was at the base. Then, on 3 June, we got a call from the SANDF, where they asked us when we last saw him. We said we that wasin September before he left for his deployment in Limpopo."

He claimed they were receiving contradictory information about the disappearance from the SANDF.

Briefly News sent a media inquiry and is awaiting a response.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Tshepiso Mametela avatar

Tshepiso Mametela Tshepiso Mametela is a seasoned journalist with eight years of experience writing for online and print publications. He is an evening/weekend editor at Briefly News. He was a general news reporter for The Herald, a senior sports contributor at Opera News SA, and a reporter for Caxton Local Media’s Bedfordview and Edenvale News and Joburg East Express community titles. He has attended media workshops, including the crime and court reporting one by the Wits Justice Project and Wits Centre for Journalism in 2024. He was a member of the Forum of Community Journalists (FCJ) from 2018 to 2020.