Cape Town – Defence Minister Angie Motshekga has confirmed that the bodies of 14 South African soldiers killed in Goma, eastern DRC, will be repatriated on Thursday.
The SANDF is coordinating their transfer to a UN base in Entebbe, Uganda, before their return home.
Motshekga informed Parliament on Monday that the fallen soldiers came from various provinces: seven from Limpopo, three from the Free State, and one each from the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, and North West.
She emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring their dignified return.
However, some opposition leaders criticised the government’s handling of the situation.
Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie questioned the urgency of the parliamentary debate, arguing that it should have been postponed until the soldiers’ bodies were back in South Africa.
“We are busy debating here while our soldiers are not back. The families of the ones that died must now watch on TV, hoping to get some information. There was no rush for this debate. This debate could have been moved until we got our fallen soldiers back, and then we can come here and speak about this,” McKenzie said.
[WATCH] Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie says there was no urgency for the debate in the National Assembly, suggesting that Parliament should have waited for the remains of the 14 soldiers who were killed in the DRC to return home. pic.twitter.com/q5BhJINEN0
— SABC News (@SABCNews) February 10, 2025
EFF leader Julius Malema accused the government of sending troops into a “never-ending war” under the guise of peacekeeping.
He argued that soldiers were being deployed to die in a foreign land without receiving the respect they deserved upon their return.
[In Case You Missed It]: President @Julius_S_Malema debating the deployment of our soldiers to the DRC.
President says leadership on the ground failed to provide clear directive, resulting in disorganised retreats and unprepared casualties. pic.twitter.com/3CgGjAdYdQ
— Sixolise Gcilishe (@SixoGcilishe) February 10, 2025
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
