SANDF to honour 14 soldiers who died in DRC on UN Peacekeeping Day
As the national defence force prepares to commemorate United Nations Peacekeeping Day on Thursday, Acting Chaplain General Masello Mothopeng said the day bears great significance.
The remains of the 14 SANDF soldiers who were killed in the DRC arrived at the Swartkop Air Force Base in Pretoria where they were handed over to their families during a military ceremony on 13 February 2025. Picture: Jacques Nelles/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - As the national defence force prepares to commemorate United Nations Peacekeeping Day on Thursday, Acting Chaplain General Masello Mothopeng said the day bears great significance.
The day is marked annually to pay tribute to the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping missions.
Recently, South Africa lost 14 soldiers in the volatile eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The troops were deployed to the region in December 2023 to forge peace in the conflict-ridden country.
General Mothopeng said that they would be honoured on Thursday.
"This day is very significant as it touches, as I already alluded, that it touches on the lives of our members. Remember, that these men and women, when they leave their families, leave their country, leave with a smile and come back in coffins. It's something that also not only affects their families but also the nation at large."