President Cyril Ramaphosa has led South Africa in mourning 14 soldiers killed while serving as peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), emphasising their sacrifice in pursuit of continental peace.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members lost their lives during clashes with M23 rebels in the Goma region of North Kivu province, as fighting escalated, leading to the capture of Sake and Goma.
In a sombre national address, Ramaphosa expressed “profound and deepest sympathies” to the families of the fallen South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members, highlighting their mission to protect civilians in the conflict-torn eastern DR Congo.
“They lost their lives in defence of the defenceless,” Ramaphosa said, adding that the soldiers died “in pursuit of peace and in the cause of silencing the guns across our beloved continent Africa.”
The president confirmed that the bodies of the fallen soldiers have been repatriated to South Africa, while reaffirming his government’s commitment to the peacekeeping mission.
“We have fulfilled our duty to bring our soldiers home. We must fulfil our duty to complete their mission,” the president declared, underlining South Africa’s continued commitment to regional stability.
The soldiers were part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), which aims to help restore peace, security, and stability in Africa’s second-largest country, and the United Nations mission (Monusco), which has a peace enforcement mandate in the DRC.
The UN handled the repatriation, with the bodies sent by road to Entebbe, Uganda, with delays in the movement of the deceased out of the DRC. Following autopsies and other procedures, the remains were flown to South Africa on Wednesday evening aboard a Tanzanian Air Force Y-8 transport aircraft.
