Remains of fallen SA soldiers arrive home from DRC

South African National Defence Force (SANDF) chaplin-general Ernest Masewu on Thursday paid tribute to the 14 soldiers who died while serving in a multinational peacekeeping mission in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Masewu was speaking at Air Force Base Swartkop in Centurion, ahead of a handover ceremony and memorial service for the fallen troops.

The soldiers died in fighting in Goma last month and their bodies arrived home on Wednesday night.

Masewu described the fallen troops as heroes who selflessly dedicated their lives to peace on the continent.

He addressed criticism of the SANDF’s presence in the DRC, stressing that their deployment was not a random decision. “For us as a defence force, our pain is so deep, because we are the ones who have sent the soldiers [to the DRC], people think we are not in pain. Our pain is just looked down upon because people want to just criticise why we are there,” Masewu said.

He said peacekeeping missions were crucial for Africa’s stability.

“The president [Cyril Ramaphosa] would not just wake up and send the soldiers for fun, as people assume. It is about the need to silence the guns in Africa. It is about the need for peace,” he said.

Masewu said the SANDF has been supporting the bereaved families since the tragedy occurred.

“The chaplins went to visit the families, the social workers, psychologists also went,” he said, adding that the families were given the opportunity to view the bodies before taking them home for burial.

Reflecting on the magnitude of the loss, he said, “Losing one soldier is enough, 14 is so much worse.”

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