[WATCH] SA soldiers deployed to DRC back on home soil

The first flight carrying 249 SANDF troops from the Southern African Development Community mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo arrived at Air Force Base Waterkloof outside Pretoria on 13 June. In May, South Africa withdrew its troops from the DRC, having lost fourteen soldiers in a battle with M23 rebels in January near Goma in the eastern DRC.

• South African National Defence Force (SANDF)
• Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
• Southern African Development Community (SADC)

The first group of SANDF soldiers deployed to the DRC arrive at Waterkloof Air Force Base outside Pretoria on 13 June 2025. Picture: SANDF