Soldiers who returned from DRC to go on leave to integrate with family & recuperate! The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops who have returned home from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after serving in a peacekeeping mission will go on a leave of absence of up to two months before returning to their duties.
A third group of 220 members returned on Monday at the Bram Fischer Airport in Bloemfontein.
Rebel group M23 and the DRC military reached a ceasefire agreement, and the SANDF members withdrew from their deployment in Goma.
Soldiers who returned from DRC
The second batch of 257 SANDF members arrived on Sunday at the Waterkloof Air Force base in Pretoria, while the first batch arrived last Friday.
The two batches had to land in Pretoria because the Bram Fischer Airport did not have a staircase for the plane.
More than 2,000 soldiers are expected to return throughout the month from a mission that started in 2023.
SANDF spokesperson Prince Tshabalala said: “They will then go on a month or two leave based on our HR leave policy processes and then they are going to integrate with their families and then recuperate. Those who need much more attention post-war trauma, they will undergo further counselling within their units.”
In other news – Babes Wodumo reunites with Mampintsha’s father on Youth Day
Gqom artist Babes Wodumo shared a heartfelt moment with her late husband Mandla “Mampintsha” Maphumulo’s father, Thembinkosi Maphumulo, during her performance at the EFF’s Youth Day celebration in Umlazi, Durban, on Monday.
Spotting him in the crowd, Babes warmly escorted Thembinkosi to the VIP section, where they spent time reminiscing about the late musician. Read More
