But this unit was far on the way to making those changes. However, Lieutenant Madubela was about to explode. On Sept. 15, the day before the shooting, he learned that he would not receive his salary for a month. He had been classified as absent without leave for overstaying his visit to Umtata. He was furious, his family said, because he said he had received verbal authorization to extend his leave until his father was buried.
Military officials say they have no record of such authorization.
Lieutenant Madubela was angry, the white soldiers said, but rules were rules. No one was surprised to see him storm off. He told her not to worry. And the next morning, he loaded his rifle.