The remains of 14 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers who died in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are now expected to return to South Africa by Thursday, following delays caused by medical processing in Uganda.
Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Angie Motshekga, confirmed the new timeline during an urgent parliamentary debate on Monday. She explained that the soldiers are still in Uganda, undergoing medical procedures, and that efforts are being made to expedite their return.
“We were hoping to get them today, but reports indicate they are still in Uganda. The latest update we have is that they will arrive by Thursday,” Motshekga said.
The soldiers were killed while defending against M23 rebels in the Goma region, as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), which seeks to restore peace and stability in the country.
Motshekga assured Parliament that the fallen soldiers would receive full military honours upon their return.
