Senior submarine squadron officer Captain Vusi Mahlangu says the SA Navy has lost over 50 years combined experience which will be difficult to replace following the death of three submariners in a tragic incident.
Mahlangu was speaking during the funeral service of the last of the trio Master Warrant Officer Malesela Mathipa at Ga-Dikgale village outside Polokwane in Limpopo.
The three were swept by high seas during a vertical transfer exercise involving the SA Air Force Maritime helicopter and the SA Navy’s submarine SAS Manthatisi.
A brotherhood of the ocean descended upon Ga-Dikgale village outside Polokwane. The South African Navy came for a final salute to Master Warrant Officer William Malesela Mathipa. Mathipa was one of the three SA Navy submariners who perished during a vertical transfer exercise between the SA Air Force and the SA Navy. Master Warrant Officer Mathipa was the first African Coxswain on board a Type 209 Submarine.
Officer Mathipa had been in the Navy for over 20 years. Colleagues say Mathipa’s institutional knowledge will be difficult to replace.
Senior submarine squadron officer Captain Vusi Mahlangu says that it will take time for the Navy to fill the void left by Mathipa.
“This is the third and final tribute that we are paying to our three members who unfortunately fell in this tragedy, Master Warrant Officer Mathipa is a great loss for the South African Navy because I’m talking here about 20 plus years of experience that you cannot just replace just like that, really it is a big hole that has been open and it is going to take us a while to close it, and I do not even think anybody will be able to close it, and it has been really sad for all of us.”
Mathipa spent two decades as a serviceman. To his family, he was a cheerful man who adored his family. Mathipa’s death is a loss of a role model and beacon of hope.
Mathipa’s relative Malehlokwana Masenya says the deceased was full of love and was a caring man…
“We are so disgusted about our cousin’s death is too much I don’t know what to say we are so hurt he was a good person.”
The other two Officers, Lieutenant Commander Gillian Hector and Warrant Officer Lucas Mojela were laid to rest in Cape Town and at Ga-Matlala outside Polokwane last week and yesterday respectively.
One of the three submariners Warrant Officer Lucas Mojela is being laid to rest:
