The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed that nine soldiers were killed by the M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The RSA contingent forms an integral part of the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) which aims to bolster the efforts of the Congolese government to restore peace, security, and stability to the region.
SANDF MEMBERS KILLED IN DRC
On Saturday, SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said after two days of fierce fighting with the M23 rebel group in eastern DRC, South African soldiers and their counterparts were able to halt the advancement of the rebel group towards Goma, the provincial capital of the eastern DRC.
Dlamini said the M23 group had launched a full-scale attack on SANDF soldiers to take over Goma but could not advance due to the heroic resistance the defence force members put up.
“Our members were not only able to halt the M23 advancement but were able to push them back. The intention of the M23, amongst others, is also to take over the city of Goma, but it met with heavy resistance from the SANDF contingent, which managed to prevent them from proceeding into Goma,” he said.
Unfortunately, in the course of this clash, nine SANDF members were confirmed dead by Friday, 24 January.
“Seven of these members were part of the South African deployment in eastern DRC in December 2023 as part of the 16-member regional bloc SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC). Two members were from the MONUSCO.
“The number of injured members is still to be confirmed. However, a few suffered various degrees of injuries. The process of informing families of the deceased members is underway,” Dlamini said.
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, is currently in the DRC assessing the operational conditions and welfare of members deployed in the region and has sent condolences to the families of the deceased.
PREVIOUS CASUALTIES
This was not the first time SANDF members deployed in the DRC have lost their lives.
In June 2024, Sergeant Mbulelo Ngubane who was an operational medical practitioner in the SA Military Health Service was killed when an ambulance in which he was tending to injured members was attacked.
Before that, on Valentine’s Day in 2024, a bomb landed inside SANDF military base killing two soldiers and injuring three others. The two deceased soldiers were identified as Captain Simon Mkhulu Bobe and Lance Corporal Irven Thabang Semono.
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