President Cyril Ramaphosa says authorities are working around the clock with the United Nation (UN) and the South African Defence Force (SANDF) to bring back the remains of the 14 fallen soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Ramaphosa was addressing the media on Friday on the sidelines of the annual Presidential Golf Challenge (PGC) held at the Atlantic Beach Golf Estate in Melkbosstrand.
“We are working with the UN and, of course, the SANDF to bring our fallen soldiers back.
“We’re working fervently, and when we get to Tanzania to have the summit tomorrow, I’m hoping that we will not only deal with what has happened in the recent past, but we will deal with issues that revolve around a ceasefire and finding a permanent solution to the problems that have docked the DRC for the longest time,” he said.
Ramaphosa will be off to Tanzania tomorrow to participate in the joint Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) – East Africa Community (EAC) Heads of State and Government Summit on the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“We want our soldiers to come back. We want peace to prevail in that area in the part of our continent, so that the people of DRC can live in peace. And all of us can be in our own countries advancing development of our own people,” he said.
The heads of state and government of SADC and the EAC agreed to meet urgently following their respective extraordinary summits held last month to deliberate on the way forward regarding the security situation in the DRC.
In his State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged that the country is in mourning the death of South African National Defence Force troops who perished in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (DRC).
He assured the country that the SA flag will fly at half-mast in honour of the deceased soldiers.
This comes after 13 soldiers died during a fierce confrontation with the belligerent Rwandan-backed M23 rebels. They were trying to halt them from advancing to Goma, the capital and the largest city.
– SAnews.gov.za and Moyahabo Mabeba
