South Africa is mourning the tragic loss of 14 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers who died in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while serving in a peacekeeping mission.
The soldiers, who were part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), lost their lives when their base in Goma came under heavy fire during ongoing battles between the DRC’s armed forces (FARDC) and M23 rebels.
Their remains were returned to South Africa after a week-long delay due to security concerns in the region.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, alongside Defence Minister Angie Motshekga and senior SANDF officials, led a solemn handover ceremony and memorial service at Swartkop Air Force Base in Tshwane on Thursday, February 13, 2025.
Addressing the grieving families, President Ramaphosa paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, acknowledging their sacrifice in pursuit of peace.
“You are home now. You have come to your resting place. We are here to receive you with open arms and lay you to rest,” he said.
The soldiers hailed as heroes will be honoured with full military funerals, although details of the arrangements remain unclear.
Their deployment in the DRC was part of regional efforts to stabilise Africa’s second-largest country, which continues to struggle with armed conflict and humanitarian crises.
