South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops, alongside regional counterparts, have repelled a major offensive by the M23 rebel group near Goma, the provincial capital of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). After two days of intense combat, the joint forces halted the rebels’ advance and forced them into retreat, thwarting their bid to capture the strategically significant city.
The M23 insurgents launched a large-scale assault earlier this week, aiming to seize control of Goma. Despite sustained pressure, SANDF soldiers, deployed as part of the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC), mounted a determined defense. Their efforts stopped the rebel incursion and pushed M23 forces back.
Nine South African personnel lost their lives in the confrontation. Seven of the fallen were members of the SANDF contingent, deployed to the eastern DRC in December 2023, while two others were serving under the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Several soldiers sustained injuries of varying severity, though the exact number remains unconfirmed.
The SANDF has begun notifying the families of the deceased. The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, along with Deputy Ministers Maj Gen (Ret) Bantu Holomisa and Richard Hlophe, Acting Secretary for Defence Dr Thobekile Gamede, and SANDF Chief General Rudzani Maphwanya, expressed condolences to the bereaved families and the defense community.
The SA National Defence Force Media Statement || Saturday 25 January 2025 || The SA National Defence Force and counterparts push back the M23 advance towards Goma in the Eastern Reublic of the Congo.
#SANDF#JointOperationsDivision#DRC pic.twitter.com/ErXfcmsMeS
— SA National Defence Force 🇿🇦 (@SANDF_ZA) January 25, 2025
