Johannesburg: The remains of the 14 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers who died in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have finally returned home and will be handed over to their families this evening. The SANDF has rescheduled the handing-over ceremony and memorial service from Thursday morning to the evening.

According to South African Government News Agency, this change is due to unavoidable parliamentary commitments related to the State of the Nation Address (SONA) debate in Cape Town. The troops lost their lives at the hands of the M23 as fighting in the Goma region escalated.

The rebel group fought against the Congolese armed forces, resulting in the deaths of soldiers from 23 to 27 January during M23’s advance on Sake and Goma. The soldiers are part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), which aims to help restore peace, security, and stability in Africa’s second-largest country.

Families have been eagerly awaiting their loved ones after multiple delays, including medical processing in Uganda. The memorial service in honour of the soldiers will be held on Thursday, 13 February 2025, at the Air Force Base Swartkop in Johannesburg at 6 pm.