WeeklySA_AdminBACK-TO-BASE: The contingent, who were stationed in rebel-held Goma and Sake together with other peacekeeping members from Tanzania and Malawi, arrived in Bloemfontein today…
By WSAM Reporter
The 249 members of the SA National Defence Force from the now concluded Southern African peacekeeping mission arrived in the country today.
The troops, who were deployed to the conflict-ridden eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), arrived at the Air Force Base in Bloemspruit in Bloemfontein this afternoon to a warm welcome by Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga, accompanied by the members of the Military Command Council.
“Seeing our soldiers in good spirits and genuinely excited to be home not only speaks volumes of their unwavering patriotism but also a powerful expression of their steadfast commitment to defend the territorial integrity of the Republic and support its people , a constitutional mandate every member of the South African National Defence Force lives and serves by,” said the Minister.
In a statement released from Botswana yesterday, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) said the phased withdrawal process followed the formal termination of the mission’s mandate as decided by the SADC Heads of State and Government Summit. This process was being implemented in a structured and coordinated manner to ensure the safe return of mission personnel and equipment, the SADC added.
The SADC outlined the withdrawal process as:
• Phase One: The first phase began on 29 April 2025 and focused on the equipment, and other logistical assets.
• Phase Two: Commenced yesterday, the second phase entails the repatriation of mission personnel along with their personal belongings, and the remaining operational equipment.
The Southern African troops were stationed in Goma and Sake and were transported to the United Republic of Tanzania, where the Tanzanian contingent proceeded to Dar es Salaam, and followed by the airlifting of the South African and Malawian soldiers to their respective countries.
In a speech delivered at the ceremony, Motshekga said it was worth noting that part of this meticulous withdrawal process included the safe return “of all our Prime Mission Equipment”, a process which was ongoing.
“As stated by the Chief of the SANDF during our last media briefing on this matter, we shall not leave even a pin behind. All necessary logistical support will continue until the withdrawal is fully completed.
The withdrawal of the soldiers was announced by the Minister in May following a “high level consultation with several role-players in the peacekeeping efforts within the eastern DRC”.
Earlier this year, 14 troop members lost their lives and others sustained injuries at the hands of the M23 as fighting in the Goma region escalated. The rebel group fought intensely against the Congolese armed forces, resulting in the deaths of soldiers from 23 to 27 January 2025 during M23’s advance on Sake and Goma.
These soldiers were part of the SAMIDRC, which aims to help restore peace, security, and stability in Africa’s second-largest country.
UN appeal
As diplomatic efforts continue to end fighting in eastern DRC, the UN development agency (UNDP) issued an appeal today on behalf of people uprooted by the violence to help them rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
Since the beginning of the year, Rwanda-backed M23 fighters have swept across eastern DRC, taking key cities including Goma and Bukavu. The violence has displaced more than one million people in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Speaking from the village of Sake in North Kivu, UNDP Resident Representative Damien Mama described meeting a woman whose house had been destroyed after she fled the advancing fighters in January.
“You know, with five children, you can imagine what this represents,” Mr. Mama said. “She was telling me that [her family] were given food and temporary shelter; but what she needs is to go back to her farm to continue farming, to continue her activities, and also have her home rebuilt.”
All those newly displaced by the M23 rebel advance are in addition to the five million people already living in displacement camps in eastern DRC.
Health workers have repeatedly warned that the crowded and unsanitary conditions provide ideal conditions for the spread of diseases including mpox, cholera and measles.
