Thursday, 13 February 2025.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is grateful that the remains of the fourteen SANDF soldiers, who tragically died eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last month, have now finally, after many delays, arrived back home on South African soil.

The bodies of our 14 soldiers, who so heroically laid down their lives in service to our nation, arrived yesterday evening, Wednesday 12 February 2025, at 18:25 on board of a Shaanxi Y-8 cargo plane of the Tanzanian Air Force, at the Waterkloof Airbase in Tshwane. We are especially thankful that the long wait for the family members of the SANDF to receive their loved one’s home is now finally over.

The entirely unrealistic promises by the Chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani Mpanywa, that the bodies would already have been returned on Wednesday the 5th of February 2025, was very unfortunate. This was an entirely impossible promise for the sake of cheap propaganda to try and deflect from the serious mismanagement of the SANDF deployment in the DRC.

The expectations that this callous promise raised for the families of the 14 departed soldiers meant eight days of forlorn hope and agony, that only added to their already deeply inflicted pain and loss. Furthermore, the EFF strongly condemns the last-minute postponement of the formal handover of the remains of the deceased soldiers, which was originally scheduled for this morning at Swartkop Airforce Base but has now been pushed to later this evening due to the President’s prior engagement with SONA.

This blatant disrespect towards the bereaved families is utterly unacceptable. The President’s SONA engagement was well known in advance, raising the question—why was the initial handover scheduled for a time when he was unavailable, only to be changed again after families have already endured unjust delays? The continued lack of urgency and sensitivity in handling this matter is a disgrace, and the EFF stands in solidarity with the affected families who deserve dignity, respect, and closure.

It should be noted that the fact that our 14 soldiers arrived on board of an aircraft of the Tanzanian Airforce, has a particular significance and poignancy, about pan African solidarity. Tanzania must be lauded for having come to our assistance during this difficult time, especially since our own South African Airforce is in such a pitiful state, that we do not have a single cargo plane in our fleet that could have carried out this flight to bring our soldiers home.

The EFF once again extends our heartfelt condolences to all family members and loved ones in anticipation of the upcoming ceremony, that will be accompanied by a great sense of loss and pain. It is our ardent hope that the families will find solace in having their loved ones finally home, and also in the knowledge that our whole nation embrace them as national heroes, who have laid down their lives in service to others.

The EFF reiterates our call for President Cyril Ramaphosa to now ensure that all our wounded soldiers, who are still in the DRC, are expeditiously returned to South Africa for full and adequate medical care. Their return must be followed by the withdrawal of all our soldiers from the DRC, as a matter of urgency.

The EFF continues to believe that the only solution to resolve the conflict in eastern DRC is to work for unity among all Africans, and to find a peaceful solution that will empower the people of the DRC. For them to determine their own future and to regain full control over the resources of that mineral rich part of our African continent.

ISSUED BY THE ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS

Leigh-Ann Mathys (National Spokesperson) 082 304 7572

Thato Lebyane (Media Enquiries) 078 304 7572