The mortal remains of Corporal Tebogo Edwin Radebe, who died after an attack by insurgents in Mozambique, will be handed over to his family on Thursday at the Air Base Force Waterkloof, Pretoria.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was deployed in Cabo Delgado province as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), also known as Operation Vikela.

Radebe was part of Operation Vikela when the soldiers came under attack from the insurgents during an ambush east of Chai Village on Monday. Radebe succumbed to his injuries.

The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thandi Modise, will form part of the Department of Defence Office officials who will formally hand over the remains to the family at the military procession ceremony.

According to a statement, Radebe, from Paul Roux in the Free State, was born on 6 June 1990 and served as a member of SANDF in Limpopo.

He is survived by his aunt, three siblings and two daughters. He was unmarried.

The Extraordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government approved the deployment of SAMIM on 15 July 2021 as a regional response to support Mozambique to combat terrorism and acts of violent extremism.

The country has been plagued by continued acts of terrorism perpetrated on innocent civilians, women and children in some districts of Cabo Delgado.

SAMIM comprises troops deployed from eight personnel contributing countries from SADC, namely Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia, working in collaboration with the Forças Armadas de Defesa de Moçambique (FADM) and other troops deployed to Cabo Delgado to combat acts of terrorism and violent extremism.

Modise and her office have once again extended their condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of the deceased.

Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course, the SANDF said.

Source: South African Government News Agency