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The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has released the names of the eight South Africans who were killed in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan.
Among the vicims was 31-year-old Johan Abraham van Huysteen, of Port Elizabeth.
The others were from Gauteng, Kwazulu Natal and one person from the UK, Jenny Ayris, who has dual South African and British citizenship.
The Department's full statement follows below:
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has contacted the families of the victims of yesterday’s blast in Kabul, Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of eight South African citizens.
The department is working with the private aviation company that had employed the deceased, as well as with the authorities in Afghanistan, through its mission in Islamabad, Pakistan – which is also accredited to Afghanistan and is rendering consular assistance to the families. This includes arrangements for the repatriation of the mortal remains of the deceased.
The deceased were aged between 30 and 65, and are from different provinces across South Africa, including Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. One of the deceased has a dual SA-British citizenship and was based in Scotland, United Kingdom.
The Department has consulted with the families of the deceased and hereby releases their names with permission from their families.
* Christian Johannes Justus PRETORIUS, aged 30, Pretoria, Gauteng
*Jenny Margaret AYRIS,aged 46, Scotland, United Kingdom
Government once again expresses its deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased.
The South African government believes in peaceful means to settle disputes and/or conflicts and we strongly condemn the use of violence, particularly violence targeted at innocent civilians.
