A first contingent of South African troops repatriated from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo arrived in Pretoria Friday night, the defense ministry announced.
Videos shared by the ministry showed uniformed soldiers dancing and chanting upon their arrival at Waterkloof air force base, welcomed by cheering staff.
These troops were deployed as part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission, which began in December 2023, aimed at restoring peace and security in the war-torn region.
However, SADC declared in March that it would conclude its military mission in the mineral-rich area after 17 of its soldiers were killed.
Earlier this year, renewed fighting erupted when the Rwandan-backed M23 force seized significant territory in DRC’s North and South Kivu provinces, both bordering Rwanda.
Defense Minister Angie Motshekga informed journalists on Friday about the return of this first group of 249 soldiers.
She added that the army was diligently working with regional partners to ensure the safe return of its equipment, emphasizing, “We shall not leave even a pin behind.”
This echoed a statement made last month by defense chief General Rudzani Maphwanya, who described the evacuation as a “technical move that allows peace and mediation to continue,” rather than a sign of weakness.
Calls for South Africa’s troops to be withdrawn had increased domestically after 14 of their soldiers were killed in the region in January.
Most of these casualties were from the SADC mission, though at least two were part of a United Nations force.
Soldiers from Malawi and Tanzania participating in the mission have also lost their lives.
