Ntokozo Khumalo3 February 2025 | 4:28

SADC sending senior members to DRC to facilitate repatriation of 14 SA soldiers killed in Goma

National defence force spokesperson, Siphiwe Dlamini, said that they could not set a time frame for when exactly the repatriations would occur but negotiations were underway.

SADC sending senior members to DRC to facilitate repatriation of 14 SA soldiers killed in Goma

Armored vehicles belonging to the South Africa National Defence Forces (SANDF) contingent of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) drive towards deploy along the road leading to the entrance of the town of Sake, 25km north-west of Goma, on 23 January 2025. Picture: Michael Lunanga/AFP

JOHANNESBURG - The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit will be sending senior members to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to facilitate the repatriation of 14 South African soldiers killed fending off approaching rebels in the city of Goma.

A soldier succumbed to their injuries in hospital this weekend, bringing the number of fallen SANDF members there to 14.

National defence force spokesperson, Siphiwe Dlamini, said that they could not set a time frame for when exactly the repatriations would occur but negotiations were underway.
 
"It would be impossible because, as I say, these are discussions that are going on. But from our side, we would really like to have our members back home so that the families can get closure."