{More than 1 200 South African soldiers will spend Christmas on a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.}
They are part of a SADC deployment in the volatile Eastern DRC, under the auspices of the UN Mission, MONUSCO.
Peacekeeping has been a key feature of a post-94 democratic South Africa. Since 2001, SANDF members have been deployed to the DRC. This follows agreements between Pretoria and Kinshasa, and peacekeeping under UN auspices.
Twelve years on, various regiments are still in the DRC and they include engineers, medics, pilots, military police and ground forces operating on the frontlines.
Christmas will be a “special day” away from home for the soldiers. They have been hailed as agents of peace and have received a pat on the back from deputy defence minister, Thabang Makwetla.
Most of the soldiers are expected to be home after April.
Agencies
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