South African Press Association (Johannesburg)
5 January 2002
Johannesburg — A member of the South African military protection force in Burundi allegedly found murdered on Friday, has been identified as Elvis Azwifarwi Makhado, 42, a civilian finance clerk, the SA Defence Ministry said on Saturday.
Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota expressed sadness at Makhado's death, and said through his spokesman Sam Mkhwanazi it would not affect the work of the protection force.
Mkhwanazi said not much was known about the circumstances surrounding Makhado's death. An autopsy report was yet to be finalised.
He could only say Makhado was found alone about 6km outside of Bujumbura. He was off duty at the time.
French news agency AFP reported that Makhado was found strangled in an abandoned house.
Makhado was a member of the 700-strong contingent deployed to protect about ten Hutu exiles who returned to Bujumbura recently to take up posts in a multi-ethnic transitional government for the country wracked by
civil war since 1993.
The force was deployed to that country from late October, and included uniformed as well as civilian defence department personnel.
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