Ramaphosa Assures Sandf Safety, Calls For Ceasefire To Hold In Drc

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the process to repatriate the remains of South African National Defence Force SANDF soldiers killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC recently is underway.

13 SANDF soldiers have been killed in clashes against M23 rebels.

Ramaphosa says all necessary support is being provided to the families of the deceased and injured soldiers. He has expressed condolences to their families and their colleagues.

Ramaphosa says fighting in the DRC has stopped for now, adding that he had a telephone conversation with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, whose forces are accused of supporting M23 fighters in seizing Congolese territory.

He says, The attacks on peacekeepers resulted in the deaths of SAMIDRC members from other troop contributing countries, namely, Malawi and Tanzania, as well members of the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC MONUSCO brigade. We honour all the lives that were lost and pass our condolences to their families, governments and citizens. The situation in Goma and Sake, where our troops and their counterparts are stationed, remains very tense, volatile and unpredictable.