IOL can exclusively reveal that bodies of the 14 SANDF South African soldiers who lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been transported to Entebbe, a city in central Uganda.
Image: Supplied
IOL can exclusively reveal that bodies of the 14 South African soldiers who lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been transported to Entebbe is a city in central Uganda, where they will be transported to South Africa.
Sources in the DRC and in Uganda told IOL that the office of United Nations (UN) Secretary General António Guterres intervened after the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) faced some challenges in repatriating the bodies.
IOL understands that the M23 rebels stifled the earlier plans to repatriate the bodies as the militia demanded that the South African troops in the DRC must leave too.
The SANDF has not confirmed the latest details on the movement of the gallant South African soldiers who died in battle.
On Tuesday, Chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani Maphwanya told Parliament's joint defence committee that the bodies of the soldiers would arrive in Pretoria on Wednesday.
IOL can exclusively reveal that bodies of the 14 South African soldiers who lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been transported to Entebbe, a city in central Uganda.
Image: Supplied
IOL can exclusively reveal that bodies of the 14 South African soldiers who lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been transported to Entebbe, a city in central Uganda.
Image: Supplied
That mission did not happen, and on Thursday, the SANDF announced that there were delays which had obstructed the earlier plans for the bodies of the fallen soldiers to be transported to South Africa.
Another source in Rwanda told IOL on Friday that the remains of the fallen SANDF soldiers were transported from Goma in eastern DRC, across the Rwanda-DRC border at La Corniche at approximately midday.
“The transport, facilitated by the United Nations, will continue through Rwanda to Uganda via the Cyanika border,” the source told IOL.
From Uganda, the remains of the brave soldiers will be repatriated to South Africa by air.
Sources said the bodies are expected to land in South Africa from late Friday night or during the weekend.
On Thursday, IOL reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a week of mourning for the 14 SANDF soldiers killed in the DRC.
Opening his ninth State Of the Nation Address (SONA), Ramaphosa declared the flags will be flown at half mast in honour of: Staff Sergeant William Eddie Cola, Staff Sergeant Molahlehi Ishmael Molahlehi, Staff Sergeant Shwahlane Theophilus Seepe Corporal Matome Justice Malesa, Corporal Rinae Nemavhulani, Lance Bombardier Itumeleng Macdonald Moreo, Lance Corporal Tseke Moffat Molapo, Lance Corporal Metse Stansly Raswiswi, Rifleman Sebatane Richard Chokoe, Rifleman Derrick Maluleke, Rifleman Tshidiso Andries Mabele, Rifleman Calvin Louis Moagi, Rifleman Mokete Joseph Mobe and Private Peter Jacobus Strydom.
"They lost their lives, not in the pursuit of resources of power. They lost their lives so that guns on our continent may be forever silenced. So we salute them," Ramaphosa said.
The soldiers' bodies were due to be repatriated to South Africa on Wednesday. However, the SANDF on Thursday stated that all administrative processes were completed and handed over to the United Nations.
"The United Nations planned movement for the repatriation of the deceased out of the combat zone has been delayed," SANDF head of communications, Siphiwe Dlamini explained earlier this week.
The soldiers were part of a 16-member force involved in a peacekeeping mission in the DRC.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
IOL
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